# Painting disaster!



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I bought an undecorated Aristo rs3 and have been repainting it for the Reading Railroad. The Reading used a very dark Pullman green and I found a can of Scalecoat II spray in Pullman that worked very well. After a lot of work I was just going to appl the decals. I oversprayed with Krylon satin, and the finish started crazing--like crzy. Wrinkling up. Completely ruined the whole project

I've not had this happen before. The wrinkling actually ate into the plastic in some places. Now I have to figure out how to remove ALL the scalecoat so I can repaint it. 


ARGH!!!!

Any suggestions?


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

pick off the loose flakes, then soak it in brake fluid and scrub with a toothbrush. Squadron Green for most of the voids (the rest are "dents"
) And next time use something like Future or Mop n Glo or even artists medium, and forget trying to use Krylon over anything but Krylon (Rustoleum does the same thing, don't ask how I know)

I've applied decals without using a glossing coat. trim it close, use LOTS of water work as fast as you can without letting it wrinkle, add a couple extra coats of decal solvent, then cover the whole thing with weathering paints


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Was it Krylon acrylic or a solvent base?


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm not sure--krylon satin acrylic I believe

I'm afraid to try brake fliud--won't it eat the plastic?


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Usually not, but put a small amount on the INSIDE with a q-tip first to be sure. Oh, and wear rubber gloves, that stuff will take all the natural oils and moisture right out of your skin.


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

If you don't want to use brake fluid (and believe me, it takes a long time to soak off paint) use Scale Coat paint remover. It will not damage the plastic and washes off with water. It is reusable too. It comes in pint bottles and is kind of expensive, like $10.95 or so, but it works like a charm. Try to avoid Scale Coat II paint as it doesn't work as well as regular Scale Coat. And as to finish for decals, forget about putting them onto a shiny surface. Just apply the decals with a lot of water under them, soak out the water when they are where you want them, and then use Solvaset from Walthers to set the decals. Then if you want to, overcoat the whole thing. I don't like to mix brands of paint, try to stay with the same brand when doing a model, that way you don't run into the trouble you have. Good Luck with your project.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Very weird indeed.

Was the Krylon Satin for a shiny decal surface? You don't really need one when using Scalecoat paints since they are already glossy for decals.

Sounds like you did everything right though by using Scalecoat II since your base model is plastic. Scalecoat I will destroy plastic, I've seen it.


I've never used Krylon Satin with Scalecoat II paint. However I have used Krylon Matte Finish and Crystal Clear without any troubles.


How long did you wait for the Scalecoat paint to dry before applying the Krylon? I usually wait at least a week to let the Scalecoat paint fully dry. Drying time is the only thing I can think of that may have caused the trouble, unless Krylon Satin is very different from matte or crystal clear.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I tried brake fluid, it attacked the plastic right away. I ended up just using krylon as the paint remover--spray it with Krylon, let it sit for a minute, then wipe it down with paint thinner, a toothbrush, a scotch brite pad--a messy, stupid job. But it's mostly done. Krylon clear spray, krylon gray primer, and krylon flat black all worked to remove the scalecoat


I'm surprised, because there was a thread recently which specifically mentioned using Krylon Satin over Scalecoat II. I expected it would work. 



I'm not messing with Scalecoat again, that's for sure. I'm going to repaint it a more weathered green, a lighter green they developed as they oxidized, and use Krylon all the way through


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm worried now that Scalecoat may have changed their formula. Anyone else out there experience similar problems with recent paint jobs?


Scalecoat is my favorite paint to use for G gauge trains. But if there is something wrong then I may have to change preferences.


BTW, if you're still looking for a good Pullman green paint, Floquil makes a great one. I used it on our San Juan cars. Although I'm not sure if it would be so great for Reading Lines. Floquil also makes a paint called Reading Green that may be a good choice for you. However only Pullman Green comes in a spray can. Even so, I airbrushed with it.



Floquil Pullman Green


Floquil Reading Green


Krylon offers a paint called Fusion that is specifically for plastics. Not much in the green color range though with Hunter Green being the most likely candidate for your paint job.


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I have used Krylon clear gloss successfully over Scalecoat II, but I have also had it wrinkle up on me when I accidentally sprayed it on too thick, and that was on top of a Krylon color coat. Several thin coats is definitely better than one thick one.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I wonder if they changed their formula or if I just got a bum can? As mentioned, I let it dry four days before trying to overspray, and then I just did a light srpay of krylon satin to help the decals adhere, as Stan cederleaf describes


The reaction between the krylon and the Scalecoat was so bad that I was able to use the krylon as a paint remover 



The Reading painted its new RS3s in a dark pullman green for the most part










But that green weathered into something lighter from use--here's the same engine earlier this year











I've been told by an eyewitness tat in use in the 50s and 60s they tended to look a sort of olive green:










I'm going to try Krylon Camouflage green, if I can find it. I'm familiar with how it goes on and wtih how to manage the gloss level


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

I had a similar problem over the weekend, using Rustoleum Crystal Clear Enamel to seal the edges of masking tape on some USAT NYC streamliners that were being converted to SP Lark cars. The whole thing started to look like "fish eye" even on the painted metal sides of the cars --- and the plastic end caps were a disaster!

I used lacquer thinner to remove all the clear (very quickly on the plastic parts!!). I was then able to use the DupliColor grey comes closest to matching SP Lark Light Grey --- when covered with a clear coat of American Traditions (Valspar) acrylic gloss. (NOT Rustoleum again!!).

As far as the dark green paint that you are trying to match, I had excellent luck matching a similar color for SP dark green using Krylon Camouflage #4293 Olive, with the same acrylic gloss clear coat. I'm really happy with it, and it's readily available.

I'll be posting some pictures of the dark green SP diner as part of my rag-tag SP San Joaquin Daylight, when I finally get it on the tracks at Cabin Fever this weekend.

Best regards,

Alan


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By lownote on 01/13/2009 2:18 PM
I wonder if they changed their formula or if I just got a bum can? As mentioned, I let it dry four days before trying to overspray, and then I just did a light srpay of krylon satin to help the decals adhere, as Stan cederleaf describes




It's always a struggle and real a shame when this happens. Been there, done that. 

The best results overall I've had have been with the Krylon Acrylic materials. All the other model paint is very good when used within their parameters but, when mixing different formula paints, there is alway the possibility or probablilty of reticulating. Incompatibility with the chemistry. Formulas are always changing because of the EPA, etc. 

If a Krylon Acrylic color can be used, I've found that to be the best and stick with the acrylic cans. 

However, when I painted the Milwaukee Road box cars and reefer with Milwaukee Road Orange, I couldn't find a matching color with any manufacturer. There may be one in the Floquil or Scale Coat but I know that they're not compatible with the Krylon products. 

My solution was to take the passenger car to the ACE hardware paint department to scan the color. They matched it exactly..... with a semi gloss acrylic latex household interior paint. I brushed a 1 inch by 4 inch test strip on the bottom of the one of the box cars, forced dried it with a heat gun, (just like at the Ace Hardware paint department) then sprayed the strip with Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Satin. There was no adverse reaction. The Ace Hardware Acrylic latex and the Krylon Acylic materials were compatible. 

I brush painted the three cars with 2 coats, helped them dry with the heat gun, sprayed each car with 3 coats of Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Satin, let them dry for 30 minutes and applied my decals. Let the decals dry for 12 hours, helped them dry with the heat gun, then sprayed the cars again with 3 coats of Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Satin to set the decals in the undercoats of Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Satin. 

When these coats cured for 15 minutes, 3 coats of Krylon Matte (Can #1311) and finished the job. The results are on the Doodlebug post. 

The bottom line to this repaint was testing....... Test the compatibility of the paints. 

I realize that this does come after the fact. That's why I have a disclaimer on my site to TEST compatibility of the different paints.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Stan the decals look great and next time it will be test, test, test


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks so much. I'm sure glad they'll work for you. Post images when you get the locomotive finished.


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## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

Nice RS-3 pics lownote ^^ Once you figure out the problem with the paint, post the pics of your new RS-3 I'd love to see it.









-Will


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I will--IF is maybe more to the point

I test painted a couple sections with Krylon camo green,very nice color, looks about right

I can also report that "Super Clean" brand degreaser will take the paint off well, without destroying the plastic


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