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Using fillers to allow for better paint adhesion???

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Using fillers to allow for better paint adhesion???

Postby Anvils Hammer » Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:58 am

Hey guys,

some advice/discussion if you dont mind.

So resin is cheap, easy to use and can create incredibly high detail components with virtually no flash, its also relativley easy to cut, file, trim etc for conversions, so far so good.

Untill you come to paint it, when its almost universally a total bitch. scrub with soap and toothbrush, use an industrial car primer which clogs detail and still the paint flakes sometimes..

Im constnatly looking to improve Anvil Industry products and one thing I really want to do is solve this paint adhesion problem.

I already dont use any mold release sprays or anything like that, but the natural oils/chemicals in the resin still mean paint doenst like to stick to it, and Im sure you guys all have similar issues.

The ONE product in my range without this issue is my Anvil Gaming Bases, paint sticks to them with no trouble what so ever, even just a normal brush.. the difference is they are loaded with a high content of finely powdered iron. The presence of this filler seems to give the resin surface a "key" to which paint sticks instantly.

The other benefit of the metal filler is the the gaming bases do not require pressure, they are fine just with a vacuum and then atmosphere and Ive yet to see a bubble in any detailing..

The downside of a filler is obviouslt the potential for the parts to be more brittle than they otherwise would be, for some parts like torsos, heads etc this is no problem, but for more delicate components like weapons, its an issue..

SO my plan is to experiment with different quantities and combinations of filler materials, to try and find a mixture which has-

good paint adhesion
still a light grey colour
still quite lightweight
still sufficiently non brittle

There is Iron fillings, slate powder, "fillite", marble powder etc etc, all of which can be used as fillers in various ratios.

Another idea is to add micro glass fibers, like static grass but glass.. but this is then a problem if anyone decided to convert/cut up the components, shame really as they would be very strong!!

The Gaming bases with the Iron are strong but I dont think as strong as pure resin.. but they are very heavily filled,

I welcome everyone elses feedback on this topic, if we collaborate we can come up with the best possible combination and call it "finest cast" :mrgreen:

AH
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Re: Using fillers to allow for better paint adhesion???

Postby blind pig » Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:22 am

I've used Aluminium and Bronze powder (100 micron screen). Can't say how it paints, as I polished the resin to make the item look like the metal they contained. problem with using metals in resin is settling before the PU sets. The way around this is to absolutely load the PU with the metal powder, but then it doesn't flow very well.

Talc works as a filler, but at above about 30% talc by weight, I've found it doesn't hold the detail as well. Below that 30%, it flows a little thicker, but still works well. 20% seems to be a sweet spot, however, it does increase the brittleness of the finished product.
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Re: Using fillers to allow for better paint adhesion???

Postby mangozac » Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:10 pm

Well congratulations Joel - you've added another parameter to your resin "holy grail" search :P

I didn't know anybody had any big issues with painting their resin unless they completely failed to degrease it before priming? From what I've heard the most foolproof technique is to bathe the parts in Simple Green prior to assembly. Of course this may also be related to just how "oily" the cured resin product is - I know some are much more suitable for paint application than others. The 4PU we use over here paints really quite nicely in its cured state - it only needs a bubble bath to remove the traces of J-wax that I use as a release agent.

I recently tried some talc filler for the rock faces on my SAW diorama. Since I didn't need any find detail reproduction I went a bit overboard - probably as much as 50% - and it did leave the final result relatively brittle. Thicker pieces were fine but the thinner pieces lost that bit of flex the resin always has before the part snaps (which admittedly can be pretty small anyway).

Interesting how the parts with metal filler degas better. I guess the extra weight helps force the air to the top...

Ultimately though I think developing a "finest cast" is difficult because it seems there is so much variation in the properties of resin products available between continents. Which is crazy because you would think they'd all just get it from Chinese places who have all ripped off the formula from originally name brand products :P
Oh yeah I can make that....
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