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Restoring AMT-Ertl's U.S.S. Enterprise Kit
 
 
 

   It's known to most people who paint that some types of paint are incompatible with others; that layering one type over another may yield less than desired results. Well, a known fact to most painters. Being fairly new to spraying acrylics and also being in a hurry, I took a chance, paid the price and learned from the experience.

Ugh!

   Using a mini spray gun, the model was was painted with several heavy coats of an overly complex mix of Tamiya acrylic colors. In a rush to get the model finished, Krylon Matte Finish, an acrylic clear coat in a spray can, was sprayed over that paint mix.

   Just because they're both called "acrylics," doesn't mean they play well together. These photos show how the model looked a few hours after spraying the final coat.

Nasty, nasty, nasty!

   The secondary hull and both warp engines were covered in a vast web of cracks in the paint. In the above photo, arrows show where the paint lifted off the primed plastic. Smaller decals floated on the still wet matte finish layer and shifted out of position. In the lower left corner of the image, paint can be seen flaking off.

Let this be a lesson to ya!

   The Krylon Matte Finish was absorbed by the decals, causing them to swell. When it dried, the decals shrunk creating separation marks at the edges. Some decals, like the "U.S.S. ENTERPRISE" marking seen above on the top of the saucer split apart. The lighting really shows off the "orange-peel" texture of the paint towards the lower left corner of the image.

   I had to decide: fix it or forget it.

 


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