Tamiya ps paint
 

Hi all. I need a bit of help here. I have bought a some florescent yellow tamiya ps spray paint and wanted to do a one colour simple paint job. I sprayed the body with very thin coats making sure the paint had time to dry and the can was well shook and I started to notice the paint was bubbling as it was drying. It left the body shell looking awful. I took the body and showed it to the shop I had the paint from and they told me it was water contamination. I didn't agree but thought I would try again and I have had the same result. The paint has ruined two bodyshells. What am I doing wrong and if it's a paint fault, should I ask the importer to pay for replacement bodies ?.

How are you drying paint?
How warm is it where you are painting?
Are you warming the paint tin?

The paint is drying naturally. Warming the tin to room temperature

The paint is drying naturally. Warming the tin to room temperature in a spare room. It's not cold. I have since been told by a few fellow racers that tamiya paint is ok but florescent colours are complete rubbish. I have painted alot of bodyshells in my time as I been a racer for many years and never had an issue like this.

Did you wash the shells first? Sounds like it has a releasing agent still on the lexan from the mould causing it.

Yes I washed them. Very thoroughly with warm water and a non scented soap. I made sure they were dry too. They are penguin bodies.

If you're doing everything you say you're doing it does sound like an issue with the paint.

I've painted dozens of shells (including quite a few Penguins), and I've used Tamiya (and CoreRc) florescent colours, and never experienced what you have.

Are you absolutely sure the shell is completely dry before you apply the first dust coat?

Yes 100 percent. In fact I have just tried the spray on a spare scrap piece of lexan and it bubbled and is now now still wet after 2 hours and that was a thin mist first coat. I am now 100 percent sure it's the paint. The model shop have dismissed it but it just must be

If it's a shop local to you, take it in with a piece of lexan and show them. Yes it's only 5-7 quid odd lost but it's the principle of the matter.

I will. I had a chat with the tamiya importer who's primary concern was that I was trying to spray a non tamiya bodyshell. I asked why this was a concern as the response I got suggested that tamiya paint was for tamiya bodyshells. I asked them outright if tamiya paint was only for tamiya bodies and I didn't get a clear response to that. I am going to send them pictures of the can and pictures of what that paint has done to the shells. They have told me they won't issue refunds for the bodies regardless of the outcome. I am not a moaner or a serial complainer and I do believe I have not made a painting error here. I think I have clear proof there is an issue with this particular can of spray which has damaged two bodies and I feel that if the paint is found to be faulty by them then they really should pay for replacement bodies regardless of brand. I am sure some won't agree but that's how I feel. No more tamiya paint for me now anyway.

That sucks. Should only be used on a Tamiya shell is rubbish but I can see why they say that.

To be honest I've never had an issue with their paints, I have however had a few issues with CoreRC and dodgy nozzles.

I've used ps-27 backed with ps-1 on loads of different body shells, never a tamiya shell mind you. Never had an issue, must be a bad batch. Sounds like excuses to me.

Well I won't buy anymore and I don't accept the different brand shell being an issue.

Bit late to the party here.

Without a doubt sounds like a contaminated batch of paint. You could ask if they have had issues with a batch, should be identifiable from a code on the base of the can. Aerosols do have issues every so often. Is there any chance you can post pictures of the overall shell and also close ups of what it's done so I can see. I have a theory but without seeing more I can't tell.

The bottom line is I think this is an unfortunate error which is more than likely nothing do with you. Tamiya won't refund and the model shop won't either. I had this myself back in early 2002 when I did a Tamiya shell. In the end after the shop and the importer being zero help I had to get another shell out of my own pocket. Luckily the other model shop I went to were helpful and even gave me discount and subsequently got all my business from then on.

Will wait and see if you post anything else so I can have a look.

I have thrown the shells away now. Bought core RC paint and had no issues.

Brake fluid would have got the paint off, shame you binned them.

Glad you got it sorted.

Right so! I've washed shells, roughed surfaces, layered thin coat after thin coat (so thin it's been pointless), warmed paint warmed shells and still it flakes and falls off, where am I going wrong? Is it just purely weight of paint? To many coats? I like a solid covering! Sorry for hijacking....

In my experience, Tamiya's fluorescent polycarbonate paint does not adhere well generally; especially the fluor orange was poor for me. I never had the paint flake off right after painting, but it did happen to me within the first months of use. It was with a sanded inside, degreased, dried, room temperature, like other members here described as well. It may be a batch-to-batch thing, or possibly shelf life plays a role as well (after all you never really know how long a can has been sitting in the store).


I did hear good stories of the LRP lexan fluor paint, and my local store stocks 'Ghiant RC Car Colours.' I've only used their white, and based on that I may try others from the collection: the cans have a higher pressure and spray finer and more consistently than the Tamiya cans.

I spoke to xfactor on here. He thinks tamiya changed their paint to remove the lead in it and it's never been as good since. He may have a point. Other theories are there is too much thinners in it. Either way it seems florescent colours are the issue mainly. That said the other day I noticed a bodyshell I did some time ago in plain white had just started to flake. It's only very very slightly but it is there. I try to prep as well as I can but it is what it is. I buy core RC now and it's much better. Less coates and much better coverage.