Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Painting ABS

 

I have a Kyosho sailboat with an ABS hull that I would like to paint. What kind of paint is water-proof and will adhere to ABS? What is the process for painting ABS. I have searched the internet and talked to modellers for answers, but to no avail. Please help.

LeRoy Oddie
- Takoma Park, Maryland

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Hi LeRoy!

Firstly, my background was in the 'heavy' side of plastics where we never, EVER painted them as they were for Go and not for Show!

ABS has a solvent called MEK / methyl ethyl ketone ... which is not nearly as powerful as the solvent for PVC. acetone [on eBay or Amazon] should attack it. Ah, why not use a solvent based lacquer paint? This should bond ... however to get a really good bond, please clean the surface and sand down slightly. Go try you wife's or your mother's nail polish first of all to see if it will give a good bite into your hull as they are acetone based, I believe.

Happy sailing!

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).

Dear Mr. Oddie,

Painting or plating of A/CRYLENE B/UTADIENE S/TYRENE need adhesion. Best way to get this adhesion is etching ABS. Best way to etching ABSis using[400g/l H2SO4 +400 g/lCHROIC acid]. Best kind of paint to the same is epoxy based paint.

Thanks and best regards,

Raafat Albendary
- Cairo, Egypt