What paints are ok to use on resin?

[Hotrod 97]

I know precious little about resin parts - what paints are ok to use?

[MrObsessive]

I'd say just about anything Ty. Resin is not subject to crazing like plastic so hot lacquers, polyurethanes, acrylics, etc should be no problem.

I strongly recommend that you clean the resin (soak in Westley's Bleach-White for instance) to get rid of any mold release that may be on the surface. Also, it wouldn't hurt to put on a primer coat to give your color coats a better base to adhere to.

Others will probably have more to say, but that's what I know about resin from having built a number of them in the past.

[Roncla]

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

I'd say just about anything Ty. Resin is not subject to crazing like plastic so hot lacquers, polyurethanes, acrylics, etc should be no problem.

I strongly recommend that you clean the resin (soak in Westley's Bleach-White for instance) to get rid of any mold release that may be on the surface. Also, it wouldn't hurt to put on a primer coat to give your color coats a better base to adhere to.

Others will probably have more to say, but that's what I know about resin from having built a number of them in the past.

X2 on everything Bill has said. A proper clean of the resin, a good quality automotive primer and your good to go with whatever paint takes your fancy.

The only thing to be wary of is stripping paint off resin as brake fluid and isopropyl alcohol can have negative consequences.

[MrObsessive]

There is one caution I do want to throw out there regarding painting certain parts. I would advise when painting your hood for instance that you paint both sides to prevent warping. Sounds crazy, but several years ago I was trying to paint the hood on a particular resin model. I won't mention the model or the maker as I don't want to cast a negative light on them as this wasn't their fault.

The hood was quite thin naturally, but it was straight as an arrow when I got it. I painted it with an automotive lacquer on the top side and a couple days later the hood had curled up like a potato chip.

I got another hood from a different caster--------------same thing happened.

The only thing I can think of that happened is that the paint as it dried and shrank, pulled the hood against the side that wasn't painted resulting in the warping. Needless to say the model sits to this day, although I did get a plastic original hood for it not long ago, so hopefully I can get it done down the road as it's something not commonly seen these days.

[Hotrod 97]

I thank both of you for the replies! I will put your knowledge to good use.

[Brutalform]

On 11/17/2018 at 7:55 PM, MrObsessive said:

There is one caution I do want to throw out there regarding painting certain parts. I would advise when painting your hood for instance that you paint both sides to prevent warping. Sounds crazy, but several years ago I was trying to paint the hood on a particular resin model. I won't mention the model or the maker as I don't want to cast a negative light on them as this wasn't their fault.

The hood was quite thin naturally, but it was straight as an arrow when I got it. I painted it with an automotive lacquer on the top side and a couple days later the hood had curled up like a potato chip.

I got another hood from a different caster--------------same thing happened.

The only thing I can think of that happened is that the paint as it dried and shrank, pulled the hood against the side that wasn't painted resulting in the warping. Needless to say the model sits to this day, although I did get a plastic original hood for it not long ago, so hopefully I can get it done down the road as it's something not commonly seen these days.

Couldn’t agree more on painting the parts thoroughly. I had a resin teardrop hood on a 64 Galaxie, and only painted the exposed surface, and after a few months, it curled up all around the edges. And this particular hood was not a thin casting, and it still curled up.

[vamach1]

 Even with plastic hoods I will paint both sides and then tape it into the body where it will stay unless I am working on the mode which may not be for weeks or even months.