Boomerang_didnt_come_back

See my "Paint and Static" thread and get some Future Floor / Pledge "Revive It" laquer if you're worried about curling the edges up during the dust / mist coats.

See my "Paint and Static" post for information on Pledge "Revive It", aka "Future Floor" and various other names. This is banned from retail sale in the UK/EU due to it having a non-conforming nozzle, colour and smell but can be purchased on various auction sites etc. Basically, in the UK/EU, if a poisonous (when swallowed) liquid is to be sold, a number of standard conformities must apply to the packaging and product. This is why meths and almost every domestic bleach / cleaning chemical stinks, is brightly coloured and has an anti-tamper cap. "Future" can be tipped into your airbrush neat and sprayed over the top of (or underneath) Tamiya decals, without causing them to curl up at the edges (provided you used the soapy water / hairdryer technique to stretch them into bends / crevices etc.

LunchBox - finished - at last Many thanks to those of you who kindly gave advice when it came to spraying. I have decided to list all the mistakes I made, in the hope that people might learn from my mistakes. As a brief introduction, whilst this is indeed my first R/C build since 1987 and actually my first ever hard shell spray, I am a professional mechanical engineer and therefore many of the general techniques employed are known to me. I also of course have a wealth of knowledge within our company whom have given advice, one whom has reasonably good experience in spray painting. The first mistake I made was using 3M Scotchbrite pads on primer paint (the fine / white version). Whilst they have excellent qualities for certain jobs including removal of sheen from unpainted plastic prior to priming, they are IMO not well suited to rubbing paint. Perhaps I didn't "use them" properly, however I found wet and dry papers, in various grits from 1200 thro' to 8000 much better. Second mistake I made was using a dry cloth to dry bodywork after cleaning (which started th thread). Cleaning with water, toothbrush, soapy water grounds out static but the dry cloth / rubbing regenerates a static charge which dust spores (and paint dust in the extractor booth) clung to whenever it was agitated whilst spraying. SOLUTION - drying conducted using only lint free paper towels (patted, not rubbed) then a high pressure, oil free, air line to chase the tiny beads from all crevices, holes etc. I am aware that some pat dry, then air dry under a box overnight, however I found that residual deposits within domestic water (calcium, chlorine / other chemicals and dirt etc. within the water tank, albeit in tiny amounts) dried on in "spots" causing later headaches. Third mistake I made was spraying in an industrial extractor booth which is generally used for spraying (transport brackets bright red or oil flanges gloss black). As brackets and blanking flanges are, generally speaking, disposable items, they are sprayed quickly and without great accuracy thus red and black dust paint dots were prevalent. The extractor booth is also located within 3 metres of a shutter door to the outside and is thus not a dust free environment. SOLUTION - Body sprayed on a rolling table on plastic sheet about 18 inches in front of the extractor, instead of within the actual cabinet. Fourth mistake I made was spraying the mist coats too close and too thick. For anybody who hasn't read that blog on Italian Horses dot net, you really should. It is a masterclass in getting a piano finish on your bodywork. Fifth mistake I made was waiting way too long between mist and wet coats. Provided they're kept thin, mist coats can be applied one after another within a few minutes of each other, provided the paint has "gassed out". I found that Tamiya rattle can paint gasses out once misted within 3 mins and wet in about 5-10 mins. The only process one should really wait for 24 hours (before flatting / rubbing back, washing and repeat) is chemical hardening, not "drying". Some things I got right first time: - Future Floor gloss over the top of decals (two mist coats and one wet - airbrushed using 0.4mm nozzle) is fantastic so thank you to all those who have raved about this instead of Tamiya X-22 etc. on this site. Whilst FF, Pledge and its namesakes is banned from retail sale in the UK/EU due to standards relating to substances which might be accidentally swallowed (anti-tamper caps, vibrant fluorescent colours and something to make it smell horrible all required). Auction sites still sell it. Also, I had to spray this whilst working from home (post COVID), thus had to make a "push" extractor into the garden (photos). - Decals applied and moved into position using the soapy water (dish detergent / washing up liquid) trick, dried and de-air-bubbled using cotton buds and subsequently warmed using a hairdryer to stretch them into bumps and curves. Pushing the decals into grooves using the round part (not the sharp end) of a tooth pick / cocktail stick gives really excellent finish. Thanks to whomever uploaded that "geek-out video" to the tube of the Fiat 500 Abarth. Everybody loves a geek-out. - 6000-8000 grit wet and dry. Beautiful stuff. Especially for removing overspray. - Final flat ~ rubbing compound ~ wax polish, was completed with 8000 grit (very wet and super light pressure), then "Mer", then Autoglym Super Resin polish, all automotive products. - I bought a Sparmax compressor and Harder Steenbeck airbrush for detail work and gloss coats. Whilst they're expensive, I didn't want to chance my "entry level" plastic airbrush and aerosol as trials showed it to be inaccurate, and not fine enough. PS - I rolled it on the first outing, so the roof's now scratched. Sorry Vanessa! NEXT Project - Bother in law bought a Super Clod Buster. I bought a Trumpeter LCS-2 USS Independence in 1:350. Thanks again people, you are all very kind and helpful so I hope the above acts as a good lesson / payback from myself.

Thank you again. Currently marvelling at Tamiya 2mm "bendable" masking tape for window surrounds / rear light trim + number plate. Great product! Wondered about oven~worried about residual grease and fumes.... hairdryer~worried about dust (again!) Airing cupboard, on lint free (air permeable) cloth, under a plastic container over the weekend sounds like a good compromise. Quick blow with (oil free) air gun before clear coat to remove dust. Another concern is the reviews I've now read on using SprayCraft SP10 airbrush with propellant cans. Apparently, they clog (cold air freeze) if spraying anything more than detailing, i.e. spraying large surfaces with clear coat might cause problems.

OK Thanks.... yeah will probably get a second body. Back to the question however. If I use soapy water method to adjust decals BEFORE clear coat, how do I ensure everything is totally dry and free from residual detergent before applying clear coat?

Have I missed something here? Surely static versus RC is an irrelevant comparison, unless you're suggesting all this extra effort with clear coat is irrelevant when the kids crash it into the wall? The reality is that as a professional engineer, anything which looks less than perfect amongst friends, family and colleagues will receive the obligatory "call yourself an engineer... look at that painted thumbprint!" type comment. Secret confession - I now own 3000, 5000 and 7000 grit wet and dry, but refuse to buy three ply toilet roll.

Johnson’s own the Pledge brand... I found a YouTube vLog which extols its virtues. Will probably buy a spare “runner” body, which I intend to spray gloss white, then Hydrodip with an obscure stars n’ stripes flag / skin.

A household name online auction site. It’s got a new name (Pledge Revive It Floor Gloss) but I am reliably informed it’s the same stuff?

Thanks for all your help on my "Dust and Static" post. In the end, I found that by washing in detergent, THOROUGHLY drying with an (oil free) air gun at work and spraying paint 2 foot in front of the dust extractor chamber (as opposed to in it with all the other undried pain dust), the dust problems mostly went away. The rest of my techniques were copied from an excellent blog on another site. Next step is detailing black window rubber, chrome details (door handles etc.) with a cheap (Spraycraft SP10) airbrush and Tamiya XF paints. BUT... Once that's done, my next dilemma arrives ---> Adhesive backed Tamiya decals will go accurately in place using soapy water method, so how do I ensure all decals are totally dry topside and underside such that no residual detergent (or water) can react with my clear coat, which is going over all pint and decals? If it helps, I am using Future Floor (Pledge floor gloss) as a clear coat through the same spray gun outlined above. Thank you fellow numpties!

Thank you both for taking time to reply. Damping down the workshop spray booth (I'm an engineer, we have an extraction chamber) is a really good idea as the general area is quite dusty. Good idea about tack rags too..... I remember these from a while back whilst chatting to a former neighbour who happened to be an auto shop spray technician. My only concern is finding some which have solvents that won't react with Tamiya paint or the plastic body work.

Anybody got any tips for stopping static from attracting dust to my paint job? Plastic bodied Tamiya Lunch Box. Spraying with fine primer at the moment. Primer goes on well (warming paint and body first etc.), then rubs back nicely with 3M scotchbrite pads (grey and white), and using lint free clutch to remove dust, but the cloth generates static, thus dust clings to the model at next spray. HELP! Thanks.