Brush paint FAIL - what can I do to remedy?

[Guest]

So I am carefully and lovingly airbrushing bits of my Fujimi Williams FW16 ready for assembly and it had been going well but have now messed up. Well, I think I have. I airbrushed the engine block silver all lovely and the bit that connects to the rear wing has to be in semi-gloss black but unfortunately it would be a total mare to mask so I elected to brush paint it. Now, being a Tamiya acrylic stockist that's all I had and it's not gone well. I've painted nice and accurately up to the edges but finish is appalling, brush strokes, bumpy finish, just generally poor. I don't think I'd be able to ignore it in the finished thing!

What are my options? Strip the piece back to plastic (I have some Purisol bought off here), sand the offending section (it's fairly flat) and re-paint in a more brush paint friendly paint (eg. Humbrol enamels I hear some say) or is my only option to strip then try and mask off and airbrush if I want the same level of finish as the main part?

This is quite an important project for me, I bought it as a cheer-me-up during a difficult family time (long story) back in May and would be gutted if I messed it up.

Cheers in advance and sincere apologies if you are sick of hearing about this model :-)

[Centurion3RTR]

Can't you lightly rub it back and use a more userfriendly paint than Tamiya acrylic? Tamiya acrylic is not very good with a brush tbh, if you can get a photo up so we can see what we're workin' with Rob.

Have fun, John

[Guest]

Here you go...

ps - just noticed those sink marks, maybe I should strip and remove those anyway, but think they'll be pretty much covered up by the wing anyway... ;-)

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[Centurion3RTR]

I see what you mean, how i would do it is Purisol. Just in small amounts on the outside faces of the uprights, sandpaper on the back and use a new 11 blade to clean up the edge. Then use Humbrol enamels for repaint, hope this helps.

Have fun, John

[Guest]

Think I would strip the black. I cannot see with the fine detail how you would sand it to a good finish.

The silver looks great & I would spend that extra time in masking that to get a good finish on the black in airbrush work. Unless you are brilliant at brushwork the black is going to stand out against the silver in quality looks.

Laurie

[Guest]

Thanks both, some good common sense - and proves that I'm not being too picky - as you say Laurie, the silver has come out nicely and it would be so obvious if the uprights were left like this... Ho hum! :-)

[Ian M]

If it was me I would throw a tantrum and bin it................Na only joking.

Strip the lot with that purisol and then paint the whole engine black. Once that has dried I would then mask off the bracket and then paint the whole of the block aluminium colour.

I think you will like the depth the allu paint will take on when painted ovre black.

Ian M

[Guest]

If it was me I would throw a tantrum and bin it................Na only joking.

That was my final option that I chose not to include in my original post :-)

Painting black first sounds like a jolly decent idea, why didn't I think of that! Cheers.

[Guest]

As above really, strip the black off. I have to say i think the Tamiya Black paint is pretty poor, the gloss and semi gloss, anyone recommend a better black? are Vallejo any good???

[Guest]

In fairness when I've airbrushed a load of the parts in this kit in Tamiya Semi Gloss Black I've been pretty happy... Brushing it though, that's another matter entirely, grrr, but stupid thing is I *knew* this and still tried it! Durrr.

[Guest]

I just cant get on with an Tamiya black paint, when i have applied it in the past, it dries with a "bumpy" look and looks sh!t.

[Ian M]

If you want a good result with a hairy stick, I would choose either Vallejo, my normal weapon of choice or Humbrol enamel they work equally good with a brush.

I bet there will go a long time before you dip a paint brush in Tamiya acrylics again. I have not touched them in almost five years.

Ian M

[Guest]

Adam. Just been air brushing Vallejo Black & it is smooth & very black.

Also Revell Satin black. Not impressed & will re-do in Vallejo black & then Satin Vallejo varnish

Laurie

[Guest]

Vallejo it is, i find the Humbrol paints a little "watery" for my liking, especially the grey and silver colours.

[Guest]

Took the advice, stripped the engine, re-primed (sadly had to be in white which got me a bit nervous cos it didn't cover that well) but after a coat of semi-gloss black with the AB looks respectable again. Anyone free this afternoon to come and mask off the uprights? I can sense a mini-tantrum in the offing already :-D

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