Repainting a die cast model

[89AKurt]

Asking, since I have never done this, what is the procedure for repainting a die cast?  Someone asked me to paint the Triumph black with white side panel (it's on the window sill).  It has beautiful photo-etch emblems and decals for the finish details, he didn't seem concerned but I want to save that if possible.  Should I wet-sand to prepare for paint, or strip?  Are details such as headlights snap-in, or glued on?  I have not attempted disassembly yet.  It's been sitting around for about 4 months, I should get it done.

[stitchdup]

I would try flatting and painting first as i recently attempted to repaint a bentley after stripping it and some nastiness is in the metal in a few spots. I think the nastiness in mine is a silicone due to how the paint is reacting but if the current paint is good use it as a base to save yourself some pain.

[Tom Geiger]

First I would put the body in water overnight to see if the decals float free. And if your stars are all aligned, it would be too good to be true if the etched emblems were affixed with water soluble glue.

Ive used the aircraft stripper from Home Depot to strip paint from a diecast, taking it to bare metal. That would certainly get the photo etch off since it’s on top of the paint, and shouldn’t affect them since they are metal.

If you decide to scuff and paint, with emblems in place, maybe you can polish them out like the BMF emblems under paint trick?

 

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

I would try flatting and painting first as i recently attempted to repaint a bentley after stripping it and some nastiness is in the metal in a few spots. I think the nastiness in mine is a silicone due to how the paint is reacting but if the current paint is good use it as a base to save yourself some pain.

So keep like it's the primer.

5 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

First I would put the body in water overnight to see if the decals float free. And if your stars are all aligned, it would be too good to be true if the etched emblems were affixed with water soluble glue.

Ive used the aircraft stripper from Home Depot to strip paint from a diecast, taking it to bare metal. That would certainly get the photo etch off since it’s on top of the paint, and shouldn’t affect them since they are metal.

If you decide to scuff and paint, with emblems in place, maybe you can polish them out like the BMF emblems under paint trick?

Good idea, safe. 

[kilrathy10]

Well, I've tried a few things.... Depending on how far you want to go, you could strip the paint with a nice brake fluid bath, but you could probably use thinner or something, as it is metal....
But I've also had success with just going old school and breaking out the old paint brush and model paint like I did in high school...?Just depends on the quality of paint and your steady hand... I've painted quite a few models this way... 

I just hand painted this orange Nissan GTR with a hand brushed coat of Future floor polish.. It was just like the one on the left...

And I hand painted the red truck and sprayed the orange one...The red one has a coat of Future floor polish on it, as well, filling in all the brush strokes...No masking necessary....

I think they came out pretty good.... Spraying always delivers a superior finish, but brush painting, to me is a bit of a lost art....

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by kilrathy10

[Geno]

On diecast I generally strip the paint with a good quality stripper then file/sand and fix any imperfections in the metal if need be, I then use a self etching primer. I try to let that sit for a week, wet sand, rinse and let it air dry, then it's on to the base coat. I then paint and apply any photo etch trim and I also BMF the trim. After that it gets a good coat of clear. I like to clear coat over the photo etch as it helps keep it in place and less likely to disappear when I polish my models down the road. After that cures for a couple of weeks it gets wet sanded and polished as I did with this one for example. That's my way anyway, I'm sure there are plenty of others.?

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Geno

[89AKurt]

13 hours ago, kilrathy10 said:

Well, I've tried a few things.... Depending on how far you want to go, you could strip the paint with a nice brake fluid bath, but you could probably use thinner or something, as it is metal....
But I've also had success with just going old school and breaking out the old paint brush and model paint like I did in high school...?Just depends on the quality of paint and your steady hand... I've painted quite a few models this way... 

I just hand painted this orange Nissan GTR with a hand brushed coat of Future floor polish.. It was just like the one on the left...

And I hand painted the red truck and sprayed the orange one...The red one has a coat of Future floor polish on it, as well, filling in all the brush strokes...No masking necessary....

I think they came out pretty good.... Spraying always delivers a superior finish, but brush painting, to me is a bit of a lost art....

[...]

I hate brush painting, yes it's a lost art.  I have not tried Future either, still need to get a bottle.  Thanks for the tips.

21 minutes ago, Geno said:

On diecast I generally strip the paint with a good quality stripper then file/sand and fix any imperfections in the metal if need be, I then use a self etching primer. I try to let that sit for a week, wet sand, rinse and let it air dry, then it's on to the base coat. I then paint and apply any photo etch trim and I also BMF the trim. After that it gets a good coat of clear. I like to clear coat over the photo etch as it helps keep it in place and less likely to disappear when I polish my models down the road. After that cures for a couple of weeks it gets wet sanded and polished as I did with this one for example. That's my way anyway, I'm sure there are plenty of others.?

[...]

Thank you for your input.

[Geno]

Kurt, you are most certainly welcome.?

[Pete J.]

That is a whole differant ball game than plastic. Some of it good others not so much. Most of the detail pieces I have seen have pins that are melted on the back side.  Carefully cut to remove.  Not to hard.  However the stuff like window trim is an entirely differant kettle of fish.  I generally just replace it all with scratch built plastic pieces.  

As to the paint,  I found that most diecast have really thick paint and if you paint over them, you lose a ton of detail. I think most of manufactures dip the models rather than spray them.  Once you have taken everything off of the body you can dump it in a tub of acetone or lacquer thinner that will strip it down pretty quickly, but be prepared to do some file work.  The reason the paint is so thick on diecast is that it hides the imperfections and pits in the cast metal.  A good fine file and some sandpaper will do the job of clean the metal and then a quality body filler will deal with a lot of the other issues.  Then a good coat of Tamiya gray etching primer and you are ready to do the final paint.  

Here is a photo of  fender of an MGBGT that I did some time back.  You can see how rough the metal is finished and why the manufactures put such thick paint on.  Best of luck with your project. 

 

[Snake45]

16 hours ago, kilrathy10 said:

Spraying always delivers a superior finish, but brush painting, to me is a bit of a lost art....

Every now and then I get in the mood to do a brush-painted model, so I do a 1/72 WWII fighter such as a Spitfire or something of the sort. 

[THarrison351]

11 hours ago, Geno said:

On diecast I generally strip the paint with a good quality stripper then file/sand and fix any imperfections in the metal if need be, I then use a self etching primer.

I've only repainted NASCAR diecast and this is pretty much the method I've used. Follow my Fotki link and check my NASCAR folder with a few, a Carl Edwards sub folder with some and there's a Bill Elliott sub'folder with diecast. Those are the ones I have pictures currently. I've stripped and painted more.

[kilrathy10]

8 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Every now and then I get in the mood to do a brush-painted model, so I do a 1/72 WWII fighter such as a Spitfire or something of the sort. 

I'm with you, Man....I'm a bit of an aircraft buff, myself.... Awesome...

[89AKurt]

Well, this topic only shows that it takes me forever to get anything done.  This sat for two years!  I just wasn't motivated to work on this, even though the owner was willing to pay.  So I handed it off to a model club member who needed money more than me, and he pulled it off.  The big PITA was parts that would not come off, so lots of masking was involved.  I told him to lightly wet sand the paint with fine grit emory cloth.  What we both found out, it's like handling a brick, I had to make a wood jig to hold the body, and doors, for painting.  So he got 95% of it done, I made the mirror like what the owner had on his car.

Corian® was turned on the drill press.

Made the mount from fat sprue.

Painted with Alclad chrome, which matches what the model chrome is.

The owner has it on a shelf up high, so it wasn't important to have a perfect finish on it, he is happy.

[crowe-t]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:33 PM, Geno said:

On diecast I generally strip the paint with a good quality stripper then file/sand and fix any imperfections in the metal if need be, I then use a self etching primer. I try to let that sit for a week, wet sand, rinse and let it air dry, then it's on to the base coat. I then paint and apply any photo etch trim and I also BMF the trim. After that it gets a good coat of clear. I like to clear coat over the photo etch as it helps keep it in place and less likely to disappear when I polish my models down the road. After that cures for a couple of weeks it gets wet sanded and polished as I did with this one for example. That's my way anyway, I'm sure there are plenty of others.?

 

Great job!  Is Tamiya fine surface primer good to use on a die cast body?  It says for plastic and metal but is an Etching primer from Duplicolor better?

[crowe-t]

What's a good brand Aircraft remover?

[Matt Bacon]

1 hour ago, crowe-t said:

What's a good brand Aircraft remover?

Sidewinder? Or maybe a Flak-88…

?

best,

M.

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 hours ago, crowe-t said:

Is Tamiya fine surface primer good to use on a die cast body?  It says for plastic and metal but is an Etching primer from Duplicolor better?

Yes. Use an etching primer first for best adhesion, followed by any Duplicolor or model primer.

Edited January 8, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, crowe-t said:

What's a good brand Aircraft remover?

The currently available "aircraft" remover isn't like the old stuff.

But THIS is EXCELLENT.

                                           

[crowe-t]

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The currently available "aircraft" remover isn't like the old stuff.

But THIS is EXCELLENT.

                                           

Thanks Bill.  Is it better than the stuff in the spray can?

[Ace-Garageguy]

8 minutes ago, crowe-t said:

Thanks Bill.  Is it better than the stuff in the spray can?

I prefer the brush on as there's zero waste and no overspray...which can ruin anything nearby.

[crowe-t]

I'm trying to find a place by me that has the Jasco paint remover.  So far all I can find is Rustoleum Aircraft Remover.

[Geno]

On 1/8/2024 at 12:29 PM, crowe-t said:

Great job!  Is Tamiya fine surface primer good to use on a die cast body?  It says for plastic and metal but is an Etching primer from Duplicolor better?

Michael, I generally use automotive  but I'm sure Tamiya will work fine. Not sure on any of the aircraft stuff. ?

[Mike C.]

Haven't done one in a while but I used to completely disassemble the diecast and then use that paint stripper you can get at Home Depot then completely wash and scrub the body and accessories. Then I would use self-etching primer and paint of my choice. On the Chevelle I used photo etched parts for a 1/25 model some of the pieces actually fir better.

 

[Mike C.]

[Mike C.]

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