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AK Interactive Weathering problem


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Hi fellow modelers

I have some future projects that requires major weathering on the model so I thought I would try out the Ak Interactive product "Worn Effects". This is listed as an alternative to the classic hairspray technique for weathering. I usually us Model Master and Mr Color, but using this technique require a switch to acrylic paint at least for the top coat.

Anyway, I have the base coat a semi gloss Model Master enamel paint. I then sprayed the AK Worn Effects coating in two separate spraying over the base coat. I noticed that it beaded up and did not wet out very well. After this fully dried for several days, I over sprayed the model with an AK acrylic top coat. I was able to get the worn effects that I was looking for after I wetted the surface and scratched off some of the to coat. However, in a lot of areas where I did not apply water I noticed a cracking , alligator skin type surface flaws. It was as though the worn Effects fluid decided to shrink a bit more after the top coat was applied. The instructions imply that you can shoot the acrylic top coat soon after the Worn Effects fluid has dried, but I waited more than enough time. Anybody know what I may have done wrong? The AK instructions do not specify what the base coat should be but they do mention that the top coat be acrylic. As an accidental control, I have a subsection of the model that I painted the MM base coat and then applied the acrylic top coat without using the Worn Effects medium. This looks good with no flaws or cracking.

I guess the basic question is can the AK Worn Effects weathering solutions be applied over Model Master enamels??

Thanks!

Have fun modeling

Mike

:cheers:/>/>

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My guess is that the worn effects didn't like either the enamel base or the fact that you put it on a semi-gloss base coat. The Worn Effects, like the hairspray, makes the model look glossy after application so it could be that the effect didn't have something like a matt coat to grip on and just beaded over the glossy paint. I haven't used mine yet but I've always seen it (and hairspray) applied over a completely matt base coat.

Rob

Edited by galileo1
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I have some AK weathering product , they are really nice but do not play well with enamels, their products are all solvent based and from what i understand should only be used on acrylics hence the reason i barely use them

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Thanks Rob and Neo! :thumbsup:/> That is really good information to have. Like yourself Neo, I don't use acrylics very often so have little experience with them. I guess I'll now look for a good acrylic that I can use for the base coat (proper color) and continue with this experiment.

Thanks for the help!

Mike

:cheers:/>

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Your enamel paint coat likely wasn't cured properly. Lacquers and acrylic paints don't cure. They dry, and they are usually as dry as they will ever get in a few hours max. Enamels on the other hand have to cure, which means the out-gassing of the paint solvent. Now, this takes days. The paint can be dry to the touch within 24 hours, but it's still in the process of curing, and if you put layers of anything over uncured enamel the curing process can cause the cracking you're talking about.

I don't know that that's what did it though. I've never had it happen to myself, and while the technicality it that curing takes a while...I usually over coat enamel after 48 hours and never had issues.

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Thanks Jim for your comments. I agree that enamels usually take much longer to dry than acrylics. In this case, I am sure that the enamel base coat was fully dry. While I mentioned above that it was a few days before I sprayed the AK weathering coat, it was likely more than a week in a dry and stable room temperature room between coats. I have sprayed the final acrylic topcoat over the same base enamel coating and got a perfect finish when I did not have the AK "Worn Effects" coating in between the layers.

I am thinking that the Worn Effects coating simply does not like being sprayed on a base enamel coat as others suggested.

Have fun modeling

Mike

:cheers:/>

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, if the enamel was truly cured I have no idea what happened. What I can tell you is that there is no scientific reason why the stuff wouldn't "like" going over an enamel coat of paint. That shouldn't matter at all...again provided the paint is truly fully cured (and even at a week it's possible it wasn't). Once enamel, or any paint is dry, there's absolutely no reason for it to interact with something you spray over it just "because it's enamel."

(The lone exception being spraying hot lacquer based products over it).

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