rattle can dilema

[Lizard Racing]

For those of us still using rattle cans, how many cars do you paint per can?

Do you get a new can each time, rather than trying to chance stretching a can too far?

Is can weight a reliable indicator of how much is left?

Or am I trying to be too cheap and get an airbrush?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Sometimes it's how many cans does it take to paint a car. It took a can and a half of "one coat" Testors to get a consistent metallic base laid down on this (five coats), and a little less than one can of Testors clear.

        

[Roadrunner]

So far, I seem to fairly easily get two cars painted with one can, depending on using minimum numbers of coats. I'm starting to really lean heavily towards more clear than anything though, so clear may now not coat two cars for me.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Roadrunner

[Fat Brian]

It totally depends on the opacity of the paint and the number of coats to get the desired result. With older Testors paints that are fairly thick I can usually get two cars to a can with a tiny bit left over, with the newer lacquers and some Tamiya paints I'll use most of a can easily.

[Snake45]

Yeah, it's all gonna depend.

I did a '65 Chevelle wagon with one or two coats of Nassau Blue and was going for a flat-ish, weathered look, and I'm pretty sure I could paint at least one more car with that can.

Others I've done have taken several coats because I wanted to polish the paint out and make sure I had enough on there, and only barely got one model out of the can.

I'd say you should get at least one, if not more.

[Tom Geiger]

I used 2 cans of Tamiya to properly paint my 29 Ford roadster.  

I've never wanted to paint more than one model the same exact color.  I usually have an exact image in my head for each build, and will often buy several cans to spray test to get the right tone of a color. There are times I'll buy a can of a color I think if very cool and then go looking for a model that will look great with it.

 Then I know people who will paint a model  RED because that's the can they have handy.  Or the guy who brought three exact same RED cars to a club meeting because he had a big can of RED and built those three in a row.  

[Snake45]

 Then I know people who will paint a model  RED because that's the can they have handy.  Or the guy who brought three exact same RED cars to a club meeting because he had a big can of RED and built those three in a row. 

Guilty as charged! In fact, I currently have two or three cans of paint I bought just because I liked the color, and now have to find projects for.

One is a Krylon sparkle green that is a near perfect match for 1972 Chevy/Pontiac Spring Green, but is WAY too sparkly to use for that. I discovered that flat-coating it tones the sparkle down to a semi-realistic factory metallic, but now of course it's flat. I"ll do a Manx in the stuff, and am thinking of some excuse to build a "flat" '72 GTO--either a "high school hot rod" or a heavy duty street racer, either one circa late '70s/early '80s.

[Miatatom]

You can get some idea of how much paint you have left by weighing the cans. The Tamiya and Model Master 3 oz. cans weigh 137 grams full and 62 grams when empty. The weight of paint and propellant is 75 grams which calculates to 25 grams/oz.

The Tamiya primer cans are 5.4 oz. and weigh 210 grams full and 80 grams empty which calculates to 24 grams/oz.

Not enough difference between the two so I just divide by 25 when checking how much is still in a can.

[slusher]

I paint one model per can of Tamiya or Testors.  Don't have to worry about running out and have plenty left if I run into a problem..

[Lovefordgalaxie]

I use Tamiya on rattle can always that the color is close or matches a stock color I want. 

For example, this '40 Ford was painted with Tamiya Maroon straight from the can. Three cans were used, and I used no primer on the plastic. 

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

This Buick was also painted with Tamiya rattle can. On this car I used two and a half cans.

1962 Buick Electra 225 by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

By other hand, this Ford was airbrushed with automotive synthetic enamel:

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria. by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria. by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

To be honest, I always make sure I get at least three cans of the desired color before even starting the build. 

For me, rattle cans are way more practical, simple and trouble free, as I don't have to get automotive paint out of my airbrush. The finish is the same. 

[BigTallDad]

How big is the rattle can? 

Some folks swear by (and sometimes at) Rustoleum, Krylon, etc. and they are much larger cans than Tamiya and Testors.

Edited July 15, 2016 by BigTallDad

[Harry P.]

And DupliColor.

[Lovefordgalaxie]

How big is the rattle can? 

Tamiya usually are 100ml. A lot less than a "regular" can of general purpose paint you get at auto paint stores, supermarkets, etc. Those usually have 350ml.

[Daddyfink]

I can get about three cars per can of Tamiya if I decant it and shoot it through my airbrush. 

 

[Miatatom]

I can get about three cars per can of Tamiya if I decant it and shoot it through my airbrush. 

+1

Your work is great! Three cans does seem like a lot of paint.

[ss2000]

I use Tamiya on rattle can always that the color is close or matches a stock color I want. 

For example, this '40 Ford was painted with Tamiya Maroon straight from the can. Three cans were used, and I used no primer on the plastic. 

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

This Buick was also painted with Tamiya rattle can. On this car I used two and a half cans.

1962 Buick Electra 225 by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

By other hand, this Ford was airbrushed with automotive synthetic enamel:

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria. by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria. by Túlio Lazzaroni, on Flickr

To be honest, I always make sure I get at least three cans of the desired color before even starting the build. 

For me, rattle cans are way more practical, simple and trouble free, as I don't have to get automotive paint out of my airbrush. The finish is the same. 

How did you use Tamiya without primer? Any special prep? 

[Lovefordgalaxie]

How did you use Tamiya without primer? Any special prep? 

No special prep at all. Tamiya is specially formulated for plastic. Just mist the first coat, and go ahead from that. Like Tamiya shows all rugosity below it, if you prime, the paint will show every single orange peel of the primer coat, specially at hard to sand places. Without primer, it's smooth land all the way.

[ss2000]

No special prep at all. Tamiya is specially formulated for plastic. Just mist the first coat, and go ahead from that. Like Tamiya shows all rugosity below it, if you prime, the paint will show every single orange peel of the primer coat, specially at hard to sand places. Without primer, it's smooth land all the way.

Thank you, I'll have to try it without primer.

[Hawk312]

And DupliColor.

Here!

I usually get about 2 cans of color per car (and we are talking 1/12 here) and I usually try to use an entire can of clear per car. 

I have used Testor`s custom lacquer though, and somehow managed to get 1 can of Fathom Green Metallic to cover my Green 1/12 Camaro, and one can of the Huggar Orange to cover the orange one:

 

 

 

[Speedfreak]

I'm lucky if I get one car from a 3oz. can. You gotta make every spray count. This of course is effected by the 'size' of the spray area. 'T' body versus panel truck for instance.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Speedfreak

[Pete J.]

I can get about three cars per can of Tamiya if I decant it and shoot it through my airbrush. 

 

Jesse, I was just about to make the same comment.  When I decant a can, I get about 3+ ounces of usable paint out of it and with an airbrush I can get 6 to 10 thin coats.  Sound like a good economic reason to get a quality airbrush, not to mention the additional techniques you can do with them that are difficult if not impossible to do with a rattle can.   

[martinfan5]

I can get about three cars per can of Tamiya if I decant it and shoot it through my airbrush. 

 

I can get three cars per can from the can most times.