Dave G.

This post runs on a bit but it's good info I believe: That's a great chart ! My amber prescription bottles are indeed pp #5. But here is an interesting fact for all, on the pp bottles, Stynylrez primer sticks best, better even than Mr Surfacer, both in terms of scratch and tape pull tests to pp #5, I've conducted. But on model plastic the roles are pretty equal if not leaning slightly toward the Mr product.. Here is an even better observation, Tamiya LP lacquer sprayed directly onto each surface with no primer fails badly on pp #5 but sticks like iron to styrene model kit plastic ( shouldn't be a surprise since it's formulated for kit plastic). The only reason I see for the primer on the model plastic is color control, surface evenness prep etc. Not so much adhesion. And it's nearly the same result for Tamiya X series acrylics. Waterborne acrylics however need the primer to stick and with primer do very well at it. Without primer the stuff could flake off and has for many people unknowing of that fact. Anyway I have no qualms about using Mr Primer/Mr Surfacer or Stynylrez on models. Either is sufficient, however Stynylrez is both primer and sealer. That can have advantages when needing a sealer. Some folks may not know this, Mr Surfacer is not really a lacquer primer. Read the label sometime ! It's a very good primer though. Another tidbit: you can thin Stynylrez with hardware store medium dry lacquer thinner, close to 50/50 and in so doing you will get a crazy smooth satin finish from it. I learned that over in the FSM forums, so of course had to do it. Beautiful result. I use it on frames and water hoses etc as color coat in the black Stynylrez. And as a further note, Klean Strip brand hardware store lacquer thinner comes in two formulas now, labelled at the top of the front of the can. Fast dry and Medium dry.

I use the amber prescription bottles ( God knows I build up a collection of empties fast enough !), primer is a must for a couple of reasons to include that the amber color bothers the color output/rendition. But more than that I learned some time ago that tape pull tests will fail much easier on those bottles, as well as scratch tests compared to kit plastic. As Ace mentioned, I too use extra hoods or inside of body shells etc for my final tests.

IDK, but it just seems to me one doesn't have to wait very long at this forum or look around very hard for that matter and someone is having trouble with either Duplicolor or Rustoleum spray paints on their models. To me there is a message there !

Glycerin works. Dish soap is quite old school but I like it. The key with any of this stuff as flow aid is don't over do it. Honestly I like the results I get with dish soap better than glycerin. But that's me, someone else might think otherwise. You can also add commercial flow aid, like Liquitex or Vallejo. Again carefully. The biggest key in the formula in terms of additives, I make up is the Liquitex slow dry fluid retarder. That stops the tip dry with craft paints and artist acrylics. Don't mistake Liquitex retarder medium for the fluid, they are two different products.

By the way those are louse cell phone photos so there are jaggies and such that aren't there on the model or not magnified like that at least. I've since upgraded the phone.

Yes that's my formula. Works great with FolkArt, Apple Barrel, Anita's, And real well with Craft Smart. I have another blend for DecoArt. Works well with Createx but better with a small amount of denatured alcohol added, since Createx 4011 reducer is very close to the same formula. Here is a Mustang with basecoat Rose Gold Silver craft paint shot with that formula. This is out of the airbrush untouched. The second photo should be the same body with Tamiya clear blue over the craft paint unpolished. And is a 39 Ford sedan in craft paint with Tamiya clear over it un polished. 49 Ford craft paint base and a combo of Tamiya Clear red mixed with a splash of Clrear Blue, 5 coats of the clear. This is not sanded or polished either.

Wow that looks awesome and sounds it as well ! I found one at a hobby store listed online. Ebay is nuts on price for used but they do have a scant few listings.

Now that would be a really interesting build ! Not that I liked 47 Chevies back in the day but for nostalgia sake one would be awesome. How is the kit and to get one though ?

Gel type super glue for me. And make sure the parts have a decent fit.

Tamiya acrylic has the potency when opened of a watered down pickled egg brine. Spraying it, the fumes don't last ten minutes, unlike wiping a stained wall down with Fantastik that takes your breath away and gives a headache.

Yes ! I even decant the 1000, then further thin with Mr Leveling thinner and airbrush it. It comes out super smooth. Smooth enough I spray Tamiya LP black lacquer over it and sand nothing. I thin the LP with the Leveling thinner as well. The finish is gorgeous, I just did fenders for a 34 Ford pickup this morning in black in fact. Really the finish is beyond what one might expect for a stock truck.

Just do a test piece, it should go fine though. Just don't risk it on your model is all, without testing. As for me, when I use enamel the appeal is a very nice natural high gloss finish right from the airbrush for use on old classic cars ( Like 1900's to 1950's, built stock. They weren't clear coated in real, neither are mine. I have other options today if I want a base color coat/clear coated finish for a custom or hot rod etc, be it acrylic or flat lacquer base coat. Even some lacquers I polish up without clear. Brand new Model A Fords had the fenders painted off site in lacquer and the bodies done on site in enamel . They weren't clear coated.

The black that always seemed to nail it in automotive finishes for me was good old Model Master Classic Black enamel. Course no longer made. Tamiya LP or acrylic are both more stark. There are craft paints that are close and artist acrylic Mars Black is fairly close. They of course need clear coating. It's just to me Classic Black fit all or most of my gloss black needs.

If you can get the compressor regulator output to 50 or 55 psi you should be fine. If not you could always add a secondary regulator that will. Most airbrush regulators should handle at least that 50psi or so on the input side. I can get my 8 gal noisy 125 psi compressor down to 0 if I want to, I output 25psi a lot though.

Hah, I went to where I purchased mine and it's listed unavailable. But you could go to Point Zero's own site and see there what they have as well as suppliers. And that includes compressors. I do trust the name. Now that said, at Amazon Paasche lists a regulator for not too bad a price. If you're gonna pipe in from a big compressor you want a regulator rated for 135 psi on the incoming side. Amazon has those as well. So does TCP Global, as they handle both airbrush air handling and bigger or more powerful compressor air management.

If you want to start getting into color matching 1/1, it's time for you to get serious about a decent airbrush and air source for it. Then you can get Splash or Scale Finishes, MCW, or a local auto jobber to mix exact match paints for you ( Many Napa Stores mix small quantity touch up paints for instance) .

Point Zero has a good regulator/water separator that you can mount near your work area and run compressor air to that, regulate. Then run your airbrush line from the regulator. This works great because it traps more moisture the further the separator is from the compressor. It gives the water cooling time to separate out of the air and be caught at the regulator.. I think that regulator is around $12-$14 at Amazon and comes with a bag full of adapter fittings.. The one I have is very well made but it's a few years old, I'm assuming they are still made as well. My compressor is an 8 gal portable on wheels, so not an airbrush compressor at all. It generates 135 psi and 4.5 cfm air flow. I don't just have airbrushes but also LVLP spray guns, as well as nail guns.

Yep, I agree, lacquer thinner for spraying, mineral spirits for brush painting. Just be sure you get the real lacquer thinner and not the newer so called " green friendly" stuff. Another blend that works well for spraying is to mix mineral spirits and hardware store paint thinner together 50/50, then thin your enamel with that blend. LT is easier and seems to be that just right product in one can without any fuss.. I've always mixed enamel for spraying 3-2 paint to thinner. So slightly less thinner than 50/50.

You mentioned Vallejo primer, what will the color coat and top coat paints be ? As to the primer though, not my first choice but since you have it, lightly scuff with micro mesh or similar. Wash the body or wipe down at least, with mineral spirits or similar to get finger prints and other oils off the surface. Blow the body off with just air from your airbrush and apply a coat or two of the primer. Set it aside someplace and dry for 24 hours before proceeding further. Or if you have a dehydrator or paint dryer use that for an hour or two. Note the primer will feel dry to the touch sooner than 24 hours but Vallejo's standard is 24 hours dry time. It may feel dry sooner but hasn't cured through all the way yet. Also fwiw Vallejo paints take well to heat setting.

Sorry about that, I wish I had mentioned it earlier. But Micheals stores used to carry both, it's a matter of being in stock or not. Dick Blick art supply has it or lists it too. But ya know I've never tried the retarder medium for air brushing. Where I put the retarder in the thinner in small amounts, it might actually work. I have the medium for brush painting ( My wife and I do art work too), I'll mix up a batch to satisfy my own curiosity and try it, then pass that info on in the future. It's actually designed for brushing and pouring paints at up to 40% and not break down the paints medium. The Slow Dri liquid is up to 25% and is clear in color but it won't stretch the paint medium like the retarder medium will. None of that matters at a few drops in the thinner, enough to stop tip dry.

By the way, the Liquitex retarder I mentioned is their Slow Dry Retarder Fluid, not their retarder medium. The medium is not for airbrushing.

As you know you need a really smooth primer coat, that's a must. You first color coat is just a really fine mist coat over the primer. Very little paint flow from your airbrush, you just see a hint of color on the model yet wet. Flash that off dry, you can use straight air or a bit of heat from a hair dryer. The second coat will be medium, you will find it to take to that first layer well. Flash that off. Now you can put down a wet coat with more paint flow and flash that. See what you think, that might do it or you may need one more coat. Each coat should level right off egg shell smooth once flashed ( dry). DecoArt is the most difficult to not have fuzzy or textured finish with, especially the Americana line. At least in my experience. You may need more flow aid with it, and I find it to balk at alcohol to which of coarse washer fluid has in it. Something no longer made that worked pretty well in DecoArt Americana besides what I've spoken of above, was Testors Aztek thinner, still adding a bit of flow aid and retarder. DecoArt is not my favorite paint to airbrush but they have some great colors, so I make it work. Really good for old car interiors and I build mostly old classic cars. Flow aid and retarder make a huge difference as can the 4030. You're less locked into exact distances and speed of each pass. You can mist coat and it will still flow out. Best I can tell you !

The only way I use Rustoleum on models is decanted 2X products and not their primer. Once decanted I add some lacquer thinner and airbrush it over a primer sealer. Stynylrez is a poly acrylic primer sealer, the airbrushed Rustleum does not penetrate it and get to the plastic. The finish to me is second to non, sometimes by my eyes it doesn't need polishing. And since I cure it in a dehydrator then dry times are fully acceptable ( hours vs days). But honestly these days I use more acrylics. I agree that Rustoleum is too thick if sprayed out of the can. Lets face it, it's made for lawn furniture not models.

I just answered a similar posting in another forum, so this is a copy paste of my reply there. It will be in the general ball park: I make 3 different blends of thinner, non are rocket science lol.. Also for Tamiya acrylic I use lacquer thinner. The first blend works in many acrylics actually and quite well, including many craft paints and in the Model Master Acryl. Acryl also works with the last mix I will explain. In 3oz batches. 60% distilled water 40% 91 Isopropyl 6-8 drops of Liquitex retarder ( depends on season and if it's ultra dry I've used 10. But this all kills tip dry to where basically it's a non issue). Trace amount of dish soap ( it's not even a full drop). Many paints will spray very nicely with this. They go down nice and flash off fairly quickly per coat. The next is similar except I use the Liquitex flow aid in it. And the alcohol portion of the mix is a combo of Isopropyl and denatured alcohol. This tends to flow out more and I heat set each coat with a hair dryer. More ISO than denatured. This I use in place of Createx 4011 reducer and it works as well if not better than 4011. It works in most craft paints as well, especially if you first add Createx 4030 to the paint you will mix. 4030 should be used in Createx as well. 4030 is a poly intercoat,it makes acrylic paints poly/acrylic and they dry harder with more adhesion. I have many craft paints working as well as some model paints, not to mention medium or soft body artist acrylics. Artist acrylics either get my first blend ( Artist Loft takes to this very well) or I have another for any paint that doesn't like alcohol. It's 50/50 water to Liquitex airbrush medium or you can use the US Art Supply Airbrush thinner, which is very much like the medium, in place of the medium. Still add retarder and flow aid. This method retains the most acrylic base in the paints. But if you go with more medium than water it starts to increase gloss. I just keep 3 bottles mixed up all the time. One each. I still have some 4011 but rarely use it, since the thinner is cheap to make once you have the products and it works as well. In fact when it's gone I'll just refill that with the two blended alcohols thinner I make up

Yes you can get it to level out nice and smooth but not using what you are as thinner, and certainly not that alone. Oh it might work on a brand or two of craft paint. Additionally, I've found DecoArt to need a different blend of thinner than most of the rest of the craft paints. Some of those DecoArt paints are not friends with alcohol, you need to go another route with them. Also it matters how you apply and flash off each coat. But indeed you can get a really nice base color coat to apply clear over. So your question is, Can You? My answer is yes I can.