Need advice about paint problem on a resin kit

[JM82]

I bought a resin RMM Oshkosh T-3000 airport crash truck kit. After applying 2 coats of gray Testors primer I assembled most of the kit and painted it with 2 light coats, using Rustoleum "Key Lime" spraypaint from Home Depot. I was told that it was OK to use Rustoleum on a resin kit. I've never built a resin kit, so this is all unfamiliar territory for me.

So after 2 light coats of paint and several hours later the paint is still very tacky. I'm afraid it's not going to get better, that the tackiness is not going to go away. For now I'm holding off on any additional coats with the Rustoleum paint until I find out how to remedy the situation.

With tax the kit cost me $119.00. Plus I bought primer, paint, sandpaper, a Testors silver paint pen (for small details), a silver Sharpie (again, for small details), a small bottle of Testors paint thinner, and a 2 pack of cheap soft toothbrushes to clean the kit with because it's resin. It's one thing to ruin a model if it's inexpensive, but not an investment of well over a hundred bucks! And it's not like the RMM kits are easy to come by! I ordered it from Truck Stop Models.

I thought about spraying the entire kit again with the Testors primer and starting from scratch with different paint; paint that is made for model vehicles. I wanted this model to be lime yellow because most airport fire trucks are this color. And there is no lime yellow spraypaint by Testors, Model Master or Tamiya. I do not have an airbrush system, nor do I want to invest in one at this point.

So, do you recommend starting over, with repainting with primer and then with different paint? Since I didn't apply but the 2 light coats of primer and 2 light coats of paint I was hoping that any additional layers of primer and paint won't cover up the details on the model's body.

Any suggestions would surely be appreciated!

Thanks!

[JM82]

After I woke up this morning I checked on the model and to my surprise most of the tackiness was gone. I was relieved. I've never had spraypaint take that long to dry before. Usually the tackiness is gone within a few hours, but this was 6-7 hours after the 2nd coat that it was still extremely tacky.

So I guess the Rustoleum takes longer to dry compared to Testors, Model Master and Tamiya spraypaints.

[alcarter]

Sounds like things are "fixing themselves", so to speak. Hope it continues to dry. Keep us posted, as some of us may want to try that Rustoleum paint. Although I have an airbrush, I usually opt for the rattle can if the right color is available.

BTW, Wal Mart's house brand, Color Place, has primer in three colors (white, gray, rusty red) that is very, very thin - it contains no filler. So it doesn't obscure those fine details. And it is only 99 cents a can, too. Much better alternative to Krylon, Rustoleum, etc, which contain filler, as most primers do.

Al Carter

[DavidJohnson]

This is interesting because I have had occasional problems with paint remaining tacky longer than expected on a resin model. Resins usually are a mixture of part A and part B, and if one of these is in excess it can migrate into the paint and plasticize, or in other words, soften the paint. If all goes well it evaporates from the paint and the world is good after a few anxious days.

If it instead becomes tackier over time, the answer is to remove the paint and try different types of paint. Whatever is coming out of the resin will migrate into a paint coating that it is highly compatible with. Resolutions are to use a primer as a barrier, and/or to find a different type of paint that the migrating substance does not like.

Keep us posted.

[JM82]

Well, so far so good! I painted the third coat on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 9) and it dried faster than the first and second coats, with no excessive tackiness. The third coat covered well enough that I am finished painting, and now I can begin assembling the rest of the model. There is some minor "orange peeling" but things still don't look too bad. I'm not a master modeler but so far I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out.

The reason why I bought the Rustoleum spraypaint instead of using Testors, Model Master or Tamiya is because I wanted my model to be a lime yellow/lime green color, as most airport crash trucks are, and I could only find a lime yellow/green color in Rustoleum and not in the major 3 of the hobby paints I mentioned. Plymouth Sublime Green by Model Master was too dark of a lime green. The Rustoleum Key Lime was perfect.

I was always afraid to tackle one of these RMM Oshkosh airport crash truck kits because they're resin, and put off buying one for the past 2 years, but now that I'm going through the process I'm planning on buying another Oshkosh crash truck kit, the T-1500, the smaller version of the T-3000.

The RMM kits are expensive but have a lot of detail, and the T-3000 has been simple to assemble so far. The directions aren't the best but I was able to figure things out pretty quick, even though I don't read or speak German!

[cfesmire]

If you are going to use a rattle can to spray with, I might suggest warming the can in hot water before spraying. I realize there is a fear of making the investment and using an airbrush by many but I believe in our scale it is imperative to lay down much thinner coats of paint than any spray can is capable of. It's easy to decant spray can paints for the airbrush so the finding colors you want to spray should be no problem. In fact fizz bomb paints work wonderfully in an airbrush without thinning since they're meant to be sprayed.
Glad to hear the project has gone well so far and hope you share the results with us when finished.
Chester

[alcarter]

Chester (or others), please share your technique in decanting the rattle can spray paints. The one and only time I tried it didn't work out so well...

Thanks, Al Carter

P.S. The Walmart house brand (Color Place) primer doesn't have filler and is very thin as it comes out of the can. At $1.00 per can, it can't be beat for primer, IMHO.

[cfesmire]

Al, I simply use a straw that I have taped to the nozzle of the spray can and spray directly into the airbrush cup.

[alcarter]

Ah, OK, good idea, I'll try to remember that next time I'm needing to go that route.

Thanks, Al

[Niteryder315]

I've tried using can spray paint before, but its always too thick and my models quickly lose their detail.

[Meguntic]

The tackiness may not have anything to do with the resin at all. You used Testor for the primer and Rustoleum for the finish, and could be having a chemical reaction between the two paints. I have experienced the paint curling and cracking in addition to tackiness if the primer and finish are not compatible. I now do a test spray on a scrap item if I use primer and finish that are not manufactured by the same paint company. It has saved me a lot of heartache.

Just a thought,
Dwight

[Niteryder315]

Oddly enough had success with VHT (I believe) flameproof float black spray paint. I had the cracking issue at first, but soon enough everything turned out fine...