Hi;
I just found out the hard way that you can't paint vinyl tank treads with lacquer even if you prime. They become very brittle and snap into pieces.
Does anyone have a suggestion(s) as to what type of paint to use?
I only brush paint so I suppose my choices are going to be limited.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks;

Ron Harris

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Hi;
I just found out the hard way that you can't paint vinyl tank treads with lacquer even if you prime. They become very brittle and snap into pieces.
Does anyone have a suggestion(s) as to what type of paint to use?
I only brush paint so I suppose my choices are going to be limited.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks;

Ron Harris

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If you were painting Tamiya glueable soft plastic tracks, they weren't vinyl, they were some kind of styrene blend, and yes, they are destroyed by enamels and lacquers (even thinners). You can paint it with Tamiya acrylics.
Real vinyls cannot be glued with ordinary cement and are heat welded using a heated blade that melts the little prongs joining the ends. Academy still uses this material, and it is relatively indestructible. However, if you use an enamel (I don't recommend lacquers) do not prime, and apply as thin a layer as possible. Then apply the tracks to the model as soon as they are dry to the touch, as the paint will remain flexible for a while, and you will minimize flaking. After a few days, the enamel is hard all the way through and cannot be flexed.