Rustin's Drier

[backtothewind]

Has anyone used this or any other accelerator? I'm siting here waiting for some enamel paint to dry.

Apparently a few drops of Rustin's mixed in can reduce the drying time considerably.

Roger

 

[Wurger]

I cannot help you with the matter.I have never been using the kind of accelerators.Sorry.

 

[Airframes]

Never heard of, or used, an accelerator for enamel paints. Normally, modelling enamels, in matt, should be touch-dry within about 15 minutes, and fully dry within 1 to 2 hours. Gloss takes much longer of course.
If this happens to be Humbrol enamel, then that's exactly the problems I have experienced lately, the first time ever in 46 years of using this brand. Must be the new manufacturer, but it's made me want ot change, as the paint has, on more than one occassion, failed to dry properly after 3 days!

 

[backtothewind]

The paints are from White Ensign Models. They dry to a satin finish to help with decalling so they say. But man are they taking a long time.

 

[Airframes]

I haven't used WEM paints, but I know they are supposed to be good, Muller uses them so he is probably the best person to advise. However, an average enamel model paint should not take ages to dry; are you certain they have been stirred fully, in order to mix the pigment with the carrier? If they have been sitting on a shelf for some time, in the shop, warehouse or your modelling bench, they will have settled, and they may need a lot of stirring, more so satin than matt paints, and, some colours have a slightly heavier pigment, needing even more stirring. BTW, even satin finishes would benefit from a gloss coat to help with decal application, to ensure they 'bed down' smoothly, without silvering.

 

[backtothewind]

Oh they'll get the "Klear" treatment never fear. They are dry now left over night, think it was probably due to the fact that they wern't stirred enough.

I read about Rustins Dryer in a model article but I can't find it as I would have posted a link.

 

[muller]

I've never had any problems with WEM enamels not drying quickly, either with airbrush or hairy brush, but my mate did on one of his armour builds. He painted a vehicle with Light Stone (British camo colour) and it took about a week to dry fully!

I've read on other forums that some people have had the same issue, they put it down to the odd bad batch of paints.

 

[antoni]

Rustin's Terebene Driers. Dark purple in colour and smells strongly of turpentine to which it is related. They are used by professional decorators to aid the drying of old paint. So you need to find an outlet where they go rather then a DIY store. I got mine from a Crown Decorator's Centre. Email Rustins telling them what you want and asking them for the nearest stockist to you. Probably help if you give them your postcode. Only small quantities are needed. One cap full for half a litre of paint so you only need to add one or two drops when airbrushing.

Yes they really do work. Enamel paints dry faster and harder. I have found some Humbrol paints these days dry slightly sticky and it takes a few days for them to eventually harden. Xtracolor also have a reputation for slow drying. I have found the driers very effective with these paints and WEM as well. When brush painting small details you can see the paint thickening after a few minutes. Be careful not to let any of the driers contaminate your paint in the tins because it will cause the paint to thicken considerably or set.

From an art supplies shop you can get something called siccative. It is used by artists to promote drying of oil paints. As it is the same purple colour as Rustin's Driers I strongly suspect that it is the same thing in a smaller bottle and two or three times the price.

Rustins - the leader in woodcare and specialty paints

 

[Airframes]

Thanks for that info Antoni, it could prove useful for me!
I have had experience of the slow drying with Xtracolour, compared to 'old' Humbrol. However, the currently supplied Humbrol isn't just slow drying, it has what can only be described as a 'rubbery' base, which I suspect is part of the carrier, or binding fluids. This is evident not only by the vastly different viscosity and smell, but by the fact that the paint tends to 'clump', and does not like thinning for airbrush use. It also 'goes off' in the tin very quickly, between 3 to 6 weeks on average, compared to original, 'made in Hull' product, which lasted multiples of years!
It is very true about 'art' products; being an artist, I also have to obtain certain products from my local (and very good) art supplies shop. Some of these are available under different names, from various outlest, at a fraction of the price!

 

[backtothewind]

Nice one Antoni, good to hear of someone who has used this stuff and that it works