Dave G.

I use Formula 1 Scratch out. Sometimes Colgate tooth paste first, but usually just the scratch out. Then bees wax, most folks use canuba wax, but my bees wax formulation can't decide if it's polish or wax, so it covers two chores lol ! If the finish is real smooth I may just go straight to that. 4050 doesn't dry full gloss either but it shines right up real easy, much easier than automotive acrylic lacquer. More like the old nitro lacquer..

It looks like, from your photos anyway, that it goes on way too heavy.

Waterborne color coats I remember coming in back in the 1980s in 1/1. I was using urethane clear with activator then, from DuPont. However so early on I did not trust waterborne color, so my color coats were lacquer with urethane clear for factory matched automotive. Otherwise I shot acrylic enamel with activator ( solvent based, not waterborne acrylic). And I used DuPont as my main line but not exclusively. Most or many production paint jobs today are waterborne color with 2K clear coat. My 2024 Subaru Crosstrek in Christel Pearl White is just that. And it looks awesome under any kind of light, be it sun or shopping center at night. Really you could use any waterborne acrylic base color coat and 2K, if you don't mind 2K in your house. I do mind that, so I use Createx 4050 waterborne clear coat, which is also UVLS protective. Anything from properly laid down craft paints to actual auto paints should give good color, as long as you get it on even. The magic is in the clear coating. I use more waterborne on models these days than the old stinky paint. Though I must say, you can shoot and be done using alkyd enamel, if you know it's ways. The old classics still look good done in that. I bet a lot of folks here don't know that Ferrari was one of the very first waterborne adopters, not far behind was BMW. GM in the US used it pretty early on as well. In fact it was a GM I first ran into this on.

I use 4050 UVLS clear. And just buff it. It lays down smooth, enough, unless you get dirt in it, to go straight to buffing it up. Looks like hand rubbed lacquer to my 75yo eyes.. I looked up your clear you mention one time. The description didn't mention what I do in clear coating. So I've never tried it. Sorry.

A lot of people dont know it but waterborne finishes in automotive use has been around since the 1980's, I remember them coming in for the after market. In fact one of the first mainline base coat clear coat systems was all waterborne. Ford uses it in their repair shops. Ferrari was an early adapter to it in products, BMW not far behind. Several manufacturers use it today. The winner in manufacture of autos is low heat setting, vs something like baked enamels higher heat.. In this regard in our hobby industry, Createx emerges closely aligned with heat setting . It will air dry but it will be tougher heat set. And they have the UVL clears to go with it, also waterborne. So truly base coat clear coat, and all the more so in the Candy2o line. Also DuPont was an early adopter of waterborne two step systems, with the base color coat water, 2 part urethane clear top ( clear coat with catalyst activator, around 1980ish). I have not used the 1/1 auto waterborne. I do use Createx.

Just fwiw, I don't clear over foil or Molotow. I clear under where decals will be, apply, dry, then clear everything that will be clear coated, including decals. Generally speaking of course.

I'll be watching fI agree with the mock up, but I'll still be watching the thread.or answers, I have this kit and the Fleetline, which I assume those pans mount the same in both kits. I haven't broken into these kits yet, but have worked up colors for each, to be built stock. I agree with the mock ups. Still be watching.

Let us know how you make out with the 4021, Mike. Works great for me for most waterborne acrylics, not just Createx ( though sometimes I use another blend I make up instead).. Craft paints with 4030 and 4021 come out real nice too. Since I was left with well over 130 bottles of craft paints, it seems they should be utilized. By the way, I've thinned Stynylrez with the 4021 too, for smaller tips. It flows wonderfully, levels out with a slight sheen.. Clean up of the airbrush is a matter of getting right to it immediately, flush with hot water, back flush, spray several times. Then I switch to Iwata Medea airbrush cleaner and do the same with that. Then a shot of 91 ipa just to flush everything out. But I prime and shoot acrylics with the Paasche H and #5 tip. I'm not pulling out needles and tips all the time that way.

Well on my reapplication I mixed up my color in Testors enamel and it came out great. It's a 34 classic era vehicle anyway, I've often used enamels for that with no clear coat. It's not even buffed out. The fenders are black LP lacquer, same there, came out awesome. It was real fluky for me what I did the first time anyway.

Just so you know, in the last couple of years or so, I once put Tamiya LP lacquer over their acrylic X series paint. It looked good and I put it aside to build later. A couple of months later I decided to go back to that project and the whole finish had cracks all over . Into my mason jar of 91% alcohol it went, 30 minutes later I had it back to bare plastic. This may just have been an odd phenomenon, but personally I won't repeat it. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't know better than take the chance of mixing up formulation coats. Now on the other hand, I've used the X22 clear over X series colors many time, works great. But LP over acrylic series in time cracked wide open right through the color coat.

4021 improves flow and leveling, reduced tip dry. Those droplets are caused by surface tension, where the paint didn't flow out evenly. 4021 addresses that. And also addresses compatibility with 4030 additive. Flash time will be increased slightly.

Well, Mike. I mostly use my Paasche H for Createx. Sometimes the VL. But in either case it's larger tips, like .7 or more. You can thin to 50% if need be. I use 15% 4030, unless it's Candy 2o of course. Also if it doesn't spray right, it's usually a matter of a bit more thinner or more air. Sometimes both. I've had good results even using my own thinner formulas ( I have two or three of those). Additionally again, the first should be a mist coat and fully flashed off before trying to get more on.. I've put the first coat so misted you can barely see color, but it's enough of a tack layer that the rest of the coats can build on it. I've seen it go on seeming like droplets but when it flashes it all levels off. I don't recall what thinner that was with, but it worked out. 4021 doesn't act like that at all, it's a nice reducer with any waterborne acrylic I've tried it with actually. And it was developed to work in 4030, 4050 as well. When you get your hands on some I think you will like it.

Createx can take heat from a hair dryer, especially the opaque formula ( the original Createx line). It was made originally to be heat set in a heat press on garments. I've done it, the press temp is still used and is pretty high. Well known in the T Shirt industry for the art work. 4030 is a urethane balancing clear, made to convert Createx from a flex type acrylic to a converted poly acrylic. This gives greater bond to hard surfaces like plastic models. It helps flow in the airbrush and produces a harder shell finish. But it doesn't play well with 4012 reducer fwiw. So 4011 was introduced, then 4021. You only need 10-15% 4030 in your mix for it to do it's thing. I never paint a model without it. 4050 will do the same but it's thicker product, I use that for clear coat, thinned a little with 4021.

Mike, if you're liking Createx and craft paints, you might do best just to keep honing your skills on them. I've even tinted Createx with craft paints to make pastels. Also added 4030 to craft paints, then clear coated with 4050 or 4053. It's quite a diverse pair of products. And who wouldn't like a well done Candy 2o paint job ? Ya know, at one time I'd have pointed right to Tamiya's acrylic line ( X and XF paints) but it's not my direct go to these days. It sounds like you have 4012 thinner if it's thickening. Or else the thinner that has acetone in it , I forget the product number of that one. But I recoat in about 2-3 minutes anyway, as I heat flash each coat with a hair dryer, or if using double action, just blow air. You want 4011 and add some retarder to it ( you have the Liquitex retarder I've suggested before). Or better yet, get the new 4021 reducer. This one addresses everything, tip dry, thickening, compatable with 4030, and leveling. Also I believe that my thinner blend works without thickening and no tip dry. It's been a while since I've used that in Createx though, so not 100% sure. I've been using 4021 in both Createx and in craft paints probably for a year now. Hope this helps, if not let me know and we can work it out.

The key to cleaning the airbrush after acrylic waterborne painting is to get it flushed, back flushed etc, immediately. I find Iwata Medea airbrush cleaner to clean Createx and Craft Paints very well. I first flush and back flush in good hot water, then move to the Iwata. I don't find hardware store lacquer thinner to clean up waterborne acrylics any better. In fact I've noticed later iterations of hardware lacquer thinner to be milder than I remember, even in clean up of enamels. EPA standards are creeping in. Anyway, my final rinse is just cold water. By the way, in talking with one of the owners of Createx, he stated that they make the Iwata Medea product and that its a great cleaner for Createx paints.. And in my experience it's not particularly expensive at Hobby Lobby. I had bought it on a whim, not expecting much, but turns out I was very surprised at how well it works. However, you don't want to be breathing it's atomized vapors any more than lacquer thinner. It gives a throat cutting caustic like effect when vaporized or atomized. So back flush or spray it into a closed container and all is well. I use an old tissue box lined with paper towel. Works great for that or LT

I have an LVLP 2 gun kit. The smaller gun is a touch up gun. But what's nice about LVLP ( low volume low pressure) is the air settings and cfm requirements are much lower. The touch up gun in particular can be used from mid 20psi to about 40 psi, depending on the paint mix. Same as in the video above, which that one must be hvlp that it requires 50 psi, but the control features are the same, and mine is top feed. It's made by Spray-It, all nice shiny aluminum, not anodized. Plastic top feed cups. There is a screen where the cup screws in, but if you pre strain your paints you can pluck that out of there, as it's a bit fine.

Paasche H #5 tip with enamel or Createx for me too, with large scale. Depends what the model is and just how big your Large Scale means.. On some old vintage cars in 1/16th, the body parts have no more surface area than 1/24th in a more solid body form. They're all chopped up area coverage. I've used a Badger with .25 tip on some of those. Thinner ratio and pressure are key, get those right ( if your compressor can keep up with an opened up H #5 at 26-30 psi) and you can back up to where you get 2-3" swaths on each pass. And it will level right out. Really it becomes a no brainer once dialed in ( thinking enamel here), you can't put it on wrong. Createx you need to flash off each coat, start with mist coat and progressively heavier coats. Otherwise same thing. Createx also needs clear coated and a buffing. That Candy 2o comes out looking gorgeous ( just my opinion) ! And the enamels give a very classic era look ( again IMO).

For model lacquers in general I like Mr Surfacer 1000 primer. It looks smooth as a babies butt, but being 1000 it has a little tooth for the paint to grip. However, that said, I don't use TS paints, but rather the LP thinned with Mr Leveling thinner. Or X series acrylic, also thinned with Mr Leveling thinner. I'm assuming the MLT plays well with Mr Surfacer and help the paints get a bite. The latter method has passed my pull tests using full strength blue painters tape, fwiw. I'm not gentle in my testing, I just rip the tape off. That's the nature of the testing, push the limit. Same for Createx over Stynylrez primers. Course it helps that my Createx colors all get 4030 poly intercoat mixed in, which is designed to give better bond and harder shell to Createx paints. However, the tape I use on the models is a low tack Fine Line tape. Just if it can pass the blue painters tape test, surely the low tack won't pull the color coat. Or de tacking the blue tape won't either. Sometimes I do a layout, where I cut stencils with a razor in blue tape, and just de tack that on the back of my hand. Anyway, 0 paint lifts. And really no concerns since I've already tested the methods on kit plastic.

I don't use gloves. . I wipe my fingers with alcohol soaked tissues. I don't get carried away with it, just a quick wipe . I do use nitrile or latex gloves when airbrushing a body, for the sake of easy clean up of my hands lol..

We have had other reports on this issue using Tamiya tape. But on all different paints. I don't use Tamiya tape personally but I know from 1/1 painting two tones, not to leave the tape on for any longer than needed to get your second color on and tacked up. That's regardless of brand. Then get it off of there. Pretty much as Trevor mentioned above. On another note, I thin Tamiya acrylics with lacquer thinner, which according to Tamiya, leaves a harder shell finish. I dehydrate for X paints 30 minutes, then let it air dry at least 3 days before moving on. I've also had a new finish sit from one month to years lol !! Not because it was deliberate mind you.

Regarding the Createx white paint, Wicked or otherwise. You shouldn't need to thin that much. It will spray fine mixed thicker, especially with about 10-15% 4030 added. Thin that combo with 4011 or better yet 4021 reducer, up to 50% of the volume. So you're no where near skim milk. Up your pressure to mid 20's using the .5 tip ( I actually use bigger than that but .5 should do fine).. I use the white a lot, either as white or as the base to mix pastels ( I also use the pearlized white to good effect). I shoot over white Stynylrez primer, even if you thinned 1-1, you still get coverage over the white Stynylrez). Each coat needs to flash off, or flash dry, then add the next coat and so on till you get the build you want. Don't go by the leveling when first shot on and wet, but see how smooth it flashed off to. It should level right out. 4030 is your best friend when shooting models or other hard surfaces with Createx paints, for several reasons I've covered before in the forums.. And 4021 is their latest and greatest reducer.

Mission Models has acrylic red oxide. I would think you could vary the shade by the color primer you put on first. I've never used it, fwiw.

If what you have works for you, that's great. You should know that the ones I mentioned need polishing to reach full gloss. But it is a lacquer look alike once done. But I've never used 5604, so can't comment beyond it's description. So I asked if 5604 can be converted, here is what I got : "Yes, Createx 4030 Balancing Clear can be used with Createx 5604 Gloss Top Coat. In fact, it's often recommended as an additive to improve flow and adhesion when airbrushing, and it's also used as a carrier for candy2o dyes, according to Createx Tech. When used with the 5604 Gloss Top Coat, it can help create a smoother, more durable finish, according to Airbrush Paint Direct"

With Createx and airbrushing you can up the recommended thinning ratio, as it's only about 10%. But that's for spray guns..

Looking great ! I just want to say though, for the sake of the thread participants here. Not all acrylics can handle straight alcohol, nor all acrylic craft paint. Usually a blend is needed and of the mix 30% or so is or can be alcohol. In the case of Createx, they have a reducer with alcohol, it's a blend of two types and ionized water. They also have a reducer with acetone in it, I don't know the blend nor which paint line Createx uses that in.. It just came out in a discussion with one of the owners that I had. 4011 and 4021 have no alcohol that I know of, nor acetone. Too, glycol type alcohols can be part of acrylic thinners. IPA alone is gotten to be a kind of generic generic blanket in home brews. But no argument, those train cars came out awesome !