Dullcote sticky one week later?

[Matt1982]

This is odd. I am having stickiness issues with my dull coted Galactica. I sprayed it seven days ago, it dried quickly and completely to bone dry, but when handling it today it felt sticky. I thought my hands were sticky and dismissed it.

What gives? It is only Testors Dullcote over testors enamel on a Moebius Galactica

I was about to dullcote it again tomorrow, but something tells me I should not now....

[Matt1982]

I think it is actually an acryl polymer wash I did over the model. Any solutions?

[Joseph C. Brown]

I have not encountered that issue with Testors Dullcote before - but I can come up with a quick checklist:

- how thickly was the enamel applied?

- how long did you let the enamel dry?

- Testors Dullcote really should applied in quick, misting coats. I have heard that if it is applied too thickly, it takes a long time to dry.

Does that help at all?

[Matt1982]

The enamel was brushed on, but not too thick. If my memory recalls, it had a full day to cure. I put a dullcote on and I could see it dry before my eyes. Some hours later, I used a (railroad) acrylic paint as a wash. It seemed to work pretty well and dried quickly enough. I recall the model not geting tacky until some days later.

It is not terribly tacky, but feels like a rubber grip surface when you stroke your finger across. I left it under my lamp, but it made it more tacky!

I'm in the boat of letting it sit for a very, very long time before applying my final coat of dullcote.

Here's to the Battlestar Stickia!

[Scanam2006]

you may be getting chemical interactions that are not typical. The more different materials that are used the more likely things will go wrong. I suggest waiting another week and then lightly misting another layer of Dullcoat to seal it.

[Matt1982]

Yes, I think a week is in order. As I hover around the model, the odors are still quite distinct. Odors are literally molecules zipping off a surface so I imagine once all those moelcules are done zipping off, it should be drier.

[Matt1982]

OK, it seems rubbing it makes it more sticky. I never learn.

Isnt it amazing how such a thing can ruin the whole view of one's model?

[Rocketeer]

Matt. QUIT MESSIN' WITH IT.

Let it sit for a week, then try a light Dullcoat.

[Dukat, S.G.]

That's seriously bizarre.

I use my utility room, where the clothes' washer and dryers are, to do my airbrushing, lacquer flat coats, etc. It's closed off from the rest of the house and I can easily vent the room out by opening an outside door.

It is pretty cold here right now. I think the low this morning was under 18 Farenheit, and most days the temp doesn't go above 40.

I've misted several Dullcote ... err, coats on some models and left them out in that room, which is barely warmer than outside even when the door's shut.

In spite of the cold, however, after thirty minutes, the parts are dry to the touch. (At least, I'd guess they are; I won't tempt fate and actually touch them.) After 24 hours at most, they're ready to receive oil washes and all kinds of punishment, though I tend to wait longer than that.

Honestly, as extreme as this might sound, if Rocketeer's suggestion doesn't work, I recommend you strip your part with an odorless oven cleaner. If your model has seams, depending on how you filled them, you might need to re-do that step. (Oven cleaner will eat Squadron Green putties for breakfast.) You might even find that, if this Galactica has any parts which required heavy CA glue, those areas will need to be reglued as well.

After you apply your enamel basecoat, let that sucker cure in a very dry, preferably somewhat warm, place for at least 4-5 days. A full week would be better IMO.

THEN reapply your Dullcote. Let it cure for a good two days before you mess with it.

As I said, that's an extreme step and I'd definitely try Rocketeer's idea first. The only reason I advocate the "throw the baby out with the bathwater" approach is because something seriously foul seems afoot. My GUESS is that your enamel basecoat didn't have anywhere near enough time to cure before you sealed it, but that might be a shot in the dark.

Good luck, man!

[Matt1982]

Well everyone, I have good news and bad news.

Good News:

I let the model sit for quite a while and it was drying ever so slowly. It got to the point where I deemed it safe to apply another coat of dullcote. Afterwards it was BONE dry.

Bad News:

Five days post dullcote it is getting sticky again! ARGH!!!!!