Painting wheels - Help needed!

[Janval]

I've started painting some wheels now, from red to white. I'm expecting it to take a good few layers, but after three/four layers now + the primer I have issues with all the details, on the outer rim like shown below:

It seems like the paint just won't stick to all those edges, leaving them red-ish. The red is still showing through a bit overall, but especially on those details.

When I apply the paint I have the wheels lying down, should they be "standing"?

 

[Janval]

Here's one of the ones I've begun repainting

[Janval]

I might have found the reason, of the two primers I have I might have used one that is not quite doing the trick, found another set of rims which I tried using the other one - seems much better already after the first round of priming. 

But help is still very much appreciated! Is there any way to save the other ones? Another layer of good primer on top of the paint makes me a bit skeptical.

[mb86]

What colour primer are you using? I use white primer for top coats of white. You will be able to strip the paint off the ones you've already done if you aren't happy. I've done it a few times when I've not been happy with the paint. I mixed caustic soda in water and let them soak for a few hours then scrub it off with a toothbrush. The fumes are nasty so do it outside if you try. 

[Janval]

11 minutes ago, mb86 said:

What colour primer are you using? I use white primer for top coats of white. You will be able to strip the paint off the ones you've already done if you aren't happy. I've done it a few times when I've not been happy with the paint. I mixed caustic soda in water and let them soak for a few hours then scrub it off with a toothbrush. The fumes are nasty so do it outside if you try. 

Well, the one I should have used (which I have used for everything previously) is a white, very slight grey colour - It seems to cover everything very good (I've used it on two new sets of wheels as well now). I should mention that this is my first attempt on painting the wheels though. 

The one I used on the first pair of wheels is a kind of plastic primer that creates a sort of sticky surface - colour wise it is kind of light bronze/metallic. But funny enough, it crossed my mind when I first started painting cause the primer hadn't covered it quite like I imagined it should have. I have used this only for metal (primarily the chassis of older Britains models) which it works quite good on. 

Thanks for the solution, I will definetly try this since I'm not sure I have another pair that will fit my project  

[Paul Palmer]

Jan,im sure if convo sees this post he will give you some info,,all I can say is, as Martin has said is try to match the primer colour with the top coat colour as close as you can,also many light coats is better than a few thick coats,when I spray the wheels I hold them by the axle or if the wheels are not fixed to an axle,put a cotton bud or something similar in the axle hole,for me this works as you can easily move the wheel around while spraying,hope this helps

[Paul Palmer]

Just now, Paul Palmer said:

Jan,im sure if convo sees this post he will give you some info,,all I can say is, as Martin has said is try to match the primer colour with the top coat colour as close as you can,also many light coats is better than a few thick coats,when I spray the wheels I hold them by the axle or if the wheels are not fixed to an axle,put a cotton bud or something similar in the axle hole,for me this works as you can easily move the wheel around while spraying,hope this helps

also Jan use a primer specificly for what ever the wheels are made of.

[Stabliofarmer]

Painting red plastic white is problematic in general. The red pigment from the plastic  likes to climb up through the paint layers turning the top coat pink. The general method to try and avoid it is to primer, then a coat of matt black, then primer again and top coat. Its not guaranteed but usually works.

As for on the edges I'm not sure of a cure to that, its a problem I've had but couldn't say what I've done different when a paint coat has been successful to be honest.

[Janval]

Thanks for all the response guys, I think I might strip the first pair of wheels of paint and have another go at them. Seeing as the primer I should have used in the first place has a completely different effect (They're both supposed to be made for plastic, but seem to work quite differently). Either that or try to have another layer of primer before I continue with the white.

Using the second primer the wheels were near completely white after two layers this afternoon, so it seems promising! I might just have to fix the wheels so that they are in a standing position and just swirl it around as I put on the thin layers. Might have to construct a device for this to make it simpler  

[b_emmons]

might be worth scrubbing the wheels in soapy water to remove all traces of mould release agent