The Ship Model Forum

Has anyone found a surefire primer for photo etch parts that can withstand the application of dry transfers? I am building the USS New Jersey with the Pontos Model detail set and I am struggling with the helicopter landing pad at the stern. So far, I tried the following:

1) Primed the steel part with Tamiya fine grey primer for plastic and metal >>> Sprayed Tamiya acrylic paint thinned with Tamiya lacquer thinner >>> Added the dry transfer for the landing pad markings. Result: Removing the dry transfer paper easily pulled up the paint and primer underneath down to the metal.

2) On a tip from a fellow Modelwarships user, I repeated the steps above using Rustoleum Frosted Glass as the primer >>> Same result. The paint and primer came right up leaving clean steel underneath.

Would an automobile acid etch primer do the trick? Would the answer depend on the material (which I believe to be steel)? I don't think the issue has anything to do with surface preparation of the steel part as there was zero adhesion in both cases. If this were the issue I would expect to have seen partial or patchy adhesion.

Thanks for any help. Just trying to rule out a solution before I go with the backup plan (use the multi-part decal Tamiya provides, which won't stress the paint).

If it's steel, then it's most likely stainless steel which doesn't hold paint as well as some other metals.

Have you tried soaking in vinegar to try and pit the surface for better grip? Maybe a slightly stronger acid is needed. If there isn't any surface detail to worry about, a light buffing with 1000 grit sandpaper would help the paint to hold.

Other than that, a lacquer based auto primer would be my next suggestion, unless you can find some old floquil primer somewhere.

The only other suggestion I can make is keep it super thin.

Good luck!

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Darren (Admiral Hawk)
In the not so tropical climate of the Great White North.

Why do some manufacturers insist on using stainless steel for PE?? It doesn't glue well, even with CA, and doesn't hold primer or paint well! Seems to be a useless material for modelling.

I like it better. Steel railing is finer, and stronger and less liable to deform than brass.

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"Those of you who volunteered to be injected with praying mantis DNA, I've got some good news and some bad news." - Cave Johnson, Portal 2

I've had excellent results with Stynylrez primer. Excellent adhesion and I've not had trouble with it pulling up. I have not tried it on steel but I suspect it would perform well.
Dave

Thanks for all the input. Just to be clear, I'm not certain the material is steel - that's just my guess based on its silver color and how stiff it is compared to the parts designed to be bent.

I mentioned in my first post that I gave Rustoleum Frosted Glass a shot based on the advice of a Modelwarships user whose work I really respect. Perhaps he used it on a different material, but my test showed it adhered no better than Tamiya's product. Worse, when it failed it did so completely, coming up in big flakes.

I stopped by an auto parts shop this weekend and picked up a can of self etching primer. I made sure the part was clean, sprayed exactly per the instructions in a well ventilated area, and let it dry for a good 24 hours. I gave it a scratch test the next day and while not impossible to penetrate with the tip of a sharp knife it was tougher than the two products above. I sprayed Tamiya acrylic thinned with Tamiya lacquer thinner yesterday and will apply a dry transfer this weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out in case this works and will point others to a solution.

Just reporting back to say the automotive primer did the trick. I applied a spare dry transfer of the helicopter land pad marking this weekend and removing the backing did not pull up the paint or primer at all. I think I found my solution.