Top down, or , bottom up?

[Speedfreak]

I paint outside with rattle cans, (don't you wish you could to?) , my question is: Should I be painting from the bottom up, or , from the top down when say I'm painting a body? I know there is a general rule for this but I can't remember it. Thanks.

[slusher]

I paint from the top down and never stop spraying paint until spray has past the body.

[2002p51]

I paint outside with rattle cans, (don't you wish you could to?)

No.

[BIG NICKY]

nope cant say that I do

[MsDano85gt]

I do thats the only way i know! sometimes i do a light mist cote along the rockers on the bottom, i eiter simply get not enough paint on the rockers or too much! so if i mist a lite cote on the rockers let it dry a bit the other mists of paint from the top down have something to stick to, hope this helps

[Fabrux]

Personally I paint the rockers first, then the sides, then the top. This works for me as it is a method I developed after painting bodies and not getting enough paint on the rockers. This works best for me but YMMV.

[o-man]

Personally I paint the rockers first, then the sides, then the top. This works for me as it is a method I developed after painting bodies and not getting enough paint on the rockers. This works best for me but YMMV.

X2

[crazyjim]

I start at the bottom, sides, front & back, and the top last.

[Speedfreak]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I think the theory is that if you paint from the bottom up, (rockers;front/back etc,.) , it helps reduce 'runs. Because if you paint from the top down, the paint has a tendency to flow down anyway, so , if there's any paint build up for whatever reason you'll (potentially) end up with a bunch of sagging runs along the bottom edges of the piece. So I think what MsDano said about putting a light coat along the bottom edges first sounds reasonable, at least that's what I've been doing. It's hard to paint with rattle cans anyway, but , once you get it down you can produce fine results. In the end I guess whatever works for you is the way you'll do it.

[10thumbs]

I paint from the top down and never stop spraying paint until spray has past the body.

Please explain. Do you do the whole roof, then move down to one side, then the other?

I gather you start spraying in a sidewards motion before the object, and then continue further past the object. Makes sense.

So, a whole body to paint. How to do?

As Gene has asked, it seems to start at the (for example) right side bottom, go up to the roof, move over to the left and go down.

Correct? Can you give some insight?

Michael

Michael

[Modelmartin]

Front to back and sometimes back to front!

[BIG NICKY]

I just close my eyes and hope for the best

[Modelmartin]

Seriously though, I only use an airbrush and a spray booth. If you are a serious adult hobbyist there is no excuse for anything else.

[Tom Geiger]

I paint from the top down and never stop spraying paint until spray has past the body.

That would get paint on the dirt and grass!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I start with one lower side (rocker panel), and move up with each pass, overlapping as I go...shoot the ends, then go over the roof / hood / deck, and down the other side. There's never a dry edge that needs extra sanding that way. Works pretty good for me (with non-serious-adult-hobbiest rattle cans on this one )...

The paint has not been sanded and polished in this photo. It's as-sprayed.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Lovefordgalaxie]

I start with one lower side (rocker panel), and move up with each pass, overlapping as I go...shoot the ends, then go over the roof / hood / deck, and down the other side. There's never a dry edge that needs extra sanding that way. Works pretty good for me (with non-serious-adult-hobbiest rattle cans on this one )...

The paint has not been sanded and polished in this photo. It's as-sprayed.

Same thing I do!!!

I also used non-serous-adult-hobbist spray can paint on this Ford:

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr

[Speedfreak]

The two photos above are proof that 'non-serious' adults can accomplish amazing things, wow!

[Tom Geiger]

_{The two photos above are proof that 'non-serious' adults can accomplish amazing things, wow!}

_{I use my juvenile spray cans in my Rube Goldberg spray booth that I built myself! You can get great results with today's spray cans. I primarily use Duplicolor primer and paints, and those always come out well. Lately due to recommendations from the boards, I've tried Tamiya and now the Testors lacquers and am satisfied with the results. I'm no slouch, my models have won awards and have been in the magazines. I do own two air brushes but haven't see to break them out in a very long time.}

[10thumbs]

Come on guys, get serious.

Some fine paint jobs shown there!

Michael

[Speedfreak]

_{I use my juvenile spray cans in my Rube Goldberg spray booth that I built myself! You can get great results with today's spray cans. I primarily use Duplicolor primer and paints, and those always come out well. Lately due to recommendations from the boards, I've tried Tamiya and now the Testors lacquers and am satisfied with the results. I'm no slouch, my models have won awards and have been in the magazines. I do own two air brushes but haven't see to break them out in a very long time.}

Tom, Do you have a particular method/steps that you use when you spray? Thanks.

[Fabrux]

Seriously though, I only use an airbrush and a spray booth. If you are a serious adult hobbyist there is no excuse for anything else.

That's a little insulting and presumptuous, Andy. As has been demonstrated beautiful paint jobs can be achieved with spray cans and you probably wouldn't know the difference if no one told you.

You don't know everyone's life situation that may prohibit using an airbrush. Maybe some of us can only spray outside due to not wanting to expose their nine month old daughter's lungs to paint fumes.

[Modelmartin]

That's a little insulting and presumptuous, Andy. As has been demonstrated beautiful paint jobs can be achieved with spray cans and you probably wouldn't know the difference if no one told you.

You don't know everyone's life situation that may prohibit using an airbrush. Maybe some of us can only spray outside due to not wanting to expose their nine month old daughter's lungs to paint fumes.

A spray booth can be made from a cardboard box, dryer hose and a 10 dollar fan! An airbrush puts less paint in the air than a spray can and cost as much as 2-4 kits! You will save enough on paint and not ruining bodies to pay for it in no time. No insult was intended. I am sorry you took it as one. Of course great paint jobs can be applied with a can. One could also sculpt marble with a butterknife but why? Better tools are always preferable.

[Modelmartin]

I stand by my words. Serious builders use an airbrush. The advantages are numerous from control of the spray to economy to variety of paints. One can mix colors, thin for different textures, control the tip for size of the spray pattern. Why buy flat black and gloss black spray cans? All you have to do to spray flat is raise the pressure and increase the distance and now your gloss black is flat. Spray cans are expensive now and half of the paint out of the nozzle is overspray! One can pay for the airbrush with that savings alone. You can easily produce custom effects. You can paint small parts without drowning them in paint. I have been using an airbrush for over 30 years now and would never go back to spray cans.

If you are a casual builder and don't want to make the effort, that is fine. It is a concious choice and I don't have an issue with that. My observation over the years is that people are afraid of trying something new and different. Spray cans are easy and a known quantity. There is a small learning curve with an airbrush but it isn't bad and the greatly improved capability is well worth it.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Modelmartin

[Ace-Garageguy]

There's no question that airbrushing is an extremely valuable technique to master, for all the reasons listed.

Paint booths have their pros and cons. While they're great for pulling paint fumes and mist away from the work (and your face and house), they can also pull more dust into a paint job if the room you're spraying in isn't really clean (you should blow the dust off of yourself too, just before you paint).

My only intent was to show that it is entirely possible to get excellent results using cans, with a little patience and practice, and that the quality of models you build isn't dependent on having all the trickest tools.

A lot of folks spend money on stuff and then get disappointed when their work isn't magically better. If you master the basics using cans, the increased control and flexibility you get with an airbrush will make you ecstatic.

[Tom Geiger]

Tom, Do you have a particular method/steps that you use when you spray? Thanks.

I have written a very detailed explanation... twice! and it somehow disappeared before I could post it.

First, what you do depends on your intent. I long ago lost interest in contests so I'm just looking to build nice shelf models to please myself and the small band of crazies I call my friends. So I'm not doing the 3000 grit wet sand between primer coats etc. Nor am I a big fan of polishing or clearing a body. My own belief is that too many modelers go for an unrealistic level of shine. Real cars aren't that shiny!

I don't do a lot of shiny anyway. Many of my builds are old weathered vehicles. Others like police cars, aren't that shiny in real life. And I've seen some really unrealistic paint jobs on Nascar cars and the like. Honestly, those paint jobs look good from the stands. I had the opportunity to visit the IROC shops and see those cars up close. They had dents, bad bodywork, spoilers that were broken and pieced back together with visible rivets and Earl Sheib quality paint jobs with spray paint looking dull patched areas. So I'm not a big fan of shiny.

On the other hand, I'm working on a Chevette that is to be a replica of my sister in laws old ride. This one was the first body I didn't prime, since it was green and I was painting Tamiya lime green over it. That paint job, with maybe 3-4 coats of Tamiya for coverage is seriously shiny and looks great. It's actually much too shiny for the car I hope to replicate! And that's good enough for my shelf.

Now my process...

In short, I always use primer on a model. I never take a short cut around this... except recently on my Chevette, it was green so I sprayed Tamiya lime over it. It came out surprisingly well.

I have a spray booth I made myself that I've used for 20 years. It's nothing more than a 24" plastic cube that was supposed to be a recycling bin. It has the upper half of the front open and full top open. I placed a good bathroom fan in it. I don't have any filter on it, just a hose that runs outside. Maybe twice a year I take the whole thing outside and take it apart. I vacuum out everything in the fan unit. My model room is an upstairs bedroom where I don't have any major issues spraying. That's important since I spray most everything. Even small parts. I prep those, mount them and spray them. I only use a brush for touch up and detail painting.

For painting a body, I start with typical body prep. I wash the body and then sand down the mold imperfections. I'll fill in sink marks and ejector pins. I'll use Squadron White Putty on those small issues. I believe the white is the same as their green putty but easier to paint over. I've never had an issue with it, so I see no need to go crazy with 2 part putties.

First thing I do is spray the entire inside of the body with primer. I don't worry too much about prep in there since 90% of it won't be visible in the finished model. I'll give it two good coats, more if needed by eye. While the body is sitting on my paint stand upside down, I'll hit the rocker panels and inside of the wheel arches. Once that dries, I'll mask the body a bit and spray in my headliner color. If I'm doing a gray interior, I'll leave the Duplicolor gray primer visible. Once my headliner is dry enough to cover with masking tape, I'll tape that off good to preserve it.

Next I flip the body over onto my paint stand. I make sure that I don't have any textured overspray from painting the underside. Then I give it at least two good coats of primer. I start with the roof, then trunk lid and hood areas. Then I work my way down the sides and make sure I cover the rockers etc again. (as others said, paint past the body to achieve even spray on the body) After coat one of primer, I check for imperfections in my prior body work and in the paint coat. You can often see imperfections you didn't see in the bare body in the primer stage. I'll fix what's needed and prime again until I'm happy with the coverage.

Once the body is primed, I'll inspect and do some minor sanding if warranted. I generally don't do the whole sanding thing between coats. I believe the primer needs to have some surface to it to accept and hold the color coats. For the color coat I will put my body on my paint stand and actually tape it to the loops inside so it's really secure, since I intend to turn the stand upside down as I work.

For spraying my color coats I will again start on the upper surfaces and paint the roof, hood and trunk areas. Then I will flip it over and hold the stand in the air to start the sides at the bottom to get the rockers and inside wheel arch lips. I'll let the paint get into the inside of the body for some overlap. (once my paint job is complete, I generally paint the inside of the body with Testors Flat Black with a brush. I use the spray can product but I spray it in a small cup to use with the brush) Then while the paint on the lower edges is still very wet, I'll flip the body back over and start the sides from the tops, and work down over any paint on the lower surfaces, painting past it for full coverage.

First coat again, don't worry about total coverage. That will come with the subsequent coats. After your first coat, check for any imperfections in your body prep work. Sometimes mold seams will magically reappear. Repair what you need to. Sometimes you can just sand some boogers down with 600 grit and cover it with the next coat.

Duplicolor does dry fast. In my 24 hour build cars, I was working with those bodies after an hour or two drying. The surfaces were dry to the touch but the paint was still soft enough to damage underneath. I like to leave those until everything feels hard, usually over night. Often my work is done on weekends so it dry a week just because I haven't gotten back to the model room. I don't have a dehydrator, don't feel I need one since I don't paint with enamels.

So that's my basic painting process. Right or wrong, it's what I do.