Inconsistency problems with the "Dip"

[gloriousbattle]

This one is a cautionary tale for my fellow B to A- grade painters who enjoy using the dip (minwax polyshades tudor satin one step stain and sealer) to detail their minis.  

Every year, I paint at least two units of soldiers for myself.  One a week or so before my birthday, and one a week or so before Christmas.  In this manner, I manage to survive the neckties and fruit cakes, and know that I have at least one present I'll really like coming in on that holiday.  

Last year, I really enjoyed my presents.  My b-day, which falls in November, saw me getting a painted set of Peter Pig Large Green Aliens (i.e., not-Tharks) with a few of the Black Hat figs (including two of the top-hat and tails "Civilized" Aliens) for heroes and commanders.  Christmas was crowned by a set of 15mm dwarves commanded by a couple of Conan-esque barbarians.  All were very nice indeed.

This year, I tried to add to my historical figs, and the results look to be perhaps less spectacular.

My birthday present went okay.  I painted up a set of 15mm later Colonial Askaris.  Khaki uniforms, red fez.  I dipped them, and the dip did what it usually does: ran into all the crevices, and turned out some very nice detail.

For Christmas, however, my project is Colonial British of the same era.  The results were nowhere near so good.  All went well, right up until I dipped them.  This time, the dip came out much heavier, darkening the figure perceptibly, and leaving much wider black lines, obscuring the detail as often as enhancing it.

The weird thing is, the two sets are painted almost exactly the same, as far as color use is concerned.  The only thing that distinguishes them is the red fez and black skin of the Askaris.  Even the shades of khaki were the same, though now the European troops are wearing considerably darker uniforms.  Even the can of Dip I used is the same, so it can't be the mix.

However, in that last sentence, above, may lie the key to the problem.

The Dip is a polymer.  I had thought to save a little money by saving the stuff I didn't use on the askaris.  I sealed it in a tupperware container, with almost no air inside, and just opened it yesterday, when I began the final touches on this project.  The rest is history.

I can only conclude that the slight polymerizing which must have taken place over the last 6 weeks was enough to thicken the Dip to the point that it had the effects I listed.  It is not really terrible, and the figures are gameable, but not exactly what I wanted.

Just sharing a little info with others.  I'd also be curious to hear about any similar situations.

Regards

[number9]

So in December you used minwax leftover from November stored in a tupperware container?

I would say the problem with your final result is directly related to the above. Also I would recommend *not* dunking the whole figure in the stuff. Brush it on for more consistent results, and a less heavy application (remember you can always add more layers after the first one dries if you want). If you need to pour some off from the main tin for any reason I would use a large glass jar with a good seal, and not tupperware.

[gloriousbattle]

So in December you used minwax leftover from November stored in a tupperware container?

I'd agree about the leftover part, but I have always actually 'dipped' the Dip, and had pretty good results.  When you do it this way, you have to be careful to watch over it the first few minutes as it dries, and wipe away any dark pools that start to form.  However, IMO, this is well worth it, as you end up with an iron-hard finish on the figure.  Your mileage may vary.

[Connectamabob]

Pedant warning:

"Polymer" just means a big molecule made of smaller molecules chained together. Nearly every kind of paint you will ever use is polymer (acrylics, enamel, lacquer, oil, synthetic or natural... nearly everything but tempera or watercolor), and polymerizing is what happens when the paint cures, as distinct from when it merely dries/sets. I think maybe you meant "polyurethane", which is much more specific.

[gloriousbattle]

Pedant warning:

"Polymer" just means a big molecule made of smaller molecules chained together. Nearly every kind of paint you will ever use is polymer (acrylics, enamel, lacquer, oil, synthetic or natural... nearly everything but tempera or watercolor), and polymerizing is what happens when the paint cures, as distinct from when it merely dries/sets. I think maybe you meant "polyurethane", which is much more specific.

No, I meant polymer, but no chemist, I.  I thought polymerizing was, as you say, curing as opposed to just drying.

[Connectamabob]

I'm not a chemist either.

In the case of polyurethane paints... that might be applicable. I've never used them before, so I don't know if they use a carrier solvent or not, and therefore whether there's anything to dry. However, a paint/stain/tint/wash that does use a carrier solvent will exhibit similar behavior just from some of the solvent drying/evaporating, but without actual curing/polymerization occurring.

Mostly I just wanted to clarify that "polymer" isn't a paint type, and isn't really at all meaningful in distinguishing one paint or paint type from another. I have seen paint and glue companies slap that word on their labels like it means something by itself, but that's just marketing BS. It's just a sciency buzzword they're flashing to make people think they're getting something advanced, because they know that folks who don't know what "polymer" actually means just sort of loosely associate it with synthetic plastics and stuff like that. In reality, water based acrylic paints are also polymer, as are latex condoms, 1000 year old Chinese enamelware bowls, the boiled glues that helped hold together copper age tools, and those pretty blobs of hardened tree sap containing prehistoric insects.

Sounds very fussy of me, I know, but knowing a little about different paint types and how they work is a vital part of improving one's painting skills and avoiding common painting mishaps. I remember how back when I first started it took me literally years to sort through all the confusion an misinformation caused by other people not knowing either, so I feel like such clarifications are important, even if it makes me look like an arsey blowhard.

[gloriousbattle]

Sounds very fussy of me, I know, but knowing a little about different paint types and how they work is a vital part of improving one's painting skills and avoiding common painting mishaps. I remember how back when I first started it took me literally years to sort through all the confusion an misinformation caused by other people not knowing either, so I feel like such clarifications are important, even if it makes me look like an arsey blowhard.

Not at all.  Sharing info on how not to **** up a paintjob is what this thread is all about.