Dave G.

You mean 1/25 scale. 1/25 of 8" is .32". Just punch 1/25 of any number of inches into Google and get an instant answer. 1/25 of 12" is .48" or a tad shy of 1/2".

I use lacquer or Tamiya acrylic clear thinned with lacquer thinner depending on the look I want. They are different, the Tamiya x-22 is more a wet look. But on the other hand I only like polishing so much lol.

I found a dead ringer craft paint for the 39 Ford sedan I did recently if shot over dark grey primer. Then clear coat. I think I paid $.95 for 2 oz lol !! But like you I'm not adverse to mixing paints, having shot 1/1. To me if you're clearing anyway, base coat is just color. Just sayin, this is the flip side to my other post .

Shoot away if you enjoy using it, just pointing out the facts to the unknowing. Obviously you are aware, you do a nice job putting them down and like the results. Not for me to say anything negative on a personal level, that's why I said "to my eye".

Acrylic enamel tends to dry with a slight haze compared with alkyd enamels. I shot a lot of both in 1/1 painting. There is a high gloss hardener that can be used in acrylic enamel but aware that it contains isocyanates which chemically cures the paint whether it be on your model or in your lungs. So prepare for proper evacuation of both particulates and fumes and use a good respirator. Also note that these chemicals can enter your system by way of your eyes and skin, though in modeling the quantity air born is minimal. As to automotive paint in use on models, it can work. To my eye though, metallics unless the 1/1 had very fine metallic flecks in the paint come out looking like metal flake rather than metallic paint. The flakes are not even close to scale in size to my eye, ruining an otherwise nice paint job. For what you have to pay to get a small quantity mixed, you could contact scale Finishes and get an exact match with scale flake in either regular enamel or lacquer. Just my opinion from someone not adversed to shooting what ever works lol ( craft paints, lacquers, enamels etc)......

Hah, love the Oldsmobile behind the gasser and the Esso sign !!!! I remember both real well, I ran Esso or Flying A gas in my go cart back in the day.

I saw a video where Zero Paint went to plastic bottles because of the breaking issue.But I think they use stainless ball bearing balls fwiw.

Course you probably know that you want all that pigment mixed back into the paint first off. You need a doner/mule body to just practice combinations of thinning and air pressure settings on, as well as shooting distance. And practice a lot, practice over one shade of primer and when you get that down, try another shade of primer ( primer levels the playing field between types of plastic and shades or colors or tonal shifts and paint grip to plastic). To me experiments are half the fun of airbrushing and you will get better and better at it fairly quickly without endangering a build. I use pill bottles too, I have a gallon freezer bag full of them to experiment on. That works but a body is better because it's broader coverage. Think lower air pressure settings if shooting lacquer ( as opposed to enamels and acrylic).

Isn't that a 39 ?

That can work if there are enough coats under it, if not it maybe level but lose anywhere from some to a lot of gloss. I've done this in 1/1 more successfully than on models. I find with Tamiya acrylics just thin the last coat a smidgen extra and really lay it on. And the retarder helps in general. That's my experience anyway with the Tamiya gloss line in general. Just sayin, because so much depends on how each individual actually lays on their paint.

Ya for the clearest clear with X-22 I use lacquer thinner. Alcohol will drop the gloss a notch or two. Literally a wet look with lacquer thinner in my experience. I use regular old fashion Klean Strip from the hardware store or Home Depot and a couple drops of retarder. Be careful when buying lacquer thinner, the green friendly stuff is around now and so far everyone says it sucks. Mr Leveling is good too, probably can nix the retarder with that and not quite so fussy with soaking it on really wet. Mr has retarder in it already.

X-22 gives a wet look finish if done right through an airbrush. But I have not shot it over Alclad so can't comment on that.

I'd assume if you wanted to thin this a little bit you could use denatured alcohol since it's shellac based ? The Viper came out beautiful by the way !

It's also helpful for testing new colors you never used or new paint lines you never used for opacity and dry times, and for what color primers and base coats you want for a paint scheme you had in mind. I've found huge shifts in color depending on if the primer is white, mid grey, dark grey or black in seemingly opaque paint that evidently wasn't so opaque. I've come to making a test before shooting each body unless I've already used it and know the combo well. I use pill bottles, large and small since I have a bag full of the things ( regular pharmacy amber prescription bottles). For bigger tests I use plastic cups, actually the same cup I mount my body to when I spray the car body. I found those to behave similar to most model car styrene ( maybe not resin, and your local supply may vary lol). I tried some plastic plates once and those were terrible, everything basically fish eyed on them.

Good one Snake, I hadn't considered it might be diecast !