LoneWolf15

Mike is correct , you need to practice with what you are going to be using on a regular basis ! Try this ... Prep several of your kits , take all of the parts from each kit that are going to be semigloss black and set them aside . Place each kits parts on separate strips of 2 1/2 in wide masking tape . Mix 2 - 1/2 oz jars of Testors black semi gloss enamel with a 1/2 oz of cheap laquer thinner . Shake it up and shoot it onto the parts . By the time you are on the last strip of parts , the first strip should be just about flashed out and the parts should be dry enough to flip over . Simply repeat the steps until all parts are painted ! Semi gloss black is very forgiving , it takes a lot to screw it up ! Too much paint ? , it will flash out , just takes a bit longer! Not enough ? , shoot a little bit more on . Now , what you've done ? You've practiced with your airbrush , gotten a feel for it , and accomplished something constructive while you were at it ! Forget the word cheap ! Drop it from your vocabulary , replace it with smart or patient ! Always work and practice with the media that you plan on using , you will master it far quicker !

No , Mike , it wouldn't . It simply boils down to a coverage scenario . Misting light coats into the tight areas first will solve the problem . If you don't , those areas will be lighter , any attempt to try to " catch" them up with the rest of the finish will cause these areas to pull and trap the metallics and pearls . When this occurs , you have a buildup which forms a heavy band that sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb . What I usually do to avoid this is simply shoot the base color into the recessed areas and then let it sit for a day or two . Once it's flashed , I continue with the paint job like I normally do . The Willys are a bit tricky , once you've painted a few , it gets easier , you learn that you have to do almost a 360 degree sweep from every which way to make them look just right . It's definitely not your average horizontal / vertical airbrush approach . As many of these that I've painted , I still screw one up on occasion . Like Virgil , I'll be sure to throw one or two into the brake pond while learning how to apply the Pearl X on them . Like I always say , it's a continuing educational process , one that I have never lost my love or curiousity for !

Bill , You just have to take the plunge ! Prep in the winter , get a bunch of kits ready , paint in the spring and early fall when humidity is low . In the summer , pay attention to the weather report , low humidity coming on , get out there and paint ! As for safety , I raised three daughters , no adverse effects on them . All three are crazy but they came out of the womb that way , just like their daddy ! Set up a booth in the garage , use it when the temperature is ideal for painting. , 68 to 72 degrees , low humidity . I installed a heater in the shop , now I can paint year ' round . Once you start with the airbrush , you'll fall in love with it ! You just have to take that first step !

Virgil , Check your email , I sent your requested gasser eye candy ! Hope it helps .

Yep ! Kinda figured that's what it was ! You actually need to use an X pattern along with the normal horizontal and vertical sweeps to get an overall coverage . Stepping on a Willys , Doc ? Sacrilege to the 10th degree , Virg , the model gods will have you spinning over a slow burning fire for that ! Lol ! Another nice thing about the enamels is that they strip off really easy . Into the pond while it's still soft and it's off in a matter of minutes . A good scrub up , wash down , and you're back to painting in no time at all .

I use the Sunny Side brand , others have had success using Walmart's , Home Depot , etc . As long as it's the cheap stuff you won't have a problem . I will restate this , do not use any automotive related laquer thinners , you'll end up with a plastic puddle , regardless of it's " heat " factor !

Hey Virgil , You got some ' splainin to do ! What happened ? Did Murphy get in the mix ?

Go for it ! Rustoleum cuts down quite well with the laquer thinner . That being said , don't screw it up , I have no idea how well the Rustoleum strips off of plastic ! Lol ! I do know for a fact that Krylon just sits there and laughs at the brake fluid , thus my word of caution ! Far be it for me to lead you down a path of sin and degradation , that just ain't gonna happen !!!!!

Your relatives are positively correct ! How do I know this , I'm not going to say ! Seems as though some of mine allowed their " horns " to hold their " halos " in place . Angels , they were not !!

Consider the motors from either the AMT ' 67 Mercury or the ' 66 Fairlane . Both build up well , are nicely detailed and will fill the engine compartment to capacity !

Thanks , Doc ! Appreciate it ! Just another rough road that has to be navigated , too often and tiresome as of late .

I see at least 3 for me . There are a few things that I found that needed to be corrected , beyond that .... It's Katie bar the door ! I would love to see a standard height also , I would be buying more than a few if this version were to come about . We'll have to wait and see .

Not to be pushy ....... Buuuuutttttt ! I think you should rethink your position on this one ! It is impressive , and I'm generally not a custom oriented individual ! It is a very nice kit with tremendous potential !

Uh ! Uh ! The Grim Reaper has a razor saw and knows how to use it ! The turkeys can breath a sigh of relief , the frames , ehhhhh , future doesn't like too bright ! Bwahahahaha !

Shhhh! , The remaining ones might hear you ! They are cowering in the corner as we speak ! Now , if I could just find something to do with the 15 Superbee bodies , I'd be a happy boy !

Remember hanging out at a local garage , a group of friends working on each others cars ? Simply put , I miss it ! We still do it on occasion , not as often as we used to but.... Now the model shop is starting to become the hangout ! What better way to spend a winter day ? Hanging out , airbrushing , building , busting stones , does it get any better than that ? Jack Bouman was just at the shop , Bob Dudek is coming for a weekend after the new year , the Dover Destroyer & Co is heading in come March for 4 days . Anybody else ? Lmao !

As to safety ... Very soon , I am going to have to bury my twin , not of my blood , they refer to us as " twin sons of different mothers " . One of the most prolific custom painters I've ever met , his work is beyond anal retentive ! Stone cold beautiful ! He complained of a lump on his foot , I chewed him a new one , and made him go to the doctors . Final diagnosis ... Cancer , tumours throughout his entire body . He has sworn me to secrecy , his family doesn't know nor will they , I gave my word . Once a vibrant , 208 lb. bundle of coiled steel , he is a mere shadow of what once was . His beloved '64 Dart is now for sale , he no longer has the strength to turn the wheel . Last Saturday , I had to mount the side guards on a Chevelle for him in the shop , he didn't have the strength to push them in . Kathie had to turn away from him so he wouldn't see her tears . I wish that I had $ 5 for everytime I walked in the shop and ended up raising Cain with him about wearing his respirator while he was painting , I'd be wealthy beyond the imagination ! Now , I get to watch my best friend slowly dissolve away to nothing . This flat out sucks ! If you insist on using the automotive products , protect yourself , don't be a ###### fool !

Ed , Looks like we'll be seeing each other again in February . Kathie expressed an interest in vending at the Old Dominion show again . Always a pleasure to see you , old friend ! Virgil , It's a date for the NNL East this year ! Kathie already has the reservations made. We will be there with bells on ! Such a great event , so little time to hang out , Sigh !!! Pretty soon though , retirement , then The Old Man is going to put on the Travelin' Bones ! Mikey Mc , Virgil , Daryl , who knows , maybe even Greg ! Hang out , do a little airbrush work , hmmm , I can relate !

Chuck , This is a build for a customer ! That , my friend , is the only reason that it escaped the razor saw ! Lol !

Edward , What you are seeing is an optical illusion ! By applying a multitude of misted , whisper thin coats , the reflective quality of the paint increases 10 fold . It is very thin , but the shine looks miles deep . I can still lay the bare metal foil down on the thinnest pieces of trim and have it look exactly as it should , without the loss of detail. The beauty of the enamels is that either a gloss base or a reflective color ( aluminum ) is going to bring the metallic or pearl reflection back to the eye . At the same time , the gloss enhances the richness and depth of the color . It simply becomes a dance and shimmer of color .

Terry , The airbrushing is just part of the method . I preach the 5 P's ! Proper paint environment Proper tools and product Proper prep work Proper paint application Proper polish phase If you drop the ball on any of these , you know as well as I do , the paint work is not going to be as good as it should be ! I simply took all of the voodoo , old wives tales , and plain old bs and tossed them out the window where they belong when I did the DVD !

Mine's in the brake fluid ! Bad bottle of paint , old , should have strained it , I know better ! Worked out for the best though , seems that Mikey Mc and I had chosen the exact same color ! Hmmm , so twisted minds do think alike ? Kathie wanted it done in her K's color so I will happily oblige her on this one . Problem being , every car done in her color , becomes her car ! There's something seriously wrong with that scenario !

Peter , The '32 is done with a custom mix called Jaime's Jam . I then added various shades of related Pearl X powders which I suspended in clear and then mist coated in a continuing rotation . You should see it in the sunlight , it just dances all over the place ! Virgil , The wheels on the Charger are the creation of The Mad Machinist , Mr Bob Dudek . Bob has quite a selection of machined aluminum parts for sale , his product is top of the line ! The rims on the Nova are from Terry Kinnear's M.A.S. I am blessed to call both of these guys my friends , they have helped me tremendously over the last few years ! As I stated in an earlier thread that Virgil started , a photo does not do these Pearl X additives justice . The color shifts are so subtle , a camera just doesn't seem to capture them . The Charger is done up in Testors Competition Orange with a Bright Gold Pearl X topcoat mixed in the clear . The Nova has a Violet Pearl X overcoat .

For my contribution , can you load the pictures that I sent you of the Charger , Nova , and the Roadster onto your upload and put them up ?