kurth

I would have to say it is my Badger Million-aire silent compressor. First time I could adjust pressure while airbrushing, which opened up a whole new world of control.  Plus, I could airbrush anytime without causing a racket with noisy compressor. 

I built that kit when it was re-issued in 2006, this was before they re-issued it a few years later with PE.  

I think I used every shade of testors metalizer on the engine and suspension. I kinda buggered up the decals and the red stripe, but I am still happy with it.  I remember the multiple pieces of the wing being a bear to get smooth and it kept popping apart . The other thing that was a challenge was the window frames that attach to the doors.  I was in the home stretch and rushed that part a little.  Like you indicated above, the engine and the drivetrain are jewels .. the U joints and the rubber parts are functional.  I always wondered what builders thought when this kit was released back in the 70s.  That kit is a journey... have fun with it.

Fotki lost most of the pictures but here are a few

I decided to use a respirator when airbrushing, after a scary experience. I painted my  1/12th porsche 935 in a spray booth,I think I had run out of dust masks, or just forgot to put one on. Any way,  due to lighting I found my self having to keep pretty close to it to see what I was doing. I was painting the body white, with MM enamel.

After I finished, I kept smelling paint, where ever I went. I finally looked in the mirror, and my nose hairs were white!  I must have been breathing the overspray in.  After that I took using protection much more seriously.

Ace-Garageguy summed it up pretty well. When I learned to paint bodies with enamel in the 90s (before I discovered lacquer) I found I had to thin the paint more than I though and move closer to the body. I can not really explain, it is just sort of muscle memory for me.  If you start with a slightly thicker mix for the first few coats, it does not draw away from the body lines, then to build up the gloss, I use a thinner mix and move a little closer and get a very smooth finish with MM enamels.  Like I said I do this mostly by "feel" and I "eyball" the thinning of the paint.  If I get it right, it requires only a minimum of polishing.

 If you can adjust the pressure with your compressor,  you can manipulate it until the paint flows just right. Again I do this by feel.  Remember to use light coats, do not be tempted to go to thick too fast.

I have had the same batch of needles for my H for 20+ years and never had to replace a seal, and I Use lacquer thinner and sometimes even acetone to clean up. The H with a 3 or a 5 tip can produce beautiful finishes. I find a double action to be a little bit fiddly for painting bodies, but I love the double action for painting little parts where varying the  trigger helps to get just the right amount of paint on irregular parts.

Like any thing else PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE .  Then, before you know it you will be a pro at painting bodies.

For me, like many others it is because the production runs are pretty short and kits can become difficult to find or just too expensive. I subscribe to the idea of "if you ever want to build it, grab it now"  This is also especially true of resin kits. 

Look at the Model king reissues of 2005-2008 (or thereabouts) - the nascar models, and the 70s trucks.  These are outliers, but it does go to show you can not count on them being available later. 

You never know what might disappear, I wish I had stocked up on gunze sangyo Aqueous hobby colors, they are great paints, but they are no longer sold in the US. 

I used to buy 2 of each one I liked, but with Kits getting more expensive, I limit myself to one. I do intend to build them all....