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So if you had a choice of paint brands which would you pick?


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Check out Coast Airbrush and TCP Global. I started with TCP but moved over to Coast because of their prices and shipping.

Thanks Jim, I will keep that in mind when I decided to try HOK

There's another thread here just from a couple of days ago discussing the cost of House Of Kolor and its use.

CadillacPat

I will see if I can find that thread

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How much does HOK cost ?

Hey Jonathan.... check this link out from Smart Shoppers Inc. It is where I buy my HOK paints since I have found them to be the cheapest in my opinion. These are bottled in 4oz & 2 oz bottles directly from HOK for airbrush users. I know there are a few other companies out there that do bottle the HOK stuff them self but from a few people I have heard that they have cut some of the material basically thinning it out. So I guess I a little leary with those types of companies. I don't mean no disrespect to the companies that do bottle it them self and am sure not all of them are like that at all.

HOK price list:

http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/HouseOfKolor/complete-price-list.html

HOK color chart:

http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/HouseOfKolor/color_chart_hok.html

beside the paint you would need to purchase reducer since they should be mixed 2:1 or 1:1, HOK recommends 2:1 but I have mixed some of them 1:1. You would also need to clear the paint. I would recommend using urathane clears but you may be able to testors or tamiya clear on it. I would recommend testing first since I have never used those over it before.

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When I got back into scale modeling in the 90's I was using what I was familiar with from my past and what was readily available, which was the Testors line of bottle & rattle can paints.

I always considered detail painting ( engines, interiors ) my strong point but body painting my achilles heel...mainly due to my not having a spray booth, therefore I tended to forego the modeling subjects that required a killer paint job and develop subjects that were within my comfort zone and played to my strength..like beaters & rat rods. After putting in the hours & doing a lot of reading & talking ( Pat Covert's book for instance ) I began experimenting w/ brands that others had used..Duplicolor...Krylon..but it was the Tamiya line of rattle cans that impressed me the most...they laid down smooth & relatively trouble free. Only negative was the amount of coverage per can & the cost..but the results I deemed worth the price. It wasn't until I saw Donn "Lone Wolf" Yost at an IPMS event in Richmond awhile back that I saw what was possible with Testors enamel mixed w/ lacquer thinner and shot thru an airbrush. I bought the DVD and also found a reliable compressor at the same show. Since then I acquired a starter airbrush kit..haven't used it yet but with the scarcity of Tamiya colors lately & the increasing popularity of the Donn Yost technique it looks as if I may be returning to where I started..Testors.

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Really depends on what I'm trying to achive. I have had luck with EVERY brand of paint I've tried.

I just bought some Black Gold aerosols at NNl east and they are phenomenal!

I've used Testors and Tamiya synthetic laquers with excellent reults. I even painted my Snake Cuda in one day with a combination of Duplicolor primer, Tamiya color [Decals between] and finally Testors 1814 Enamel clear coat... All in the same day at 92 degress and bone dry last year.

I use Duplicolor acrylic clear over anything I want and as long as it's dry it comes out great. For giggles I shot it on a rather wet day and it clouded and then cleared up for a super hard finish that was as clear as a bell.

Duplicolor colors are far more finicky and require almost zero humidity to shoot without blushing.

Depending on the day and what you are trying to achieve, and your relative comfort level, all paints offer excellent results with experience and technique.

I can offer examples as needed.

Bob

Paint is your friend, get to know it.....

Edited by Dragline
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Is it the propelant in rattle cans that causes problems? Seems like 9 out of 10 times i get tiny bubbles that cluster around fenders, window wells etc. Especially with laquer, im using krylon primer. I really want to get into using airbrushing.

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Hey guys well I'll have to try Tamiya paints.Anyone try humbrol?

I can vouch for their enamels. The pigments are very finely ground and come in an extensive range of colors. While they may not offer fifty (hyperbole) shades of metallic blue like Model Master enamels or Tamiya lacquers, their gloss colors offer great coverage and airbrush nicely (reduce them with lacquer thinner for better results).

Their military & other flat finish colors work very well for car interiors & can be gloss coated with good results for car bodies.

They also offer a few candy colors (red, green and an orangey-yellow) and their own MetalCote line (enamels), which I believe preceded the Model Master Metalizers.

Two bits of advice:

1) Never rely on published paint color charts when buying colors you're not familiar with. In my experience, Humbrol, Testors and many others are so far off it's scary. See if you can find a couple different Google images of items painted in the color you're intersted in.

2) get one of these

Basder121PaintMixer.jpg

Over long periods of time, Humbrol paints may start to separate (as will Testors), but a few minutes with one of these will return it to like-new condition. They're fairly inexpensive, but take my advice and get this one instead of the slightly cheaper Micro-Mark version

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I'm using Krylon primer.

That's your problem. Try using something else. Many modelers like Duplicolor. I don't. I prefer to use Tamiya primer on bodies and inexpensive Colorplace on everything else. That Krylon stuff is just asking for trouble.

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Ill have to try it thanks!

That's your problem. Try using something else. Many modelers like Duplicolor. I don't. I prefer to use Tamiya primer on bodies and inexpensive Colorplace on everything else. That Krylon stuff is just asking for trouble.

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Well, I would say, that in my oppinion there is no paint like Tamiya when the subject is spray cans. Perfect results avery single time. Their clear coats are also the very best. never got any good result with the spray paints from Testors, but theys acrylics and enamels work great for frames, floor pans, engines, etc.

Humbrol enamels are great for airbrushing a car body, but never got a result as good as with Tamiya spray cans.

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