Is this orange peel?

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:28 pm

I'm trying out my airbrushing skill on a Ponitac Firebird kit.
I started out by using Duplicolor Fillable primer, warmed a bit in water but I think I got orange peel.

Is this orange peel? If so should I make the water hotter? Is the fillable primer the wrong one?

Does this happen with the Tamiya Testors stuff?

There are more images at http://modellingstuff.wordpress.com/200 ... -firebird/ if it will help. I think the below are the best ones though.

http://modellingstuff.files.wordpress.c ... gepeel.jpg

http://modellingstuff.files.wordpress.c ... epeel2.jpg

MODERATOR'S EDIT: Inline images are not allowed. Changed to URL's. Thanks -- Linda

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:50 pm

In my experience that's what the filler primer does, as it's supposed to go on thick and literally fill any scratches or small dings for later sanding. So I would just use a regular primer, it's going to be a lot thinner and thus smoother. Unless you're going to sand it anyway of course.

-Rog

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:19 am

Rogviler wrote:In my experience that's what the filler primer does, as it's supposed to go on thick and literally fill any scratches or small dings for later sanding. So I would just use a regular primer, it's going to be a lot thinner and thus smoother. Unless you're going to sand it anyway of course.

-Rog

Ah. I think they only had fillable and sandable? I don't remember seeing a regular primer.

I think maybe part of the problem is that I'm using automotive stuff too. I looked for Plasti-kote but I couldn't find any. I live in Canada.

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:21 am

Sorry, I didn't mean the same brand.

If you can get it, primer made for models is going to be better and more "in scale". Otherwise try to find some of the cheap $1 spray primer. It's cheap because it's not very thick, but that's what you want.

You also might not even need a primer, unless you've done any modifying or filling.

-Rog

Mark Yungblut · Post by **Mark Yungblut** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:36 am

what I would do particularly since this is a car model is wet sand the primer. That will smooth out the surface and aid a blemish free surface to put your color on in the next coat.

Another thing to do is get an old scotchbright pad and use that to polish down the surface. If you don't have an old one then buy one now for the kitchen then use it in the shop when it is "worn out".

Cheers,

Mark

Post by **TER-OR** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:39 pm

If you're just painting styrene, you don't need a primer. Make sure the plastic is completely clean and prepped, though. I like PolyScale's Plastic Prep, which reduces the static charge, too. All the model paints adhere to styrene fine in my experience. For a car, you'll want to make sure you put a couple coats on, though, I'm sure.

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:05 pm

You don't need a primer? Really? Why is it so many people here seem to use it?

TER-OR wrote:If you're just painting styrene, you don't need a primer. Make sure the plastic is completely clean and prepped, though. I like PolyScale's Plastic Prep, which reduces the static charge, too. All the model paints adhere to styrene fine in my experience. For a car, you'll want to make sure you put a couple coats on, though, I'm sure.

Mark Yungblut · Post by **Mark Yungblut** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:07 pm

many use primers as they show the flaws and imperfections that might be present like a seam that is not fully hidden and smoothed over.

Cheers,

Mark

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:11 pm

Dumb question time. What exactly is involved in wet sanding primer on a model?

Mark Yungblut wrote:what I would do particularly since this is a car model is wet sand the primer. That will smooth out the surface and aid a blemish free surface to put your color on in the next coat.

Another thing to do is get an old scotchbright pad and use that to polish down the surface. If you don't have an old one then buy one now for the kitchen then use it in the shop when it is "worn out".

Cheers,

Mark

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:39 pm

fireworks wrote:Dumb question time. What exactly is involved in wet sanding primer on a model?

It's pretty simple, you just need to get some really fine sandpaper, like up around the 1000 grit range or even finer, like 1500 grit. Then just get a little container of water and put a couple of drops of either baby shampoo or Dawn dish liquid in it and start sanding. (You want those types of "soaps" because they don't actually contain soap, which can cause problems later on.) Remember to redip the sandpaper whenever it seems to "stick". You want to to feel slick as you sand.

Also, make sure you get sandpaper that's made for wet use.

But really, I wouldn't use primer myself. Like I said, unless I had done some work to the model where I wanted to see if it was smooth. Otherwise it's really easy to start filling in all the detail, like door handles/locks and body panel lines.

fireworks wrote:You don't need a primer? Really? Why is it so many people here seem to use it?

I think some people probably also like to feel like they're really painting an actual car.

But as far as on this site, a lot of people are building really large models and doing a lot of modification, like Mark said...

-Rog

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:24 am

Rogviler wrote:Also, make sure you get sandpaper that's made for wet use.

I don't know about the US, but in the UK we call it "Wet & Dry" paper or "Finishing" paper. Over here, "Sandpaper" is used purely for wood & MDF and falls apart if you get it wet.

With all abrasive papers, they are graded by their coarseness. The larger the number, the smoother the paper. So, 80-grit will take your skin off and 1200-grit is really fine and can be used for final polishing.

Instead of baby shampoo or Dawn Dish liquid (do't have that brand here) you can also use a few drops of liquid Dishwasher Rinse Aid.

redfinger · Post by **redfinger** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:02 am

to answer your question though, yest that is "orange peel"

It cn be caused by a few things, being to close to your srface when spraying, if you are too close it does not give the paint/reducer/propelent enoungh time to atomize completley in the air. Now on the flip side if you are too far away, the paint/reducer/propelent will actually "dray in the air and you are left w/ a dusty dry surface.

A 2nd cause of orange peel can be aimproprly prepared surface, the paint cannot "bit" into the surface if there is some kind of chemical in the way, like a mold release, oil from you fingers, ect...I beleive some one already suggested a surface prep poduct. Amnonia or Windex could work well too to prep the surface for paint.

A 3rd cause of "orange peel" is that the reducer/paint was not mixed properly. You said you had warrmed the can sleightly which is great, but how long did you shake it for? If your spraying more paint than reducer there isnt enough catalyst to start reaction, so you end up w/ a orange peel effect.

Hope this help, and good luck!

Asthon

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:08 am

Agree with the above but also as an add-on to Redfinger's 3rd...

Continuing to spray too much. Use light coats to build up the color otherwise you risk orange-peel because of too much paint. Also, prolonged spraying will reduce the pressure in the can as you go, affecting the paint delivery.

I've used variuos makes of 'filler-primers' on many occasions and haven't had orange-peel.

fireworks · Post by **fireworks** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:13 pm

Well I did three passes to get the amount of primer that is in the pictures.
Too few?

seam-filler wrote:Agree with the above but also as an add-on to Redfinger's 3rd...

Continuing to spray too much. Use light coats to build up the color otherwise you risk orange-peel because of too much paint. Also, prolonged spraying will reduce the pressure in the can as you go, affecting the paint delivery.

I've used variuos makes of 'filler-primers' on many occasions and haven't had orange-peel.

redfinger · Post by **redfinger** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:31 am

fireworks wrote:Well I did three passes to get the amount of primer that is in the pictures.
Too few?

seam-filler wrote:Agree with the above but also as an add-on to Redfinger's 3rd...

Continuing to spray too much. Use light coats to build up the color otherwise you risk orange-peel because of too much paint. Also, prolonged spraying will reduce the pressure in the can as you go, affecting the paint delivery.

I've used variuos makes of 'filler-primers' on many occasions and haven't had orange-peel.

I think what he is trying to say, that I failed to mention, is that is sufficient time is not given between coats, you can orange peel. The texture us created by the evaporatiing catalyst breaking through the paint. give your coats time to dry, in weather w/ high humidity this can take a while.

Ashton