Question about painting during winter (static, lint, dust, etc.)

[Little]

Hi everyone,

I apologize if this has been posted before. I tried searching but probably looking in the wrong place.

I'm new to painting models and I'm currently working on a 1/10 scale automotive body. I'm at a stage where I've primed and wet sanded it (but still need a little more to do). However, because it's winter and I paint in a stairwell, I see some lint/dust no matter how careful I am. And, unfortunately, it's a larger scale. I'm not too worried about the primer getting dust because I can sand it but worried about the paint stage—since it's a gloss black (I'm using Tamiya TS rattle can paint). And also worried when I get to the gloss/clear coat.

What tips can you give me to prevent lint/dust on the model/primed/painted/coated surface? Do I just have to wet sand it after I paint it? And if I do, do I apply rubbing compound/polish only to the clear coat layer? And I read something about dryer sheets. Is that effective? And how is it used? Just wipe it on the model? Thanks in advance!

 

[urumomo]

Eh , are you sure what you're seeing is " lint / dust " ?
Spraying lacquers can build up " hairs " depending on the environment . This is due to the coating setting in the air prior to arrival upon the substrate .
Kinda like flocking a Christmas tree .

Temperature in the spray environment is everything . What is the temperature in this stairwell ?

 

[Little]

Eh , are you sure what you're seeing is " lint / dust " ?
Spraying lacquers can build up " hairs " depending on the environment . This is due to the coating setting in the air prior to arrival upon the substrate .
Kinda like flocking a Christmas tree .

Temperature in the spray environment is everything . What is the temperature in this stairwell ?

Thanks for responding! Yes, I believe they are dust/lint due to the irregular shape and randomness. I haven't sprayed paint, still on the primer and see them. Some are long and some are smaller specs. The stairwell doesn't have a lot of foot traffic since people use the elevator. And it's temperature controlled around 70F/21C. I ordered anti static cleaning paper and maybe should wipe it down before I spray paint but are there other things I could do or do I end up wet sanding the paint before the clear coat? Thanks.

 

[urumomo]

I don't know , dude .
Without seeing what you're talking about --- can you post a photo ?

If it's an environmental problem then the obvious solution is to change the environment or protect your work via an enclosure ( paint tent )

You'd be surprised by how much both acrylic and lacquer coatings can show " contamination " when there is none there .

 

[urumomo]

Humidity ?
What is the humidity in the stairwell ?

 

[Little]

Got it. I'm not at home right now so I can't take a photo of the model and I unfortunately I have no way of finding out what the humidity of the stairwell is. What do you when you have have some dust specs on your scale auto paint job?

 

[urumomo]

OK .

Answer to second question : Remove it . It's the only thing you can do ........ but , I think you're seeing irregularities in the coating that you are confusing with contamination . Maybe not , of course , but I've been though this a thousand times .

When you return to your abode we will continue

 

[Belugawrx]

I've always found, that if you have colour coverage after 800 -1000 g sanding, with no sand thru at high edges etc. ..go ahead and clear coat it.
If you continue to experience hairs, and chunks of dust,..find a new place to paint

 

[Little]

Sorry for the late response! And thank you both for responding. Had been quite occupied with the holidays. Anyway, I've attached a photo with the model primed (and the first coat). I think I can't avoid it because of the dry winter air/static. No matter what I do. Before I take it to the stairwell I inspect it for dust, but once I start spray painting (Tamiya spray can) it seems to collect dust/lint from the air. For round two I lightly wet sanded, cleaned, let dry, and before I headed to the stairwell, I used a "Metrovac" blower to get rid of some dust. When it dried, I used anti-static sheets to gently wipe off some stubborn dust that had been caught and dried on the primer. Seems to remove it. Looks better the second round but still has some dust and lint (they seem irregular). I think it's also caused by the travel from the place to the stairwell.

I probably will just end up wet sanding everything (primer, paint, gloss coat) to get rid of it. And just buff it. Unless there are other easier ways to deal with it.

 

[urumomo]

That's one coat of this ? :

Tamiya Surface Primer in white ?
How far away are you holding the can from the work ?

 

[Belugawrx]

Wow, that is some dust!?!
Another thing, if you are wearing any polyester,...socks pants, shirt, underwear..or standing on polyester carpet...it will attract dust like a magnet. And wearing nitrile (or latex) gloves while you paint
And I agree with Uru, that is alot of paint...by " a coat" you do mean
1 coat

2 coats

3 coats

4 coats

 

[Little]

I'm using the gray primer. Oh, I meant by one coat--the final coat. Is that a lot? Then I'll wet sand it down. Have holes and minor dents, and some imperfections as well so I needed to cover them up. I do use nitrile gloves. So is that a lot still for primer? It's 1/10 scale. Sounds like I have to go without clothes painting this thing!

 

[the Baron]

The others have gotten into the specific issue you have with your painting process. I'd like to offer my advice to your question about dust or lint at its face value-cover your model while painting.
For example, when I build airplanes, I dip the canopies in a clear acrylic (Future, aka Johnson's Kleer). After letting the excess run off or wicking it away on a piece of paper towel, I'll put the piece in an air-tight container, like a Chinese takeout soup container, and leave it there till the piece has dried.
When painting, I'll do the same thing-I'll put my model in a covered container, to minimize exposure to the open air.
I get plastic storage boxes made by Sterlite and Rubbermaid, but even food storage containers. I don't have problems with dust settling on the model in a still-wet or uncured painted surface.
Keeping the dust off once the model is finished and on display is another matter, because I don't have any dedicated space. But the principle is the same-if you have closed display cabinets, they reduce the exposure to dust and other things in the air.
Hope that helps!
Best regards,
Brad

 

[urumomo]

Related Convo :
https://forums.kitmaker.net/t/where-did-all-this-lint-come-from/6535