Does acrylic paint ever truly cure?

[jason1976]

I've dicuvored the fun of acryling pints. I've been using them in my little airbrush, and I like that they can be cleened up with soap, and water.

But, what I want to know is, does it ever cure to the point wher it can't be "cleaned up" with soap, and water?

I mean, it's nice wall your working on the prop, but I don't want it coming off, if it get wet, from my hands, or rain, or something.

Thanks
Jason

 

[exoray]

Yes, is should...

 

[juno]

Short answer: once acrylic is thoroughly dry, it is relatively impervious to water.

Long answer:
Acrylic is really a thermoplastic -- long molecular chains held together by electrostatic energy. Among other things, one of the properties of a thermoplastic is that they can be dissolved in their own solvent (in this case water). All thermoplastics set by evaporation, when the solvent evaporates the molecular chains reconnect forming a film. In theory, once the acrylic is completely dry (and remember they dry from the outside in) unless you could force the molecules of water inbetween the molecular chain, it should be set.

 

[jason1976]

Very cool. thans guys. A painting I go.

 

[gnrlotto]

Very cool. thans guys. A painting I go.

Yeah, acrylic curing too quickly can actually be a problem, especially when trying to do canvas painting.

 

[jason1976]

Well, I learned 2 things to day.

1. all about acrylic paint drying from you guys.

2. That "Goo-B-Gone" eats some enamel paints.

I've been repainting my resin replica of jayne's pistol from firefly. Well I got everything done up to the chrome/silver on the greablies, around the barrel. Well I used enamel, in my airbrush, because, it gave a finish closerest to real metal. It looked great, and I unmasked the rest of the gun yesterday. (after letting it cure for over a week.) Well, before I added the finishing touches on it today, I thought I would use a little goo-b-gone on it, ot get rid of the residue left by the masking tape, in a few spots.
Well, it eat my chrome, and rain it all over the rest of the front end of the gun. I have to start all over. And here I was wearied about the acrylic, I was using on other projects, malting down on me, and enamel ended up biting me.

 

[superjedi]

Yikes!
Sorry to hear about that. I try not to use any kind of solvents to clean anything on pieces I've already painted.
Here's some "hindsight is 20/20" advice: for masking, try the blue painters' tape. I've used it on soooooo many projects and never had any problems with tape residue or peeling.

 

[wuher da brewer]

Even the blue painters tape says to remove within 48 hours I believe.

 

[gnrlotto]

If there is a sticky residue, something oil-based (like a little bit of butter, etc.) should be able to make it lift, than a little soap should be able to remove the oil.

 

[carves]

Jason, that is depend on what kind of surface are you trying to paint.

I have been building model tanks in 1/35 scale and always use acrylic paints, they are the best for plastic wise. Try paints made by Tamiya, Gunze, or MM.
Those paints I mention will completely cure in 24 hours and can be safely touch under 15 minutes.

One thing you need to remember when using acrylic paint is that on some plastic, they need to be primed first.

Hope this helps,

 

[jason1976]

Ok, I've been using the blue painters tape for a few years now. I love that stuff. I tried the purple, but it just wasn't quite sticky enough for me. I think my problem there, was in fact, that I left it on for too long. It take's me a wile to mask something off, and then because I usually paint, out side, and the weather here, always awful, I end up having to wait 'til I get a nice day to paint.

I love Tamiya. A friend of mine, who used to work at a hobby shop, turned me on to it. That's waht I usually us in my air brush. I also like there little spray cans. I only use the enamel chrome paint, because it gets such a nicer metallic look, but I do usually prime first, and I didn't this time.

This whole project has been a bad one, and I've had one problem after another with it. I admit that I'm a perfectionist, but I've let a lot of stuff slide on this project. like it was black rasin, and since it wasn't guite black enough, I hit it with some black, fushing, and it looked great, but now a lot of the fusion has worn off in spots, but I for once I didn't fuss over it, I just told myself it looks like it's just been used, and worn naturaly. :lol But, I think for this silvery ad ont parts, I'm just going to go with silver dupli color, it's not as truly metallic looking, but it gives a nice durable finish, unlike a log of chrome paints.

Thanks.
for the help guys.

 

[rad1701]

A little nice dry heat can help the paint cure as well. There are a huge variety of acrylics and cross-linkers out there. Many automotive paints contain acrylics these days. But those are also baked on in high temperature cure ovens. A nice sunny & dry place to cure can help.

 

[jason1976]

I have a heat gun, but some time I like to use my blow drire. Some times, when I've put the paint on a little too wet, or a little uneven. I'll hang it up, and give it a blast with the blow dryer, and ite will smooth it out a bit, and help speed up the drying time.