The Loose Association of Wargamers

Count Belisarius wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:06 am They look excellent and a great post on the process involved. I was painting 1/300 Poles last year and this has given me some ideas for SKOT conversions. The 3D stuff seems OK but I'm not sure I could cope with the clean up! I'm lazy...

How do they take paint?

A

I can't stand sticking stuff together, so ripping it apart suits me

I actually sprayed them with a Halfords black primer that I'd not used before and it gave them the texture of sandpaper, so the paint went onto that just fine! I think they'll take paint just as well as any plastic model.

I'd heard that unless prepped/sealed the material soaks up paint. Does the sandpaper finish look OK close up?

There's some 6mm models I've fancied but I think the 'finish' would be more visible at that scale?

A

Perhaps seal them with PVA, the danger with filler primer in small scales is that it might fill all the detail.

Count Belisarius wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:11 am I'd heard that unless prepped/sealed the material soaks up paint. Does the sandpaper finish look OK close up?

There's some 6mm models I've fancied but I think the 'finish' would be more visible at that scale?

I've handled loads of 3D printed 6mm stuff over the last 5 or 6 years. Although the improvements in finish have been amazing; yes- the texture is still noticable in this scale.
My opinion is another 3 or 4 years for printed to compare with metal. I really hope it does because, like RMD, my interests lie with obscure campaigns and kit which is not commercially viable to mass-produce in metal.

Count Belisarius wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:11 am I'd heard that unless prepped/sealed the material soaks up paint. Does the sandpaper finish look OK close up?

There's some 6mm models I've fancied but I think the 'finish' would be more visible at that scale?

A

I'll have to try slapping the paint straight onto the plastic next time. I didn't notice much difference in paint-absorbtion beyond what I'd expect, due to their being greater surface area than a smooth surface.

Re the primer - it wasn't my intention to use a 'filling' primer. For some reason the Halfords primer (which I have used in the past and normally gives a superbly matt finish) went a bit weird... If you have a look at the command vehicle with the frame aerial, you can see that it's made the frame aerial (which is just a bit of copper wire) look very rough. I don't think I'll be using it again, except maybe for terrain pieces.

The other problem with 3D printing is that occasionally the material doesn't "cure" properly. The surface feels oily and buggers up paint application. Heat and time don't clear it up, apparently you have to subject it to UV light.

Do they have UV light in the UK?

grizzlymc wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:45 pm Do they have UV light in the UK?

Now, now Grizz. They do have Tanning Salons. Sunlight however...

It's like American beer and American coffee. You can just recognise it, but never enjoy it.

grizzlymc wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:45 pm Do they have UV light in the UK?

I've had some success by leaving the model in a South facing window for a few weeks.