Plumcrazy Preston

Why are you car folks so obsessed over panel lines anyway?

My kit shows wipers on the box picture but none are included in the kit and there's nothing noted on the instructions about wipers to boot.

But the TIPS (the PDF they attached to me email) are only about applying decals. There is nothing in the email body about mixing with thinner or whether a mist should be sprayed over decals. I presume the label on the back of the bottle will have all the dope on that.

Yes, only about decal application but nothing about clear-coating over them. I only have simple decals to lay on relatively-flat surfaces anyway. I will use the instructions as provided by my decal printer, www.highballgraphics.com, to lay the decals. Yes, a couple mist coats before laying clear heavy over the model. Back in 1992 I tried to clear-coat a model F-15 with a spray bomb from the hardware store and the decals just curled up and floated right off the model plane. I was dumping that stuff on heavy. That model was trash. I did also build a model R/C sailboat that same year with flat tan for the hull out of a spray bomb and that finish actually turned out pretty neat. I never have much trouble with flat paints out of an aerosol can, only gloss colors can give me nightmares.

I ordered Glosscote LACQUER in a bottle.

I just got a reply from Rust-Oleum. My message to them: Hello:I have a few questions regarding Testors clear coat products for plastic kitted models. I plan to airbrush my plastic kit static models with Testors enamel (in 0.25 oz. bottles) mixed with an equal part of lacquer thinner according to Andy-X's "modified Donn Yost" method. I plan to use a Paasche H airbrush with 35 psi and a No. 3 needle.My models will have water slide decals applied to them. I will need a way to seal in the decals on some models with a gloss final finish and other models with a flat final finish. Which Testors clear coat products work best for this purpose in airbrushing? Does Testors Dullcote and Glosscote need to be mixed with anything to make ready for the airbrush? Should decals be misted a couple times before heavy wet clear coats are applied? Are complete airbrushing instructions printed on the bottles? Please advise. Thank you. Their repsonse today to me: Hello David, Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support. We appreciate your interest in our products. Please see the attached tips for application of decals. Application of Glosscote is acceptable for both applications. For the application which you desire a lower sheen / matte finish, the Dullcote may be applied over the top. If you have any additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, Jenn I ordered both Testors Glosscote and Dullcote in bottles from amazon. These products get mostly 5 stars there. One reviewer says he uses 25% thinner or lacquer thinner while another customer likes 1:1 mix of the clear coat with thinner for airbrushing. Maybe "thin to win" on the clear coat over waterslides?? A couple of thin mist coats to protect decals. Many online sources stress a couple mist coats for decals. I believe it is 5-10 minutes between mist coats. I believe one can go heavy on clear but only after the decals get the few mist treatments. I have some spare clean model parts and some spare decals to practice with. See how it goes before touching the actual parts slated to go into the model's contruction.

I beg your pardon? Robdebie already suggested to me Andy X/Donn Yost on an earlier thread of mine. He is in fact a member here. I just ordered a Paasche H online and some other supplies based on HIS suggestion.

Oh, those are paid YouTube videos. Ouch!! I have to pay money to listen to Donn Yost lecture? Andy X doesn't charge a penny and I hit the subscribe button.

Still plenty of purple at amazon.com. I better hurry and order some up before they are all gone for good.

Andy X doesn't even use primer in his modified Donn Yost technique. The Testors enamel and the lacquer thinner in the mix should chemically bite into model kit plastic quite readily. I would still lightly scuff the bare plastic with fine 5000-grit sandpaper before turning the paint gun on it.

I'm good at reading and following instructions and I gather The Most Hallowed Paasche H will come with a good manual.

I have my heart set on a new airbrush. of course, I would try to buy stuff factory-packaged for airbrush use. The Testors clear in bottles I have in mind are lacquer products. Zeropaints has lacquer clears that are "airbrush ready" with thinner already built in. These are lacquer products too. These should all be decal-safe when mist coats are properly applied to decals to protect them from wet coats to follow. I have a bunch of unpainted spare parts that are disposable from one of my kits that is already botched to experiment with before committing any new paint products to my good parts I actually want to construct a good model with. I can use some of my spare clean parts as a test bed for both my painting skills to hone and my painting products. One might even buy cheap model at a five-and-dime store as a trial-and-error proving ground to develop painting experience. Maybe buying a plastic sign and practicing with it might be actually good for airbrush skills honing. Can I even practice on plastic picnic spoons? I still believe even a greenhorn is more likely to get much better results from a single-action time-honored proven Paasche H than any rattle can in the world. I'm willing to bet some money and gamble on Paasche. I have a bunch of spare decals to practice with too.

Does Testors Glosscoat and Dullcoat (mixed with any amount of some type of thinner) draw away from those panel line seams unlike 2K?

How do auto painters of real cars deal with the panel line issue? Here is a panel line wash video:

David can also practice with a few of the good "virgin parts" in one of his amt truck kits since he already laid down $57 for a copy of his first kit anyway. Perhaps a pefect paint job is something of an opium pipe dream. Some of us might be able achieve a paint job we are just plain happy about. The bottom line, I seek happiness, not perfection, from building model vehicles and planes. These models are only book shelf dummies to just admire and not drive like something with a gasoline engine in it. I only care that my models look neat to myself and any casual observers like neighbors, guests, friends, family and relatives. Are YOU happy with any of your models you might see minor orange peel with a magnifier and bright light?