Beware using AMMO panel line washes - it attacks the styrene

[lesthegringo]

Go on, ask me how I know!

 

Looks like it is necessary to seal the metallic coat before the panel line wash, as it eats into the surface of the metallic coat; the wash is enamel based, however I didn't expect it to attack what I thought were lacquers. Anyway, it does, thankfully no long term harm done as I was able to retouch, but just want to make people aware so they don't fall into the same trap. I'll probably seal with Mr Color clear lacquer.

 

I have to say, every now and then you get a model where things just keep on going wrong. This Hasegawa F-14A has been one of those, I've dropped parts and they have broken, then spent ages fixing it only to drop it again, had the aftermarket decals ruined due to thinners dropping on the parts, then had to buy a new sheet and screwed up the application of the replacement decals. PE that keeps dropping off. Parts getting lost. Paint lifting. Accidental paint spatter on parts that you have just spent hours getting to look right. Etc., etc., etc....... The joys of modelling!

 

******EDIT*****

 

The bad luck continues, but I have to report yet another bizarre issue with the AMMO panel line wash. I applied the wash to the landing gear legs, which had been assembled a while back using Tamiya extra thin, left for a good while to dry and then painted using Mr Color white lacquer. Again, it is at least a couple of weeks since I painted them. When I applied the AMMO panel line wash, one of the gear legs literally fell apart. Not into two pieces, I am talking about 5 of the total of nine falling off where the bond line is! I know well enough to apply a good amount of glue to the undercarriage legs as they are weight bearing, and when I look at the surfaces where the glue was I see it is cracked and almost sand like in appearance. Is it possible that the panel line wash has attached the area affected by the glue?

 

I'm frightened to touch the other gear legs that I applied the wash to in case they are affected so I will leave them until a couple of days have passed to dry - hopefully if the wash has affected them, a dry out period will help.  I have never seen anything like this before in all my years of modelling!

 

hope this helps someone avoid an issue

 

Les

 

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by lesthegringo
title change

[Crazy Snap Captain]

Wow, interesting! I just bought a bottle of MIG line wash. Might do a few experiments before I use. Thanks for the heads up.

[tobiK]

I always put a gloss acrylic clear coat over the paint before I use a wash, also MIG wash (mostly the landing gear wash). I use future or the Erdal Gänzer (local floor shining stuff). Using the clear isolating coat I never had such problems like you told us.

[lesthegringo]

Guys, the wash really does seem to be affecting the bond on the Hasgawa plastic; all the undercarriage parts have had all the joints weaken. In addition, it seems to have attacked the plastic at the joint faces. It looks like it has soaked into the surface, and in order to get the joints to bond again I have had to scrape off the joints to the point where I am back at unaffected plastic. I am also surprised that in order to jet to the joint it has had to penetrate the gunze primer and lacquer top coats.

 

I'm definitely going to stop using it on any undercarriage or load bearing parts just in case. I'm not going to stop using it as it does seem to work well as a wash, but I will be much more careful with it.

 

Cheers

 

Les

[Bushpounder]

Enamels and lacquers are both solvent based. If you are going to go over top of either one with the other, you need to put a water-based (acrylic) coating between them. Why the wash is acting as a debonder, I have no idea. You can make up or buy water-based washes and not have to clear coat them, but I do anyhow. Washes can stain areas you don't want stained without the clear.

 

Don