Plastic of the Caesar Figures.

[Marvin]

By the way - I fully agree with the others - acrylics are the only way to go! Ditched my tinlets and never looked back some 6 years ago now.

[Bluefalchion]

By the way - I fully agree with the others - acrylics are the only way to go! Ditched my tinlets and never looked back some 6 years ago now.

I still use my Testors enamel paint pots--as figure stands.

[Paul]

Your point!

...said the actress to the Bishop

Just stumbled over this post and now everyone in the office is wondering why I'm laughing

[Paul]

In conclusion, I think the problem must lie with Caesar's plastic at it seems to be the common factor between my and Jaques' problems? I think I'll be very wary of using Caesar in the future - though they are terrific figures

There is something odd with the plastic they use. I wanted to repaint one of their undead bods, painted with acrylics. Could I get the paint off ?..nope. I tried every technique known, nothing had any effect. All that happened was the white went slightly yellow.

[FredG]

I tried every technique known, nothing had any effect.

Blowtorch?

[Marvin]

There is something odd with the plastic they use. I wanted to repaint one of their undead bods, painted with acrylics. Could I get the paint off ?..nope. I tried every technique known, nothing had any effect. All that happened was the white went slightly yellow.

Hmm, sounds like another classic case of "Caesar Melt". Let it be known that I was the first to name the phenomenon. Most unfortunate to have manufactured plastic figures that react with applied paint!

[Graeme]

There is something odd with the plastic they use. I wanted to repaint one of their undead bods, painted with acrylics. Could I get the paint off ?..nope. I tried every technique known, nothing had any effect.

If this is one of the "paintable" plastics formulated to hold paint, and perhaps glue, then it certainly seems to be working. Granted it's a pain if you want to repaint the figure but otherwise paint not coming off could be seen as a good thing.

I still paint with matt enamels, I like the look of them. When HaT introduced their paintable plastic I had a couple of similar experiences of paint not drying (seemed to be browns and colours with high brown content like khaki green). I started buying acrylic paints to use with this plastic. Problem solved with the added bonus that when I use the acrylics I do more drybrushing and even some washing now.

Reading this thread it was good to know that I should also use acrylics on Caeser figures; but Marvin's report that he's had acrylic paint not dry on caeser figures, that is disturbing! Something very amiss there.

[Paul]

I tried every technique known, nothing had any effect.

..said the bishop to the actress...

Blowtorch?

..said the actress to the bishop

[Marc the plasticsfan]

Apologies to our European cousins for the “Bishop and actress” jokes. It is a staple of English humour, and is normally based around a rude (or smutty or saucy) double entendre. Like cheap wine, I fear our English humour doesn’t travel well

[Bluefalchion]

I am not a citizen of the UK. But I got the bishop and the actress stuff immediately. I thought it was funny.

This thread has inspired me; I am going to pull my Caesar figures that I painted ten years ago out of their box to see if they have dried yet.

[Graeme]

Like cheap wine, I fear our English humour doesn’t travel well

I'm currently living in almost the exact opposite end of the earth and I can tell you that English humour has travelled here well enough. (though sometimes the Aussies will be aggrieved to hear they didn't invent it themselves).

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so I believe the cheap wine made the return journey.

The joke's been around since at least the old Music hall days, so... must be doing something right. (said the Actress to...)

[Wiking]

@ Marc the plasticsfan
Ahh! Ok, that is the way to go.
You need to know.
Thank you for clarification.

I go back to the thread -Flocking- there is more culture !

[MABO]

One should never lost a chance to make jokes dealing with bishops!!!

[FredG]

.........or actresses

[Wiking]

Paul wrote:
There is something odd with the plastic they use.

I get this in two different Cäsar sets.



The German soldier look like powdered with "white dust".
And you can rub it off with the fingers. It is from the mold process (silicone) I think.

[Paul]

And you can rub it off with the fingers. .

said the bishop to the actress---( sorry, I couldn´t stop myself * )

Seriously. I´ve also had some sets from caesar with the "powder" on them. I painted them with my normal method, no difference to the result.
The plastic they use reminds me of "made in China" plastic toys from the 70´s..the ones painted with gloss paint and ended up being banned in most countries as a health hazard. Twist them to breaking Point and the plastic is White where it´s broken.

I couldn´t stop myself

said the actress to the Bishop

[Bluefalchion]

Paul wrote:
There is something odd with the plastic they use.

I get this in two different Cäsar sets.



The German soldier look like powdered with "white dust".
And you can rub it off with the fingers. It is from the mold process (silicone) I think.

A week or two soaking in water with a bit of dish soap and a bit of bleach will do for the greasy coating on some Caesar figures. Take them out after the weeks have passed, rinse them off with filtered water, then let them air dry. You'll notice now they are much more amenable to priming and painting. Don't forget to prime.

[Wiking]

Thank you both Paul and Bluefalchion for your reply.

This is the most "trouble" I get with Cäsar figures. And the only difference of all set I own beside the plastic color.

Paul wrote:
Seriously. I´ve also had some sets from caesar with the "powder" on them. I painted them with my normal method, no difference to the result.

This is exactly my experience with acrylic paints.

Bluefalchion wrote:
Take them out after the weeks have passed, rinse them off with filtered water, then let them air dry. You'll notice now they are much more amenable to priming and painting. Don't forget to prime.

I am a bit lousy, lazy. I simply brush the white powder with an old brush off. Work also well for me. But as you mentioned I prime it prior to the painting process.

I try the bending test on the head for each figure till the plastic get white.
More or less the same force was needed for each figure. I think a very similar plastic.
If such a test has any evidence.

So I am a bit surprised back to the topic of non drying Cäsar figures.

[FredG]

May I suggest, if you twist off the head of every figure to check the plastic, you will no longer have a painting problem.

[Wiking]

FredG wrote:
May I suggest, if you twist off the head of every figure to check the plastic, you will no longer have a painting problem.

Tips and tricks from the impaler.