I am in the process of painting my Seawind hull and for the 2nd time, it looks splotchy.

I am using Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel shaker cans.

1st try I roughed up the hull with 600 wet/dry, followed by a thorough cleaning then wiping down with Alcohol prior to primer. Used Duplicolor sandable primer grey, then sanded smooth followed by application of white base coat. Sanded that with 600 wet/dry, cleaned with Alcohol and applied a red on top of that. That produced a splotchy mess all over the hull.

I sanded the hull back down to raw ABS, using gloves, cleaned thoroughly this time with Testers Plastic pre painting cleaner.

Purchased all new cans of paint. All Duplicolor Acrylic enamel shaker cans. Used Duplicolor adhesion promotor, applied to the hull, followed by sandable primer, sanded with 600 wet/dry then applied my red and I am getting the same splotchy effect all over the hull.

I applied two light coats followed by a couple of medium coats allowing plenty of dry time between coats (per the can).

I have used gloves each time, cleaned thoroughly and still getting the same effect.

Has anyone else seen this happen?

I am at my wits end. I should have been done with this months ago.

Please.....any advice is greatly appreciated.

DW

DW
The alcohol may very well be the problem. It can leave an oily film on the surface - suggest a pro level cleaner rather than alcohol.
Boomer

Originally Posted by Boomer1

DW
The alcohol may very well be the problem. It can leave an oily film on the surface - suggest a pro level cleaner rather than alcohol.
Boomer

Boomer,

I even tried a model paint prep product just for plastics this time and used gloves.

Makes no since.

At my wits end though. I am ready to sand the D*&^ thing and just use some Krylon fusion and be done with it.

It should not be this hard.

Thanks for your help. Just frustrated.

DW

It might be the sand paper that you used. I've across some cheap stuff, that leaves a weird residue that is a royal pain to get rid of.

If you start over, get some some decent wet/dry sandpaper (800, 1200). Fill a bucket with warm water, and put a single drop of dish soap in (I prefer Palmolive). Wet the paper, and sand carefully, rinsing/re-wetting the paper frequently. Go up to 1200 grit, seriously. Some might consider it to fine, but I find it works well and forces you to do several light coats of paint (being smooth, if you lay down to heavy a coat it runs easily).

After sanding, rinse, rinse and rinse the hull. Use your hand to wipe the surface while rinsing. You hand works wonderfully for wiping any leftover grit soap off your surfaces.

Dry the surface with a clean, lint free cloth.

DON'T use isopropyl alcohol, wrong stuff for the application. Wipe the surface with denatured alcohol before painting (if you choose to use denatured alcohol). Again, a clean lint free cloth, dampened with the denatured alcohol. Otherwise, use a plastic prep cleaner, again dampen a lint free cloth with it, and wipe down.

Let the alcohol/plastic prep evaporate completely, then start laying down light coats of paint, letting it "flash off" between coats.

And of course there is always the risk of mixing diffrent manufactures paint. they can react with each other... had that problem pop up on me on one of my steamers... had the paint perfect and wonderful, then a top clear coat... the whole thing wrinkled right on up destroying the paint job.

the next time around I just used High gloss polyurethane, stuff made for hard wood floors and all was right in the world

I must also point out, I never use water based paint. always oil based. and besides that one top coat issue, I've never had a problem. rattle can or airbrush.

I fabricated a make shift painting booth using a $15 box fan, a home AC filter and clear tarp plastic.

I also agree with Guz's tips.

I get all my boats painted professionally by a car painter, just pop into a few panel and paint shops they tend to have lots of left over paint from cars and you can get a variety. As long as you prep the boat, most painters will do it over a week period in between cars.
My guy charges me between $60-$100 depending on how much I have done.

Did you dewax/degrease the hull before any sanding started? I build CR914's for my club and at first ran into this issue. Wouldn't happen on every hull, just some, until I started dewaxing every hull before sanding. Sanding without dewaxing just drives whatever contaminent into the surface. Very hard to get a good finish therafter, and can be maddening. I feel your pain.
I've used Interlux mold release cleaner and alcohol with good results.

This topic comes up so often. The basics of any paint job are the same, no matter what type of paint you use. Don't leave anything on the surface that will cause problems, like oils from fingerprints, sandpaper residue, etc. Moisture from the base material (bare wood) or humidity. Make sure the room temp is OK. Dust from sanding, or dust in the air that will land in the wet paint. Compatability of all cleaners, primer, paint and clear coat. Then, the surface needs to be perfect, as the paint will only change the color.
It sounds like you have most of these under control. How were the room conditions when you painted?
I have used Duplicolor several times and have had very good luck. The same with using both pharmacy isopropyl and denatured alchohol. And I even use a common paper towel soaked with alchohol to wipe away any sanding dust or fingerprints. Certainly not lint free, but I'm careful (and not painting any concours winning cars). I also have had good luck with Rust-o-leum quick dry and the direct to plastic (no primer) line. I do use primer if I am concerned about how well the new color will cover. I wet sand and polish, then wax. I have not used clear coat yet.

Dave

bgnome
would you care to elaborate on your paint booth set-up ?

I am assuming the furnace filter just gets taped over the "intake" side of a
basic 20" box fan....so does that just set in a window in your situation then ?
the plastic just forms a "room" the model sits inside to paint ?
or does the plastic sheeting form a duct to channel the air from the filtered fan
to outside ?

do any of you guys do anything special about lighting when you paint ?
incandenscent ? flourescent ? clear bulbs/ frosted bulbs ?

has anybody tried using a "lazy susan" for smaller models ,so you can turn it
and get the best lighting angle while spraying ?

Originally Posted by thorsail

bgnome
would you care to elaborate on your paint booth set-up ?

I am assuming the furnace filter just gets taped over the "intake" side of a
basic 20" box fan....so does that just set in a window in your situation then ?
the plastic just forms a "room" the model sits inside to paint ?
or does the plastic sheeting form a duct to channel the air from the filtered fan
to outside ?

do any of you guys do anything special about lighting when you paint ?
incandenscent ? flourescent ? clear bulbs/ frosted bulbs ?

has anybody tried using a "lazy susan" for smaller models ,so you can turn it
and get the best lighting angle while spraying ?

Yeah... that's pretty much it.. Make a frame as big as you need it to be, then tape the sheeting to the frame and the fan to make a funnel or a room that the model fits in... can be some scrap 2x4.. whatever... clamped to the work bench. the furnace filter isn't even that necessary to tell you the truth... helps to keep the fan from getting all gunked up with over spray, might help with smoothing out the air flow. but it can be omitted... last time I was at big lots they had cheapo box fans for $15, your results may vary.

yes I have used lazy Susan's in painting models helps to be able to move the model without touching it after all.
I actually usually set this up on a temporary work bench outside so for me, mixing paints and painting is usually done in natural daylight, after all, the model is mostly going to be seen in natural daylight, so paint for those conditions.

for artificial lighting, brightest is best, and I would use incandescent over florescent as Florescent light can "color" more. if using florescent high intensity, high output tubes, Not CFL's

I've seen florescent lighting that throws too much green or blue and that can definitely throw your perceptions.

CFL technology has come a long way, and I the good ones are quite nice, but in general, florescent lighting has always messed with me and sucked out all my energy.

one of the reasons I've always related to and loved this movie, especially this scene...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...nAvzlg4#t=193s

Dw, Have you considered that maybe you have done everything right and that the can of red paint might be the problem? Just because we buy it new it still may have had a long shelve life. when we shake up a rattle can we only assume it is well mixed. paint compounds can and do separate over time. I've had this problem with topflight monocote cub yellow paint. experiment on some scrap and save your project until the problem is solved. warm up the can of paint in some hot water then shake it. then shake it up some more and more and more. I think the paint pigment has settled out and you are spraying mostly thinner. John

I have a hull to paint, still think it would be funny to try and make one of these
out of some pvc pipe and an old blade, just a few details to work out yet

I had a bad can of paint, and it caused me to respray my seawind a couple times. It either would come out gloppy, or very dry, almost like chalk.

I think it is just par for the course in getting a seawind on the water.....

Good Luck.

Originally Posted by stevezero

I had a bad can of paint, and it caused me to respray my seawind a couple times. It either would come out gloppy, or very dry, almost like chalk.

I think it is just par for the course in getting a seawind on the water.....

Good Luck.

I ended spraying some gloss clear on one of the really bad areas and the gloss covered up the matte areas and it looks like it evened it out. I am applying the decals tonight to it and will put the final coats of clear on it tomorrow night. Thursday I plan on wet sanding the clear and polishing it out and being done with it by the weekend.

I am at the point where I just want to be finished and move on to enjoying it instead of just looking at it.

DW

DW
Hang in there Bro! It am sure you are your own worst critic. I have been there and know how frustrating these things can be. I am convinced that there are guys that have the gift for such things and take to it naturally.

Me, I am not one of those, it takes a lot of extra effort to get it the way I want it to be and sometimes it just doesn't work.

Chicago is helping me out on my Seawind project, for that very reason. He is one of those who has the gift. I have painted some things that turned out fine but the new paints are a test of one's patients for sure.

I am sure no one will know accept you!

Boomer