Spray paint = throwing paint away?

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Spray paint is kind of messy, but just recently I noticed how much paint I was actually throwing away using the rattle cans straight on the model.

Usually, it takes me two cans of Tamiya TS paint to get a car painted, having a nice even color all over, as well as some "meat" to a eventual rub. 

Considering the price those little cans are going for nowadays, it was getting quite expensive to build using Tamiya, even tough I'm a huge fan of the stuff. 

Well, my cousin wanted me to paint a 1/25 scale Maverick diecast for him in gunmetal, and he bought one Tamiya mini spray can of the color he wanted. 

Decided to decant the paint into the airbrush cup, with help from a straw hot glued to the spray nozzle, and by doing so, I hopped to be able to paint the car with the one can. 

Well, I got the car body painted inside and out, a very even finish, and I still had about half the can left!! After a couple of days, I gave the car a shot of automotive two part clear, and called it done. 

I imagine the difference it can make with a large spray can, with a even larger spray pattern. 

I had never felt the need for decanting paint (Tamiya) to get a better finish, but for sure will do that now to save paint.

[TooOld]

Two cans of Tamiya TS spray is a lot of paint !  I always use the TS paints and I've never used one whole can painting any model , always have plenty left for misc parts and pieces .  But your paint jobs are always gorgeous so I can't argue with the results . . . maybe I need to rethink my technique . 

[High octane]

1 minute ago, TooOld said:

Two cans of Tamiya TS spray is a lot of paint !  I always use the TS paints and I've never used one whole can painting any model , always have plenty left for misc parts and pieces .  But your paint jobs are always gorgeous so I can't argue with the results . . . maybe I need to rethink my technique . 

I'm with you TooOld as I can paint a model with less than one can of paint. I try and use as little primer, color, and clear paint as I can as not to bury the details such as chrome trim, emblems, scripts, etc. I always decant my spray can right from the can to the body or parts. No fuss and no mess, just "shake and spray."

[Ace-Garageguy]

The reason the real car world switched over to HVLP (high volume low pressure) spray equipment was primarily to reduce wasted paint sprayed out into the environment with high spraying pressures, and not great atomization at low pressures.

Spray guns were entirely redesigned internally, and spraying techniques modified.

It was a pollution-control measure primarily, but material savings came about as a result.

It only stands to reason that more precision in applying material where you WANT it, and less wasted overspray going everywhere else, will cut back significantly on what it takes to get adequate coverage on a model.

[Greg Myers]

Some pretty cool marbles inside too. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

9 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

Some pretty cool marbles inside too. 

I seem to have lost all my marbles...

[Lovefordgalaxie]

1 hour ago, TooOld said:

Two cans of Tamiya TS spray is a lot of paint !  I always use the TS paints and I've never used one whole can painting any model , always have plenty left for misc parts and pieces .  But your paint jobs are always gorgeous so I can't argue with the results . . . maybe I need to rethink my technique . 

Yes, it is. What happens is Tamiya paint "shrinks" a lot, and won't bury the details. When I use Tamiya, I never use primer, as the paint is so thin and shrinks so much it will show every single orange peel on the primer itself. I sand the mold lines, do the eventual fix, and then sand the body all the way up to 3000 sanding paper, so no sanding scratches will remain. I first mist the body and all parts to be painted the same color a couple of times to create a good base, then I shoot some wet coats. Usually three or four, depending on the color I'm using and the color of the plastic. I use to wait about half an hour between coats. Usually, when i'm done, two cans are gone, and there is paint "powder" everywhere. I paint all body color parts at once, like the body, hood, wheels, a eventual splash pan, etc. 

This year I only used Tamiya TS to paint one car for myself, a '48 Ford wagon, but I'm a huge fan of their stuff, the TS-14 black in particular. It dries very fast, the result is always perfect, and it will accept a touch up with zero issues.

From now on, I'll decant the precious liquid gold Tamiya sells, and use my airbrush. 

 

[Modlbldr]

I am almost ashamed to say that it took me eight cans to paint my custom 41 Willys! That was expensive..... 

I kept having problems with the paint reacting to something. My hood and the rear window area kept blistering as the paint was drying. I thought at first that it was a reaction to the glue in those areas (heavy mods in those areas). Then I began to think that it was something in the water or soap that I was using to clean the body with. Never did figure it out but I finally got it all to settle down. Oh, and then there was the two times I dropped it while the paint was wet. I am very glad that I got through it but, man, did it cut into the model budget.

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Later-

Edited December 6, 2017 by Modlbldr

[Lovefordgalaxie]

This one was painted with Tamiya Metallic Green. Two cans of paint, and one can of silver leaf as base. 

1951 Chevy Fleetline V8 by CCCP Digital Studio, on Flickr

This one was also painted with Tamiya. Two cans and a half. No primer, paint over the bare plastic. Body, fenders, hood, wheels, all painted inside and out.

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Deluxe by CCCP Digital Studio, on Flickr

This 1/12 scale Monogram '57 Bel Air ate five cans of TS-14 black...

More Bel Air Shots by CCCP Digital Studio, on Flickr

[bluenote]

Keep in mind, Tamiya just recently announced their new Lacquer Paints in a bottle line!  Bascially, their rattle can line will now be available in bottles for the airbrush users.  (not many colors announced yet, but they will be releasing new colors throughout the year)

[Modlbldr]

That's good news. 

Later-

[JeroenM3]

So far ive personally only used their cans, and i always get dissapointed by how much of the paint spray goes over the top or side of the model, but as i have no airbrush system yet ill have to make do with it still. First need to see if this is a lasting hobby for me or not (i tend to stop with things quite fast as i get bored). However i use a full can aswell of the TS paints (here in holland they are 100ml, no clue if its different in the states).

 

The owner of my local modelshop was surprised when i told him i used that much, he uses 1 can to paint 2 full RC car bodies, those are bigger than our model cars so obviously we do something wrong i guess  

[Pete J.]

I have my own methods of decanting Tamiya paint which involves a jig the safely punches two holes in the can and lets the propellant escape.  It is a saddle valve setup so I can do it in a very controlled fashion.  When I am done, I have some Tamiya glass jars that I keep the paint in.  They are the tall 50ml jars and a rattle can will fill one nicely.  50ml is really a lot of paint.  You are very right to be concerned about the over spray.  An airbrush generally has a much tighter pattern so it is much better controlled and depending on the paint and brush, it has a much finer atomization(smaller drops of paint).  For the frugal among us a good airbrush may cost a couple of hundred bucks with compressor, but at $10 a can, if you waste half of it using the rattle can, it doesn't take long to pay for an airbrush!  Not to mention the ability to lay down more complex paint jobs.  

Now don't get me wrong. I still use rattle cans for simple quick sprays like a bunch of small parts on a sprue that are all the same color(often flat black) because a quick squirt with a rattle can takes far less time than setting up the airbrush and cleaning it.  But for a real spraying session on a complete body, yea, I get the air brush out.

By the way, Tamiya is going to be releasing their lacquers in small jars later this month!  I am interested to see the price.  I would bet good money that a decanted rattle can will still be the most economical way to go.  If current pricing is any indication, decanting your own will probably still be about half the price.

[niteowl7710]

2 hours ago, Pete J. said:

I have my own methods of decanting Tamiya paint which involves a jig the safely punches two holes in the can and lets the propellant escape.  It is a saddle valve setup so I can do it in a very controlled fashion.  When I am done, I have some Tamiya glass jars that I keep the paint in.  They are the tall 50ml jars and a rattle can will fill one nicely.  50ml is really a lot of paint.  You are very right to be concerned about the over spray.  An airbrush generally has a much tighter pattern so it is much better controlled and depending on the paint and brush, it has a much finer atomization(smaller drops of paint).  For the frugal among us a good airbrush may cost a couple of hundred bucks with compressor, but at $10 a can, if you waste half of it using the rattle can, it doesn't take long to pay for an airbrush!  Not to mention the ability to lay down more complex paint jobs.  

Now don't get me wrong. I still use rattle cans for simple quick sprays like a bunch of small parts on a sprue that are all the same color(often flat black) because a quick squirt with a rattle can takes far less time than setting up the airbrush and cleaning it.  But for a real spraying session on a complete body, yea, I get the air brush out.

By the way, Tamiya is going to be releasing their lacquers in small jars later this month!  I am interested to see the price.  I would bet good money that a decanted rattle can will still be the most economical way to go.  If current pricing is any indication, decanting your own will probably still be about half the price.

The pricing for them in Japan is 160Y per bottle, which works out to be $1.42.  They're the the 10mL bottles, which is the same size as the X/XF mini acrylic bottles.  Price in the U.S. is probably going to be around $3.49 a bottle.  So if you buy them here, then yeah decanting would be cheaper in terms of volume of paint per container - taking aside the task of actually doing the decanting.  Ordering 5 bottles of paint (for the same volume) and shipping them over puts the price right around what a single can of spray paint would cost at full MSRP.

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I recently discovered the benefits of decanting Tamiya and it does seem to last longer.

Most likely due to better control as Ace stated.

Plus I cut it with Mr. Leveler which adds to longevity.

I fill a 60ml bottle from a Tamiya can, that's a lot of paint!