"How to prep WW2 resin tank models?" Topic

I'm relatively new to resin tank models. How do you go about prepping resin kits before assembling and painting?

I read somewhere that the usual wash with soapy water that I give my metal models isn't enough to remove the agent used on resin. And that to prevent paint peeling off resin, you need to use white spirits or similar. Is this the case?

I have some lovely resin models from Perry, Neucraft and Mad Bob to prepare: link

Wash in soapy water and apply your usual primer. I use Humbrol matt white oe matt grey as primer.

I've always just used warm water with some washing up liquid in and lightly brush with an old toothbrush.

I have heard of someone who washes metal figures in a water and vinegar solution, but don't do that myself (undercoat does the job).

Use an auto primer, just be wary it doesn't go on too thick.

Yup soapy water, light scrub, rinse and dry and prime with car primer. Works for me, have stuff done over 20 years ago that are fine.

Give them a wash, I often don't bother though.

Otherwise, a good layer of primer so the paint will stick, and some very, very sticky glue to stick them together.

I find a mixture of blu-tak and superglue is pretty strong and the blu-tak helps fill gaps and hold it all in place while it sets.

Resin properties vary between manufacturers, your particular choice shouldn't present you with to many problems . The peeling occurs primarily where the resin surface is "too shiny" and the paint has probelems adhering, whilst release agent needs to be countered it's not the main "evil".
As described above, I wash with detergent then with particular resin slightly agitate the surface with fine wet and dry. The crucial next bit is the prime with plastic primer, I use stuff from Halfords in the uk, then a normal primer as I now work from a white primer base and pre shade.

Some may disagree with me but it based on 100's of examples from all manufacturers.

I prime them with Humbrol black enamel … no need to wash, in my experience … never had a fail …

Phil

Most of my points have already been mentioned

1 – Wash in warm soapy water
2 – Rinse
3 – Allow to thoroughly dry
4 – Prime with spray paint specifically designed for plastic/resin (Halford do an undercoat for plastic car bumpers)

I hope this helps.

Tony

I'm with Phil. Never needed to wash. Just apply the primer and paint.

A little while ago I had to complete around 20 models from the same manufacturer for a project. My usual undercoat of white acrylic just wouldn't work on them despite washing etc. I posed the question on TMP and one suggestion was to undercoat with thinned gesso. It worked a treat.

I've never, ever washed a model in my entire life. From what manufacturers tell me, any modern resins also don't require any sort of release-agent, so don't require washing anyway (Evan Allen at Flames of War has stated this on many occasions).

I just use thinned black Humbrol enamel as an undercoat (or matt black primer spray) and paint on to that. No washing. No problems.

I always wash with warm water and detergent then spray with Halfords primer (of whatever colour is most suitable) although I use Humbrol Chocolate enamel for desert vehicles. Never had a problem.
It's worth experimenting with greenstuff for cementing large areas together (like tracks to hull). I find resin models are not always a clean fit and greenstuff sticks like a demon and fills any gaps. I also use it for fixing riders to horses, especially if the saddle is cast on to the rider.

I would have to disagree with those advocating no need to wash. Doubtless this is true for some manufacturers but as mentoned above, resin composition and hence properties vary greatly between manufacturers and some of these are on the scale of cottage industries and more prone to variations in quality.

With resin, a bigger problem than surface residues is improper mixing and issues with curing. For instance you may notice that some resin models will continue to "sweat" long after painting and as far as I know there is nothing in terms of prep that will prevent this. In extreme cases an unsightly clear "ooze" may start to appear around some parts. This may only manifest after 6-12 months or longer.

Unlikely to happen if shopping from the big boys, but resin can have pitfalls…

Thanks, everyone.

Based on what most of you have said, I've continued with the same technique I use with metals anyway – wash in soapy water, scrub with toothbrush, and when dry spray with black automotive primer.

Interesting thread. Another vote here for no wash/vallejo black primer covers a treat. Have built and painted several resin Warlord models now I must say the quality of the resin used must be top notch as I have not found a single air bubble or impurity so far, and the flat surfaces are perfect.

Just to add, as mentioned above I also found Loctite superglue needed a tiny ball of blu tac to hold in position whilst going off, the bond between the resin parts taking a little longer to dry.

Lee.

Like Arteis I've had some problems in this area. Based on advice on another forum I now: rub down with white spirit, wash in soapy water, and use an enamel based primer.
Despite these precautions I didn't get a perfect finish on a JTFM Sherman that I'm just completing, where in one or two small areas the paint bubbled.
I think this is one of these areas where one just has to acknowledge that people have different experiences and saying 'I've never had a problem' is not particularly helpful.
Jemima Fawr whether or not Evan is right in suggesting that manufacturers don't need a release a release agent these days, I can assure you there are certain ones who use it lavishly. In my experience the slipperiest resin castings (yes you can feel that sliminess from the release agent as you unpack them) coming out of the box are Perry/Blitzkreig and JTFM. On the other hand I've sprayed a couple of the recent Warlord resin castings with no preps and using an acrylic primer, without any difficulty whatsoever. Grambo – as I understand it, warlord simply don't use those release agents.
The Perrys certainly acknowledge that their supplier uses release agent and suggest the auto primer paint route. JTFM's website also has suggestions for priming the models this way. Funnily enough I've seen the models pictured on the Perry website, at Mike Perry's place, with the paint flaking off in great chunks because they just gave them a quick spray of gray acrylic before photographing them for the website.
It seems to me that both Perry/Blitzkreig and JTFM produce very high quality, very detailed, castings and it may be that getting these smoothly out of the moulds requires spraying them with these agents. The Warlord castings are a little 'smoother' in the sense of having less deeply etched detail so perhaps they don't need to.
Having said all of this, I find the easiest models to paint are the Rubicon ones, which are of course plastic kits. You can spray those with acrylic and just crack on.
EC

As to primer it really depends on what you will be painting with. If you normally use acrylics then prime with enamel. If you will be using an enamel paint try one of the acrylic primers.