[Gpa113]

Good evening everyone 

Please can I ask for some advice on the best practice of priming,  and painting 3D printed bodyshells. 

I have purchased a few, about 50 !!, over the last couple of years, all from the same seller on eBay,  who has been excellent in every aspect. 

The bodyshells look great, very good detail, but I want to check before starting to get them finished. 

I have built plenty of resin kits, and can make them look very good.  Spraying is no problem. 
All the 3D bodyshells are classic 1960'S,  70's and 80's British models.

Do I need to rub them down with fine wet and dry first?   Do they require a different form of primer due to the materials involved.?   Any help and advice much appreciated.   I normally use Halfords primer and paint.

Thanks 
Pip

[Kevan]

I printed hundreds of bodyshells on my resin printer plus a few on my filament printer.

They say prep is king, if you want perfect then flatting back with wet & dry will need doing...if you're like me a quick flash over to scuff the surface will suffice.

I had a can of auto etch primer which I used until it was empty but now use Vallejo primer in my airbrush.

For paint I use Vallejo again, water the paint down until it is thin enough for you airbrush to spray.

There will be lots of alternatives that other people use but that's what I use...and I'm not an artist.

[Gpa113]

Thanks Kevan,

Painting I am happy with, but how much wet and dry to go for was the bit I was unsure about. 

The printed bodyshells look really good,  in their white state as is, but of course how much of the lines from them being printed show up  will only be apparent when some primer is applied....time to get flatting

Thanks, 
Pip

[Kevan]

People wrongly assume that 3D printing leaves high spots that need sanding down...3D printing leaves troughs not high spots and filament printed bodyshells have much more obvious layer lines, the best way to hide these is paint a thin layer of UV resin over the top, let it settle then cure in sunlight or a UV lamp...then flat it back.

[chappyman66]

Using Klear (Future) acrylic also works to smooth filament printed bodies.

I normally use automotive filler/primer.  Two coats then wet/dry and color coats.
I am not a fine scale modeler though.   

Layer lines depend on lots of things but many resin printed bodies are basically paint ready once cured.

Show your work! ?

   

[JMay]

Ditto Chappyman66’s approach using automotive high build primer, then Halfords or Hycote rattle cans for top coat. Filament shells need more sanding than resin so I use 400-600 grit prior to the primer coat then 1200 grit afterwards before top coat. Revell Plasto filler works well on filament shells which I use on the join lines between segments (where I chop the back off to print vertically) and deep troughs.

   

Cheers
John

[Gpa113]

Thank you guys

Much appreciated,  and just what I was after.

Not clever enough to produce my own, so it's a fair outlaw for all the bodyshells,  so don't want to muck it up big time!

Thanks John for the exact grades of wet and dry, that is really helpful. 

They are all going to be painted as Banger racers from the 1980's and early 90's.  All my favourite drivers, and types of cars we used to see being raced so regularly.   They won't need to be perfect,  but I want them to be really good.

Will post some photos when I make some progress 

Pip