Alclad White Primer/Filler

[Thommo]

Anyone had this happen? I usually use Tamyia spraycan primer which holds the surface like a limpet, but thought I'd try the proper Alclad primer before hitting it with Alclad Dull Aluminium.  Tamyia masking tape pulled off the primer + topcoats in a few spots. Now I have some patching to do.  I also note in a few spots some of the Alclad Dull Alum seems to be sticking to the tape a bit. Went and got some low-tack tape from Bunnings to try to reduce future risk.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Thommo

[Thommo]

I've done a bit more reading on this.  Seems a few others have had adherence problems with the Alclad primer, and the issue seems to be the type of plastic!  On some it is bullet-proof, on others (like my Fouga apparently) it adheres poorly.

 

I'm not that keen to strip it all off and start again, so will sand and patch the spots where it lifts, this time using decanted Tamiya spraycan primer through my airbrush, and hope for the best.

 

I hope other sections of paint don't just lift over time in the display cabinet?  I guess if that happens, I will finally have a shelf queen for a future SQ GB

 

And from here on in, I'm going back to my good ole Tamiya spraycan primer which has never given me a moments grief.

[crackerjazz]

Hmmm...I was just about to grab a whole can of the stuff (albeit the gray one) after reading so much good stuff about it;  now I'm having second thoughts.  I normally use the Tamiya spraycan primer but couldn't get to deeper corners  too well and thought an airbrushed primer  should do the trick -- which should also provide better control of thickness and prevent burying surface details.    I did read that the stuff feathers well and that the ridges from your lifted area shouldn't pose a problem when you re-sand and patch.    Please let us know how it goes.

[Thommo]

Yes, the only reason I got it was because it said it was a 'micro-filler'' and as I'm doing a NMF, wanted to remove any tiny blemishes before hitting it with dull alum Alclad.  Last night I sanded back the lifted areas - which was a challenge as some of them just kept going & going and it was hard to find a stable edge, and got rid of most of the ridges.  Then I undercoated it with some decanted Tamiya spraycan primer thru my AB.  The ridges are barely visible, but I think I'll try to hide them further with another coat of the Alclad primer.

 

What I found was some areas of the surface which I'd already hit with the Tamiya spraycan primer while searching out seams, the Alclad primer bonds to fine. But over fresh plastic, the bond was very weak.  I'd also tested the Alclad primer on an old spare wing before trying it on my model, and it bonded well - so it is definitely an issue with some types of plastic.  And until you try on your plastic, you won't know if it will grip or not.

[Mfezi]

Wow, that is a bummer. I've been using the black version for quite some time on both plastic and resin with nothing like that ever happening. In fact, I actually found it more reliable and consistent than some of my other primers. If it is indeed the plastic causing this, I'll certainly be more careful at testing it before using it next time if the plastic is not from one of my "regular" kit companies.

 

That being said, I've had a number of issues with Alclad in the past (not the primer). I had two bottles of Alclad metallic paint that would never cure properly, but I assumed that their quality control had improved since I bought those bottles. One thing I do know about this primer with microfiller range, is that you need to shake it a lot to get it properly mixed - and I mean for several minutes, every time. I also find that if you are going to use a metallic paint over it, it improves the final finish tremendously if you lightly sand and polish the primer to a smooth finish before applying the metallic paint. The microfiller does leave a very slight texture, especially in areas where it was applied a little thick. I also let it cure at least a day before painting over it, but I do that with all the primers I've ever used - it is probably overly cautious, because it actually dries pretty quickly. Overall, I really love the stuff.

[Thommo]

18 minutes ago, Mfezi said:

One thing I do know about this primer with microfiller range, is that you need to shake it a lot to get it properly mixed - and I mean for several minutes, every time.

 

OK that could be the problem!  I probably shook it well for 20-30secs beforehand, but not several minutes.

 

I do sand and polish down to 12000 mesh before applying Alclad, as I found it dried quite gritty compared to my usual Tamiya spraycan primer.  And I did let it dry for at least a day before applying Alclad, but will remember that for the future.  I'm going to try it over the patching I've done with Tamiya primer next....and shake the sh*t out of the bottle before applying!

[crackerjazz]

Ok, I just grabbed a can of the stuff so I can try it out on Hasegawa plastic and will remember to mix it well.   My purpose is really just for spotting surface imperfections after some putty work.   The Tamiya can's spray pattern is too wide and I find it difficult to control layer thickness, so I want to experiment on airbrushed primers.   My only worry is burying panel lines.    It's the "microfiller" part of primer that concerns me ---  if it can hide scratches, I'm assuming it can hide fine details as well.  I read about using just regular gray paint - maybe I'll try that too.