I am working on the first model I have put together in 15 years. It is a Tamiya Tiger I Final Version. I have been painting it with Polly Scale Paints. The paint is very coarse looking on top of the turret. Almost like sandpaper. This is the only spot doing it. The rest of the tank looks the way it should. I am applying it with an Aztek Airbrush. It is Acrylic paint and I did not thin it, it did'nt appear to need it. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Hi Steve! Welcome to the best modeling site on the 'Net!

I'm using an Aztek too and I'm also seeing the sandpaper-like texture of paint. I'm using Tamiya acrylics thinned about 20% with isopropyl alcohol. From what I've learned from this great site, distance is a factor when airbrushing. When you spray from far away, the paint will begin to dry up on the way to the surface and when it hits the plastic it clumps up. Don't know if airbrush orientation is a factor too. Your brush will be horizontal when painting the sides and I assume that it will be vertical when you're painting the roof.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, I will try spraying closer. Do you have any suggestions for how to fix the paint that is already on the model?

I've heard that you can sand the rough parts. Haven't tried that yet though. Maybe an 800 to 1000 grit sandpaper will do fine.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Rather than sandpaper, try synthetic steel wool. It's plastic, so it won't cut deep grooves that hard grit (no matter how fine) sandpaper will. Luck, Rob

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

WAIT!!! No offense to the other posters, but 800 to 1000 grit is too coarse. Use a 1500 - 2000 at the most, or simply rub with a cloth, some water, and some toothpaste or plastic polish. If you use 800 or 1000 grit you will go through to the plastic almost immediately. The "tooth" you are seeing is not hard to eliminate at all...

I would try wetsanding with a finer grit or polishing as I said.

Best of luck.

Oh yeah, to prevent this in the future, get an acrylic retarder. You can find them at most craft and hobby stores. This keeps the paint wetter for longer so you don't get the in-flight drying of the paint...

Scott

Thanks for clearing that up Scott!

I have tried pure Acetone in acrylic & I tell you it melts rock hard acrylic paint like enamel paint to turpentine.

I think acetone does a damn damn on plastic so if you elect to try this put a sprue piece in some for a bit and see if it hurts, I know paint thinner is not a solution

Acetone doesn't melt plastic at all. It's just like alcohol. Remember that acrylic thinners are acetone based & doesn't corrode plastic at all

Thanks, I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.