Do any of you know what paints out there are good for plastics? I recently got a Macross figure with the idea of using it as Jetfire, and I need some paint for the change. Any and all help would be apriciated.

                  Alan (a.k.a. Aranius Prime)

Testors Model Master is a great line to check out. I've recently found their "Laquer" coat which is a top coat for any aps of either the Model Master (standard) or Model Master Acryl paints.

yeah, i use testors, good paint, and dosnt scratch off it u let it dry rite. for spray paint, krylon fusion werks the best

Do any of you know what paints out there are good for plastics? I recently got a Macross figure with the idea of using it as Jetfire, and I need some paint for the change. Any and all help would be apriciated.

                  Alan (a.k.a. Aranius Prime)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Okay, I'm going to walk you through this from start to finish: (NOTE: READ THIS ALL CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT STARTING!!! :D )

 

 

First off, research your subject; get all the pics you will need for this of the original g1 jetfire. (seibertron.com is a good start.)

Then, gather your materials; krylon fusion white gloss, tamiya clear red, tamiya smoke clear paint, and krylon kristal kote, 220, 400, and 600 grit sandpapers, scotch matte-finish magic mending tape and regular masking tape, and the seconary colors you wish to use, along with an assortment of brushes (#1 flat, 0,00,and 000-grade red-sable brushes). Also, check out Reprolabels.com for jetfire labels. (reprolabels can resize them special for your project, as long as you give them dimensions)

 

Now, begin by using a mixture of 1 cup water, 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol (70%) and 1/2 cup dish detergent to wash your macross figure. This will remove all the mold release. Also, it's a good idea to remove any unwanted stickers during this process. After rinsing it in warm water and allowing it to air dry (or use a hair dryer on low ONLY), then start breaking the figure down into sub-assemblies. (This will allow you to paint them much easier.) It also helps to seperate components into color groups, so you don't have to waste time masking unwanted areas.  remove any and all clear parts, and set them aside. (It's a good idea to keep all screws and small parts in individual containers, so you won't lose them.)  Pep the parts by using a light application of steel wool to remove the gloss from the parts (as per the fusion instructions for painting older surfaces; ignore the new surface instructions!)

 

To paint, set all the parts out on a sheet of cardboard or something that can absorb overspray. use an area that has good ventilation, like outside on a windless day, or a garage with a lot of windows or the main door open. (safety FIRST!!) paint in 3 passes; first one; very lisht, don't try to cover the entire thing, but only with a light spray. let dry. Second, a heavier spray, so it has an 'orange peel' look' let dry, and sand VERY lightly with 400-grade sandpaper or 0000-grade steeel wool. Final pass; almost heavy, but not so heavy that it runs. ( if it does, DON'T PANIC!! just lay it flat so the paint can spread out, AND DON'T TRY TO SMOOTH IT OUT!!! Let it dry, THEN use sandpaper or steel wool for that. Smoothing wet paint only smears it and makes it WORSE. trust me!)

 

After the last coat, use 660-grade sandpaper (available at hobby/craft shops) to smooth out the finish. Let it dry for a day or so, so that you don't risk lifting the finish while masking for the secondary colors. At this time, mask the parts off for detail painting. Use scotch magic tape for the demarcation lines, and the regular masking tape to cover areas to be protected. (regular masking tape will allow paint to seep through underneath, scotch magic tape, when burnished down won't ) use either very short bursts of the secondary color (an airbrush is great for this type of thing, but spray cans, used carefully, can work great too), or paint by hand (acryllics are good for this.) To keep bursh marks out, remember to use the proper amount of thinner to paint. (acryllics also are good because they're easy to remove if you screw up, and using a hair dryer on low allows you to paint multiple sections at a time by reducing the drying time tremendously).

 

Remember to let the paint dry COMPLETELY ( a day or so for fusion and flat enamels, three days for gloss enamels.) then remove the masking by pulling it PERPENDICULAR to the line painted (at a right angle to it.) This avoids lifting any of your paintwork. At this point, repaint the visor on jetfire with transparent red (if it's transparent. if not, use chrome silver spray first, then after it dries for a few days, then use the transparent red. you may need to remove the previous color if it's painted on the visor.

 

Now, reassemble jetfire. You may need to srape paint from certain surfaces so that they fit. Be VERY cautious in this, and keep a bit of touch-up paint handy in case repainting is needed 9brush only, respraying is too risky at this point. Then apply the decals, and you should be finished.

 

This is pretty-much a crash-course in painting, but the main points should serve you well. For more details, refer to"The Idiot's Guide To Kitbashing" at the top of the page here in Customs and kitbashes.

 

Good luck on this project! :thumb

 

-WV

Do any of you know what paints out there are good for plastics? I recently got a Macross figure with the idea of using it as Jetfire, and I need some paint for the change. Any and all help would be apriciated.

                  Alan (a.k.a. Aranius Prime)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Okay, I'm going to walk you through this from start to finish: (NOTE: READ THIS ALL CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT STARTING!!! :D )

 

 

First off, research your subject; get all the pics you will need for this of the original g1 jetfire. (seibertron.com is a good start.)

Then, gather your materials; krylon fusion white gloss, tamiya clear red, tamiya smoke clear paint, and krylon kristal kote, 220, 400, and 600 grit sandpapers, scotch matte-finish magic mending tape and regular masking tape, and the seconary colors you wish to use, along with an assortment of brushes (#1 flat, 0,00,and 000-grade red-sable brushes). Also, check out Reprolabels.com for jetfire labels. (reprolabels can resize them special for your project, as long as you give them dimensions)

 

Now, begin by using a mixture of 1 cup water, 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol (70%) and 1/2 cup dish detergent to wash your macross figure. This will remove all the mold release. Also, it's a good idea to remove any unwanted stickers during this process. After rinsing it in warm water and allowing it to air dry (or use a hair dryer on low ONLY), then start breaking the figure down into sub-assemblies. (This will allow you to paint them much easier.) It also helps to seperate components into color groups, so you don't have to waste time masking unwanted areas.  remove any and all clear parts, and set them aside. (It's a good idea to keep all screws and small parts in individual containers, so you won't lose them.)  Pep the parts by using a light application of steel wool to remove the gloss from the parts (as per the fusion instructions for painting older surfaces; ignore the new surface instructions!)

 

To paint, set all the parts out on a sheet of cardboard or something that can absorb overspray. use an area that has good ventilation, like outside on a windless day, or a garage with a lot of windows or the main door open. (safety FIRST!!) paint in 3 passes; first one; very lisht, don't try to cover the entire thing, but only with a light spray. let dry. Second, a heavier spray, so it has an 'orange peel' look' let dry, and sand VERY lightly with 400-grade sandpaper or 0000-grade steeel wool. Final pass; almost heavy, but not so heavy that it runs. ( if it does, DON'T PANIC!! just lay it flat so the paint can spread out, AND DON'T TRY TO SMOOTH IT OUT!!! Let it dry, THEN use sandpaper or steel wool for that. Smoothing wet paint only smears it and makes it WORSE. trust me!)

 

After the last coat, use 660-grade sandpaper (available at hobby/craft shops) to smooth out the finish. Let it dry for a day or so, so that you don't risk lifting the finish while masking for the secondary colors. At this time, mask the parts off for detail painting. Use scotch magic tape for the demarcation lines, and the regular masking tape to cover areas to be protected. (regular masking tape will allow paint to seep through underneath, scotch magic tape, when burnished down won't ) use either very short bursts of the secondary color (an airbrush is great for this type of thing, but spray cans, used carefully, can work great too), or paint by hand (acryllics are good for this.) To keep bursh marks out, remember to use the proper amount of thinner to paint. (acryllics also are good because they're easy to remove if you screw up, and using a hair dryer on low allows you to paint multiple sections at a time by reducing the drying time tremendously).

 

Remember to let the paint dry COMPLETELY ( a day or so for fusion and flat enamels, three days for gloss enamels.) then remove the masking by pulling it PERPENDICULAR to the line painted (at a right angle to it.) This avoids lifting any of your paintwork. At this point, repaint the visor on jetfire with transparent red (if it's transparent. if not, use chrome silver spray first, then after it dries for a few days, then use the transparent red. you may need to remove the previous color if it's painted on the visor.

 

Now, reassemble jetfire. You may need to srape paint from certain surfaces so that they fit. Be VERY cautious in this, and keep a bit of touch-up paint handy in case repainting is needed (brush only, respraying is too risky at this point.) Then apply the decals,and use a coat of kristal-kote over this, to seal them. Allow to dry for a day or so, and you should be finished.

 

This is pretty-much a crash-course in painting, but the main points should serve you well. For more details, refer to"The Idiot's Guide To Kitbashing" at the top of the page here in Customs and kitbashes.

 

Good luck on this project! :thumb

 

-WV