What to airbrush? What to brush paint?

[dawgvet]

Ok, so I've finally gotten back into modeling and want to get better at using my new Badger 155. I used to just airbrush the bodies but I'm seeing now that more people use their airbrushes for many other parts, too.

What parts (engine, suspension, interiors, etc.) do you typically paint with your airbrush? Why?

What parts do you still brush paint? Why?

Do you primer most all parts before either airbrushing or brush painting?

Thanks,

Jed

[lysleder]

I prefer to airbrush any part large enough to show brush strokes, and use conventional brushes only for details. So airbrush for body, interior, engine, chassispan - and while the chassis color is in the cup anyway, I usually spray the remaining chassis components, suspension pieces too. I feel the airbrush makes the paint cover better, bury less detail and creates a more even coat than hand brushing does. The big tradeoff is the amount of time spent on masking.

I mostly use regular hobby enamels, and usually don't bother with priming. That is only used when required, as when shooting lacquer or nailpolish or any other paint hot enough to affect the plastic.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I prefer to airbrush any part large enough to show brush strokes, and use conventional brushes only for details. So airbrush for body, interior, engine, chassispan - and while the chassis color is in the cup anyway, I usually spray the remaining chassis components, suspension pieces too. I feel the airbrush makes the paint cover better, bury less detail and creates a more even coat than hand brushing does. The big tradeoff is the amount of time spent on masking.

I mostly use regular hobby enamels, and usually don't bother with priming. That is only used when required, as when shooting lacquer or nailpolish or any other paint hot enough to affect the plastic.

Ditto!

I only use brush paints for detailing. Airbrush or rattle can for everything else.

Steve

[martinfan5]

Not feeling lazy, A/B/rattle can, feeling lazy, brush (parts other than body/chassis/interior)

Edited May 17, 2015 by martinfan5

[slusher]

I have airbrushed and rattle can paint everything but after primer i always brush paint my engines. I have always enjoyed painting my engines by brush.

[DeeCee]

Air brush everything my self, and undercoat everything too, except for seats , door trims etc that way it does not shine as much, a bit more satiny, bit more realistic.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Since many of the things I build are weathered, I usually brush paint the engine, underhood details, black part under the hood, and springs/shocks. Most everything else gets rattlecanned. I don't have an airbrush, at least with a hose and stuff.

[Motor City]

I haven't bought an airbrush yet, and am confused about the use of primers. I know on real cars that you could paint enamel over lacquer, but could not paint lacquer over enamel since you would get a horrible reaction. I've read that you could paint lacquer over BAKED enamel (I never tried that as all of the cars I worked on were sprayed in lacquer from the factory).

I have had spray can lacquer paint eat into plastic models on occasion. Is the primer people are referring to here from a spray can or air brush? Is it lacquer or enamel?

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've read that you could paint lacquer over BAKED enamel. Yes, generally correct on 1:1 cars...with a caveat. Factory "baked" enamel jobs were done at high temps with no trim attached, and were hard all the way through. Bodyshop "baked" enamel jobs were done at much lower temps to avoid melting plastic trim and other materials. More force-dried than "baked", the surface would be hard, but the stuff was often still soft underneath...for a very long time...and would wrinkle if recoated with enamel OR lacquer.

I have had spray can lacquer paint eat into plastic models on occasion. Is the primer people are referring to here from a spray can or air brush? Is it lacquer or enamel? Many of us here use real-car rattlecan primers like PlastiKote and Dupliciolor. These are lacquers and CAN craze the surface of models if sprayed too wet, or with insufficient "flash time" between coats.

To address your original questions, I personally find that primering everything gives me better results.

Every part will have some parting-line, flash or tree-attachment point that needs to be corrected, and many parts, like engine-trans assemblies, will need to have seams addressed prior to painting. Primering of these small parts and assemblies just gives you a more consistent surface to paint over, and helps to show up flaws that still need work.

I also prefer to spray every part, small or large, to eliminate brushstroke marks.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[mrknowetall]

I rattle can or airbrush most everything. The airbrush is a bit of a pain to clean, but I've gotten used to it over time, and I prefer the control I have using an airbrush.

[Snake45]

Bodies and body parts (of course) get airbrushed or rattlecanned.

Engine block, heads, and frontcover (and often intake manifold, oil pan, and bellhousing) get airbrushed or rattlecanned.

Major interior parts usually get airbrushed or rattlecanned, depending on exact color needed. But I will sometimes brush-paint major interior parts if I'm using a color/paint that I know will cover well. I USUALLY hand-brush the headliner, unless it's a light color that will give me problems, in which case I spray it FIRST, then mask it off and spray the rest of the body.

Basic chassis gets airbrushed or rattlecanned. Differential/rear suspension usually gets airbrushed/rattlecanned. If working with an old-style one-piece chassis, I'll hand-brush (or silver Sharpie) the exhaust system in a flat silver or steel color, and the gas tank too. And I'll often hand-brush the differential in a different shade or gloss of black.

Hand-brushing is used for detailing: Wood and chrome interior trim, wheels, grilles, underhood details, and so forth.

A silver Sharpie is used for chrome, stainless, or aluminum trim whenever I can get away with it. I LOVE the silver Sharpie!

[StevenGuthmiller]

I haven't bought an airbrush yet, and am confused about the use of primers. I know on real cars that you could paint enamel over lacquer, but could not paint lacquer over enamel since you would get a horrible reaction. I've read that you could paint lacquer over BAKED enamel (I never tried that as all of the cars I worked on were sprayed in lacquer from the factory).

I have had spray can lacquer paint eat into plastic models on occasion. Is the primer people are referring to here from a spray can or air brush? Is it lacquer or enamel?

I use almost exclusively automotive lacquers for my builds, whether it's an airbrush or from a spray can like Duplicolor.

Yes, it is absolutely necessary to prime well before using these types of paint.

You can airbrush your primer if you like, but I just use a good sandable automotive primer from Duplicolor.

I keep a can of each, red, gray & white on hand at all times.

But if you use an automotive lacquer primer, be warned, the primer itself is "hotter" than hobby primers & can etch the plastic also.

Start with very light coats & get heavier as you go.

Steve

[Lovefordgalaxie]

I use almost exclusively automotive lacquers for my builds, whether it's an airbrush or from a spray can like Duplicolor.

Yes, it is absolutely necessary to prime well before using these types of paint.

You can airbrush your primer if you like, but I just use a good sandable automotive primer from Duplicolor.

I keep a can of each, red, gray & white on hand at all times.

But if you use an automotive lacquer primer, be warned, the primer itself is "hotter" than hobby primers & can etch the plastic also.

Start with very light coats & get heavier as you go.

Steve

I use a spray can primer by Lukscolor that is formulated to protect plastics ans Styrofoam from their enamel spray paints. I use automotive urethane over it and the body remains intact. The only paint I use no primer whatsoever is Tamiya TS series spray cans.

I also use the very same primer to paint solid colors, and in this case I only use Synthetic enamel, or Nitrocellulose Lacquer, to have the exact same shine as the cars had back in the day when they were brand new inside the dealer.

[Lovefordgalaxie]

I haven't bought an airbrush yet, and am confused about the use of primers. I know on real cars that you could paint enamel over lacquer, but could not paint lacquer over enamel since you would get a horrible reaction. I've read that you could paint lacquer over BAKED enamel (I never tried that as all of the cars I worked on were sprayed in lacquer from the factory).

I have had spray can lacquer paint eat into plastic models on occasion. Is the primer people are referring to here from a spray can or air brush? Is it lacquer or enamel?

If you have no airbrush, and are confused about primers and stuff AND want to be sure of the results, well, paint everything with tamiya TS spray paints! Did some bodywork? Closed seams and killed some plastic tree attachment points on parts and want to make sure it's smooth and really ready to paint? Tamiya primer surfacer will get you ready. Granted result every single time. You can even paint the bodies of cars without any primer. If they are light gray, or white, go straight to the TS color you want, just give it a "misty" first coat first to anchor the others. Tamiya TS spray paint is a lacquer, but it won't harm the plastic in any possible way.

Can post some pictures of cars painted with Tamiya spray paint with NO primer if desired.

The only disadvantage: They cost a lot.

[Motor City]

I thank all of you so much for the great advice and suggestions.

Jim