Bandai Plastic + Enamel Wash = ?

[NecronautDrummer]

My TIE Fighter build was almost finished. It was coated in Future acrylic gloss, ready for a pin wash. I used AK NATO enamel wash (to rub, move around, and wash the enamels away with turpenoid thinners without disturbing the acrylic paints underneath). That's when parts started cracking. I've repaired the small guns on the front twice, and the lower removable panel/mount point is cracking and dissolving away.

Is there something I need to know?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Yeah, Bandai plastic doesn't react very well with enamels.

Phil Flory built one of the AT-ATs and used an enamel wash on it and it pretty much got very brittle and almost disintegrated before he caught it.

 

[NecronautDrummer]

Well, I guess it's best I find out now, before I build any more of my Bandai Star Wars kits I have stashed or on order.

is a coat of Dullcote sealer acceptable, or would that make the current problem worse?

 

[Deere_driver]

Does the Bandai plastic react badly with all enamels including Model Master paints or just certain weathering products? I have an x-wing about ready for paint and I'd hate to mess it up at this point.

 

[NecronautDrummer]

I poked around looking for more info on this. It looks like wherever mineral spirits or enamels pool up is where the cracks start to happen. This is in any joins, holes, or recesses. If you can prevent them from getting into joins, you might be ok. But there are tales of people's models literally falling apart because of this.

 

[amateurmodeler]

If it is any help I washed my Bandai C-3P0 with a Vallejo Game Color wash and wiped areas i didn't want the wash with alcohol. This was over the gold chrome finish and it held up fine.

 

[adampolo13]

It was coated in Future acrylic gloss, ready for a pin wash.
Is there something I need to know?

How long did you let the Future cure? Future, while it can be great, does have some downsides, one being it takes a long time to fully cure and go hard.

It'd suggest Tamiya clear or anther gloss product over Future.

 

[NecronautDrummer]

Maybe I kind of rushed it. I sprayed it with Future at around 10AM and gave it the enamel wash around 10 PM.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

If it is any help I washed my Bandai C-3P0 with a Vallejo Game Color wash and wiped areas i didn't want the wash with alcohol. This was over the gold chrome finish and it held up fine.

Yeah, acrylic products won't have any effect on the plastic.

 

[adampolo13]

Maybe I kind of rushed it. I sprayed it with Future at around 10AM and gave it the enamel wash around 10 PM.

Yup, they may be it. My rule of thumb, a solid day or two to let it cure. That's why most people who dip canopies in Future give it a few days to cure before they handle them.

 

[sunsanvil]

Slightly OT but I've worked with a lot of Bandai plastic (Gundams) and am in the habit of wet sanding everything with 1000-1500 in order to dull the otherwise overly smooth plastic (and then washing with soap and water of course). Goes a long way to ensuring (any) paint grabs.