fseva

"Both have free shipping"... is not really true - especially for a single small part. Amazon requires a minimum $35 order for their free shipping, and Chicago Airbrush offers free shipping on $99 purchases, which includes most airbrushes. However, if any of these three offer "First Class Mail" for shipping a small part like this, that's about as cheap as it can get.

Speaking of clear coats, does Valspar sell an HoK-specific product? Does it come premixed and ready to airbrush?

I just decanted a full can of Lime Ice lacquer (Testors), and I just decided to leave the straw inside the jar, to see what it would do... I actually stirred the paint with it, and it bubbled furiously for a little while and I left it alone. I think it was an hour later I tried again, and hardly anything was going on. I got so interested in why this was happening that I decided to transfer the paint to a much larger jar so that I could give it a good shake. A couple times, I heard gas escape when I took the cover off, but nothing major. I gave it another hour and transferred the paint into 2oz bottles - about 1.5oz in one and 1oz in the other, which left enough room for me to test again by shaking - just a little at a time - and nothing! I was so surprised - the whole thing took less than 3 hours!

Thanks, Mike & Bill! I have used both MCW and Scale Finishes, and have always had a problem with their metallics turning "frosty" on me. I was looking for something that was a bit easier, but I can see now that HoK might be even more difficult. So, I think I'll have to pass.

Thanks Dave... would it be in the same category as automotive lacquers and enamels, like are sold by MCW and Scale Finishes?

Steve, I just wanted you to know that the set of aftermarket decals I was referring to is by Fred Cady - not Keith Marks. I'll be ordering a set because I'm not crazy about how my decals-with-MicroSol came out, after 4 days of soaking them and then letting them shrink up while drying. So, I plan to build this one again. Here's the link to the decals... http://www.mikesdecals.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=4026

I found the set of decals that I needed at Mike's Decals - they are Fred Cady rather than Keith Marks.

Did you know you can use SuperGlue on windows? Just make sure you buy the Gold (foam safe) type, and for accelerator... "InstaSet" works with the foam safe stuff. Both made by Bob Smith Industries, and I have used both successfully to install windows.

Well, I don't see how this is going to help hobbyists... the PPG clearcoat is a 3-part mix, and it requires a 1.3mm spray gun to apply. It also seems to require a "bake" cycle.

Well, "The Buzzard" recommended Future Floor Finish as a possible clearcoat for chrome paints, and I thought that was a great idea. So, I ran a test on a spoon that had been airbrushed with Ultimate Chrome several days ago. I covered the left half of the spoon with blue painters tape... here are my results... As you can easily see, the FFF definitely cut down on the shine! Not something I would do to protect a shiny finish... Oh and BTW, the tape also did some damage to the chrome! Spaz Stix recommends their own clearcoat for their chrome... I may try a test of that as well, although I hold out no hope that it will be any better than FFF - I remember trying it a long time ago and being disappointed with the results...

I checked out his Fotki website, but have not received a reply on how to go about ordering... Anyone know who might carry his full line?

HoK is now available in 4oz bottles... http://www.tcpglobal.com/Automotive-Paint/House-of-Kolor-Airbrush-Colors-Ready-to-Spray/ This is pre-mixed ready-to-airbrush, which would be perfect for me. Is there anything special I should know about HoK before I place an order?

I should give that one a try...

As in... slow to dry? BTW, if you didn't have all these extra colors, what would you be looking to buy, now that the new owners of Testors have discontinued the Pactra line? It looks like Duratrax has stepped in with original forumulae, but they don't give any warnings either (I sent them an email to ask if their product could be safely used on styrene.)

Well, Spaz Stix is also formulated for lexan, and it works just fine on plastic car models! Maybe Pactra lexan/polycarbonate paint has been reforumulated - I haven't seen any warnings against its use on styrene...

I've heard that is what Alclad recommends, but I've never seen a 100% pure acrylic clear, and I think that's what would be needed, if you want to keep metalizers looking like metalizers. Even Alclad's Aqua Gloss isn't 100% clear, and that's why it can't produce a real high gloss; so, it must have other things in it that will also muddy up metalizers. Personally, I think Alclad recommended Aqua Gloss because they got tired of all the questions about which clear coat you should use on their Chrome - this was the least harmful and it would require you to buy another of their products. A no-brainer recommendation... from a business perspective... If anyone knows of a truly 100% high gloss acrylic, I'd love to hear about it... trying to get a high gloss out of acrylics is why I gave up on acrylics as base coats. So, if there is an acrylic out there that will give me a high gloss like Testors One-Coat, I'll try it, and if what you say is true, I would gladly give up all the toxic chemicals I've been using on my cars!

What is this R/C car lacquer? I have used Spaz Stix, which is used on radio controlled cars... is that the type of thing you're referring to? I actually never thought of it as being a "hot" lacquer...?

Oh, it definitely sounds logical - no argument here...

Thanks, Stan!

For general work, either the Revolution CR (gravity) .5mm, or Revolution BCR (siphon) .5mm. For areas where I don't want a lot of overspray and a tighter, smaller spread, a Badger Krome (gravity) .35mm. I suggest you not buy something smaller than .5mm - even though the industry is touting smaller and smaller nozzles, it does us little good to use a "detail" airbrush when you want to cover a car's body!

I just finished this one, with the chrome rocker panels in place... Check it out in "Under Glass"! Thanks for all of the help!

Sounds like you've got all the bases covered!

Wow - the blue one looks just like my project! I guess I'll have to install the chromed rockers, now!

Brian, I realize that these chrome pieces are optional (sure, I can leave them off), but what I was asking is which would be more correct? Bill, would you perhaps know if chromed rocker panels were actually stock parts for this 1:1 car?

I have also used Duplicolor BPR0031 Scratch Filler Primer available from Amazon at... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00407RTBW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Use right out of the can! An 8oz can is a ver reasonable $7 plus change!