krylon, whats the verdict?

[robdot]

i have seen many discussions on using krylon for plastic cars. whats the verdict? i see two types of krylon at wal mart. the fusion and the stuff labeled indoor outdoor. can i use the primer marked indoor outdoor and put fusion over it? can i put testors and mm lacquers over that primer? can i spray the lacquer modelmaster clears over fusion? i have a can of it even tho iv been using future.

[Jon Cole]

Don't know about the diff between the two Krylons, but if they share the same type nozzles...

[disabled modeler]

I dont know about anyone else but every time I tried to use Krylon spray paint it etched the plastic with or without a prime coat???? So I just stay away from it myself.

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

Do you have access to hobby paints like the Testors and Tamiya lacquers locally? If not, order some online. Otherwise, skip the Krylon and go to your local auto parts store and get some Duplicolor sandable or filler primer and some Duplicolor spray paint, both color and clear.

What is your reason for wanting to use Krylon? Availability? Price? Color selection? Some people have good luck with the stuff but it is more for household applications like painting wood, metal, and plastics other than model kit styrene. Even though it is called and enamel, the solvents are too hot for model car styrene. Do not use Krylon primer. Use the Duplicolor primer before you shoot Krylon as it will provide a better barrier. Krylon tends to spray too heavy for model car usage as well.

If Krylon is all you have access to, then use it with caution. There are better choices out there IMHO. Krylon would be a last resort for me.

[robdot]

its price. same amount of money for 3 oz of testers or model masters or 12 oz of krylon. looking at duplicolor online i dont see any colors in their lacquers. do you mean their enamels? i didnt like the testers enamel, it went on thick , ugly , and took forever to dry.

Edited June 17, 2011 by robdot

[Aaronw]

I use it all the time. There does seem to be some debate, but this is what works for me.

Put down a good primer coat then let it cure for at least 24 hours.

Put down color coats in light mist coats, a new coat every 5-15 minutes until you are happy with the coverage (I find 3-4 coats usually does it).

I prefer the regular Krylon (indoor / outdoor) paint, but Fusion works too.

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

its price. same amount of money for 3 oz of testers or model masters or 12 oz of krylon. looking at duplicolor online i dont see any colors in their lacquers. do you mean their enamels? i didnt like the testers enamel, it went on thick , ugly , and took forever to dry.

Yes, it is "4 for 1" price wise, but if you ruin a model with it, what have you saved?

Testors enamels, unless you have an airbrush and use their thinner or lacquer thinner, stay away from them too. They never dry. You can use a thermostatically controlled food dehydrator to force dry Testors and other paints too. Another tip is to warm the can in hot tap water before painting. It helps the paint to fully atomize and flow better.

You want Testors Model Master lacquers, Testors One Coat lacquers, or Tamiya TS spray lacquers.

Testors spray lacquer colors

Tamiya spray lacquer colors

Duplicolor Perfect Match colors are not shown visually on line that I can find. I HIGHLY recommend spending a little more money and trying the Testors and Tamiya lacquers. They are safe for styrene, dry fast and are easy to apply. Do you have a Hobby Lobby near where you live? They offer 40% off coupons about two times per month and you can use them to purchase the Testors lacquer paints.

There are numerous online sources for Testors and Tamiya lacquer sprays that will save you money as well. If you really want to use Krylon, proceed with caution. Cheaper is not always better.

[robdot]

yea, iv been using the testers lacquers, but the cost has been hurting me. i was looking for an alternative. thanks for helping.

[dougp]

I'm a big fan of the model master and tamiya lacquers and would not use anything else, but the color selection is limited and I'm now having difficulting finding them locally. I tried duplicolor for the first time and couldn't be happier with the way it layed down and selection of available colors. But as several had suggested, test, test, test.

[von Zipper]

I've been using Krylon for years, mostly use the cheap Wal-Mart primer and it works out well for me. I always put the cans in warm water for awhile before spraying it. Krylon and Dupli-Color both have the same address=

The Sherwin-Williams Company

101 Prospect Ave. N.W

Cleveland, Ohio 44115

[Guest]

I have used Krylon, both regular and Fusion with no issues at all. I also use the generic Walmart primers, no problems. The key is light coats.

Edited June 17, 2011 by midnightprowler

[jsimmons]

I tried the Rustoleum sandable primer as well, and it works fine (it's lacquer).

Edited June 17, 2011 by jsimmons

[Jantrix]

I have used Krylon, both regular and Fusion with no issues at all. The key is light coats.

Yep, what he said. I use all the flat, satins and silver/metalic colors. Most gloss paints I use are Duplicolor or MM lacquers. These were all painted in Krylon flats or satins.

[MikeMc]

Yes, it is "4 for 1" price wise, but if you ruin a model with it, what have you saved?

Testors enamels, unless you have an airbrush and use their thinner or lacquer thinner, stay away from them too. They never dry. You can use a thermostatically controlled food dehydrator to force dry Testors and other paints too. Another tip is to warm the can in hot tap water before painting. It helps the paint to fully atomize and flow better.

You want Testors Model Master lacquers, Testors One Coat lacquers, or Tamiya TS spray lacquers.

Testors spray lacquer colors

Tamiya spray lacquer colors

Duplicolor Perfect Match colors are not shown visually on line that I can find. I HIGHLY recommend spending a little more money and trying the Testors and Tamiya lacquers. They are safe for styrene, dry fast and are easy to apply. Do you have a Hobby Lobby near where you live? They offer 40% off coupons about two times per month and you can use them to purchase the Testors lacquer paints.

There are numerous online sources for Testors and Tamiya lacquer sprays that will save you money as well. If you really want to use Krylon, proceed with caution. Cheaper is not always better.

Great info Mark!!

No you won't find Perfect match colors on line...BUT as they are 1:1 auto colors....search for the auto mfgrs colors you like and there you go.

I shoot HOK, Testors, and Tamiya lacquers with no issues. Krylon has never worked for me on models, although I shoot it on many non plastic things.

The new size duplacolor cans will let you do at least 2 kits from the can..3 or 4 if you decant them.

[RickRollerLT1]

Krylon paints can be good if you use the right paint and primer underneath...but do not use their primers on bare styrene as they craze the plastic and is near impossible to strip off.

I use sears gray primer, folowed by the color desired coat of wal-mart/colorplace paint, then the krylon color of my choice. Then I polish the painted body with white toothpaste, and I tackle it with 1 or 2 coats of pledge future floor wax with a foam brush. Doing this get very nice results with out having to deal with nasty clear coats, bad testors enamal sprays, or crazing for that matter.

Though sometimes, I find that if you put a coat of sears primer as a sealer coat first, then applying krylon or any other brand primer ontop, you'll get even better coverage and a smoother serface for the next color coat to bite onto with out having any crazing issues whatsover.

Here's some of my cars I painted using the krylon paints using these methiods, which were polished and futured.

The '41 Ford Woody was painted in Banner Red & the '61 Impala in Leather brown w/ Boot Tan on the interior.

The '64 Thunderbolt is painted in True Blue & the '68 Dart HEMI (which you've all previously seen) is in Sun Yellow

[spkgibson]

The key to using Krylon is all in the prep work, Make sure you use a good automotive primer, Like Duplicolor Filler primer, I always use that primer, Let it dry for a few days,Then go over it with the the color primer you plan on before your topcoat. I use the Duplicolor White Sandable for the light colors, Like Yellows and Oranges And other Pastels , Grey for the Blues, Greens and Blacks , And the Red Oxide for the Reds and Browns and other Shades. But. Make sure you mist coat your parts , Let them tack, I wait around 30 minutes between coats. But make sure you inspect it for dust and other things in the first few coats, Lightly sand them with an 1800 grit sanding cloth, Thats what I use atleast, Then after there isn't anything in the paint,Proceed to add more mist coats. Repeating the process untill you have your desired coverage. Then set the parts aside for atleast a week. Then take your favorite wax or rubbing compound and rub it out, I have never used clear on this stuff ,Some people do. One word of caution with using this paint, Make sure you get the parts painted all in the same day, Or if you try to recoat it later, Even a day after , It will lift,And ruin the paintjob, I learned that the hard way recently on one of my Novas I'm working on. It strips off with the Scale Coat Paint Stripper with ease. Never , Ever use this paint on bare styrene, You'll end up with a complete mess, And Make sure you use the primers I mentioned, It eats into Tamiya primers right down to the plasic. I found that out the hard way also.

[Drake69]

Krylon primer will never touch another model kit of mine, and if I decide to venture into Krylon paint colors I will make doubly sure Duplicolor sandable primer will be protecting the plastic first. I almost lost a good build due to Krylon primer, even after cleaning and prepping the body beforehand. NEVER AGAIN.

[davyou5]

In my experience, if you buy Krylon paint from Walmart you are surely going to fail in your venture. But if you still plan to buy Krylon Paints please do so at your local hardware or Hobby shop.

Edited June 26, 2011 by davyou5

[davyou5]

Why? What possible difference could it make?

Hmmmmm... good question... But I know how cheap Walmart products are, and every single can of Krylon I bought from them was just total garbage.. I don't know why... Possibility could be shelf life. But I have bought some cans from a Hobby Store, which seemed to be of a higher quality to me.. Which is also the reason why I stated "In my experience", and means that one does not have to take my word for it.

Personally though I have not had a very good experience with Krylon paints, I just don't use them anymore, Seems like too much of a hassle, if and when I can I will ether use Tamiya paints, or if the budget is alittle low, Testers Lacquer Sprays. But this is only my opinion based on my experience anyway, and you don't have to take my word for it.

[RickRollerLT1]

As i've previously mentioned, the krylon paints are good as long as you use a different primer and base colorcoat undeneath...and avoid their primers and clears! I seemed to have really bad luck with the primer as it crazes all bare styrene it touches. Along with their clears (any tipe; even the crystal clears) as it melts through the paint & primer, and attacks the plastic so bad it's impossible to strip off!! Even their clear on the krylon color topping with the wal-mart paint and the sears primer coat underneath still did it!

Also, I've heard most krylon paints WILL melt through Tamyia and Testors primer coats and eat up the plastic. So like everyone else said, use a good primer (sears, duplicolor, plastikote and etc), do good prep work and you'll be OK.

One time when I desprately needed a flat black 'kauz the wallymart waz out of it'!!, so I had to resort to krylons flat black. I tired it on a test part, ans BOY let me tell you something! on bare plastic it WILL melt some parts of the plastic!! and gives you that effect of when you applied too much glue to the underside of a part and it makes a pit/dent in it! Talk about ultimate he-double-hockey-sticks!! But luckly it was on a spare hood that I had OVER 9000 spares of (sorry, just had to get that famous DBZ line out).

Edited June 27, 2011 by V-spec

[RickRollerLT1]

I guess it's possible the Krylon sprays sold at Walmart could be of lesser quality than those sold elsewhere.

[davyou5]

I guess it's possible the Krylon sprays sold at Walmart could be of lesser quality than those sold elsewhere, but, in my experience, I've never been able to tell a difference. I purchased the can I'm using on my current project at Wally, and it's just fine, no issues whatsoever.

One Krylon paint I've always been a big fan of is Dull Aluminum ... works really well for replicating a matte aluminum finish. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it anywhere lately.

That's fine, if you found some thing that works well for you, cool no problem.. I am simply sharing my experience here nothing more .

[davyou5]

As for the Krylon Dull Aluminum, I've heard it's been long discontuned because it was in a speical line of paints they got rid of or something. But Rustoluem and Valspar make their versions of it, and i've seen them at Loews pretty cheap so the next time yer there you could give them a try.

Yes I agree Rustoleum is a good quality paint, I am using a Ford Grey on my 49' Mercury Project and I have had no problems with it using different primers.