painting

[simontie]

ok i have looked up masking & i get the general impression there is no quick way fair do's, i have the cabin/fusalage windows to mask on a mk3 shack before priming ,and they are small.i have managed the cockpit masking it seemed quite straight forward.

but now i keep finding ref to klear? can someone set me straight whats is klear and why use it where do i get it etc ?

also priming the plastic before i go and spray it and make it brittel (i read this in another blog)

30 ish years ago as a teenager i just stuck them together and painted them with what ever was at hand and set them on fire kids stuff but now i would like to try modeling in a more profesional way

cheers simon

[Guest]

Hi Simon, Klear is the brand name of an acrylic-based floor wax (called Johnsons Future in the USA) & you can get it from most shops. I got mine from my local Londis! You can brush it on or spray it as either a gloss coat or to seal your model to protect the paint. For clear parts just dip the part in and allow to dry. It's self-levelling which means a nice smooth finish. I'm not sure what you mean about using primer & it becoming brittle? Some people prime their models prior to painting but it's only a matter of personal preference. Patrick

[simontie]

ok i see,

yes sorry i must learn to proof read before submitting doh

i had read an artical and a couple of replys had recomended priming the plastic first to sea lit. it was in conection with painting canopies and that was were i had herd about klear, being newish to modeling i had tought they were useing it to seal the model before priming with an under coat .

kinda like sanding sealer for wood,

ok thanks for the info now i feel dumb lol

cheers simon

[Guest]

lol no need to feel dumb Simon-been there, done that! There's no such thing as a silly question, it's all part of learning about stuff. Just to go back to priming, the purpose of it is twofold: to check for any areas on the model that need further attention, such as seams or glue marks that need more sanding, and to give the paint something to 'bite' on because bare plastic can sometimes be a bit too smooth so the paint doesn't go down right. I've found that different manufacturers have slightly different formulas for their plastic. For instance Tamiya doesn't need priming but Dragon does. With regard to airplane kits, to prime or not to prime is a question best left to Steve or Tony's greater knowledge. Hope that helps! Patrick

[stona]

Hi Simon. First priming. It's very much a matter of preference and also depends on what paints you are using. I would always prime before applying acrylic paints as (in my opinion) they adhere less well to bare plastic. With enamel paint priming may not be required. As Patrick says applying a light coat of primer will high light any problem areas,but you can do this by brushing paint over suspect areas if you don't want to prime the whole model. A colleague uses silver paint which he later wipes off. Don't apply too heavy a coat of primer as you will lose detail!

Klear is indeed an acrylic floor polish and has many uses(on models). Apply a couple of coats over your paintwork will protect it and give a good glossy surface for your decals. A glossy surface is important as it prevents minute air bubbles being trapped beneath the decals causing "silvering" of the carrier film.Another coat over the decals will protect them and your paint from any boo-boos made with weathering washes etc. Of course you now have a very glossy model which you will need to render into your desired finish by applying a final coat of varnish be it matt or silk. The finish on WWII aircraft is a subject in itself!

It is great on clear parts as well. You can either dip them in the Klear and put them on a kitchen towel to dry or simply paint the part at a later stage. It gives a glass like sparkle to your canopies etc.

Cheers

Steve

[simontie]

thanks, thats cleared a lot of my issues up. great advise i will crack on and hopefully share the results with you all in the near future

simon