Question about Testors Extreme Lacquers (aka One Coat)

[Mr. Metallic]

1 hour ago, Bucky said:

Can the Wet Look Clear be used over Tamiya paint?

 

29 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Probably. But, why risk it? Tamiya TS-13 is a better clear. I used the wet look on the '29 in the post above. To me, it's a little on the thick side. One coat is about all you want to use.

Not everyone has easy access to Tamiya paints would be one reason.

 

To answer your question Bucky, yes you definitely can. I have found all of the Tamiya lacquers in their standard line (not the Polycarbonate specific paint line) can be used without issue with the Testors 2 part and Extreme lacquer paint lines. But as always, test first.

[Tom Geiger]

12 minutes ago, Mr. Metallic said:

But as always, test first.

Oh yea!  This is Duplicolor gray primer with Duplicolor blue over it.  Then since someone in my club was crowing about One Coat Clear, I tried it. Over all that detail... what was I thinking.  It somehow drew out the red plastic through all that Duplicolor.  You can see the difference in the decal areas, and in the rear side windows which were the clear unit.  It also dissolved black Sharpie that I had used to touch up some details, including panel lines.  This episode definitely sucked.   This is now the silver truck I finally finished.

[Plowboy]

27 minutes ago, Mr. Metallic said:

 

Not everyone has easy access to Tamiya paints would be one reason.

 

 

Yes, anyone with internet access has easy access to Tamiya paints. That's how I get all of mine. I go to ebay, find the paint, click buy and wait a couple or three days for it to arrive. 

[Bucky]

I have several different brands of clear coat on hand, including DupliColor clear, but the one I don't have right now is Tamiya. I was kinda wanting to use what I have, if it would work. I'll definitely paint a couple spoons and then shoot some clear on them before I aim it at the build I'm attempting to finish! HAHA

It never hurts to check around here, to see if anyone else has past experience with such things.

[StevenGuthmiller]

8 hours ago, Mr. Metallic said:

Steven and I have gone rounds on this subject before, we are not going to alter each others opinion, so I'm not going to try. But I'll present my opinions for anyone else following along.

To me, the Starliner looks great. But it looks like it's painted with solid grey paint. There's no metallic or metal flake effect to it.

My point, with regards to this issue is, build what makes YOU happy. If you like the look of whatever paint you choose to use,  that's all that matters.

Building for 100% accuracy is a great endeavor as well if that's what makes YOU happy. But if building to 100% accuracy is your goal, you should probably steer clear of this line of paints. 

Some people enjoy building for accuracy. Some people build for creative expression. Some people build for stress relief. People build for many reasons. The important thing is, build what makes YOU happy. Don't let anyone else diminish your enjoyment or satisfaction with your build with their expectations. 

Very fair Craig.

I guess I really don't care what people use to paint their models, but suggestions never hurt.

People ask frequently about metallic rattle can paints, and I give them my opinion.

 

I do have to make one remark about your statement about "looking like it was painted with solid gray paint with no metal flake effect to it".

Nothing having to do with the model itself, but because that is precisely the root of this discussion.

A "metallic" paint job should not have a "metal flake effect".

A "metal flake" paint job should have a "metal flake effect", and even then, most metal flake paint jobs would never look as obvious as a good portion of metal flake hobby paints

Metallic paint should have a metal like "sheen" without the flakes being evident, especially in this small scale.

Someone please tell me if they can see any metallic flakes in any of these 1:1 "metallic" paint jobs.

No, it's not possible from even a few feet away, and with 1/25th scale being 1/25th actual size, it would be utterly impossible to see any flakes no matter how close you are to the model.

These are just examples, but you can Google automotive metallic paint photographs for days and days and you will see virtually zero metallic paint particles in any of the photographs.

That is my only argument on this subject.

I don't wish to suggest that everyone should do exactly as I do, but it is quite evident that what I am saying is absolutely factual.

 

Even in the case of most far out customs, these flakes are not visible unless you're nose is touching the paint.

 

Again, I really don't care what paint other people use, but if we're throwing these questions out there, these are my answers.

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bucky]

Tell the truth, Steve.....these are all models you've built....right??

[Bucky]

Well...it happened to me!

I shot TESTORS One Coat Wet Look Clear over Tamiya color coats. It didn't exactly orange peel, but it almost looks like it has tiny sand particles in it.

The body was super clean and smooth when I started spraying. It is shiny, but not very smooth.

How long should I wait before attempting to wet sand the grain out of it?

[StevenGuthmiller]

46 minutes ago, Bucky said:

Well...it happened to me!

I shot TESTORS One Coat Wet Look Clear over Tamiya color coats. It didn't exactly orange peel, but it almost looks like it has tiny sand particles in it.

The body was super clean and smooth when I started spraying. It is shiny, but not very smooth.

How long should I wait before attempting to wet sand the grain out of it?

Testors "Wet Look" clear takes a bit longer to cure than something like Duplicolor, but not much.

Personally, I would give it a week.

Not sure why you had the issue that you had.

Normally it will lay down pretty well.

I used to use it often but gave up on it a few years ago because I started having cracking issues with it.

 

 

Steve

[Bucky]

This is the first time I've had it do that.  It usually lays down great for me.

[Bucky]

When I sprayed the clear, I had two cans. The first can laid down fairly smooth, but I ran out. I opened the new can....waited the 20 minutes as recommended on the label, and then sprayed the next coat. That's when the grainy problem showed up.

[randyc]

Personally, I've not had the spectacular results with wet look clear that some do.  I've tried straight from can and through the airbrush.   I think it cures too quickly for the paint to flow out - typical lacquer?   Then you rub it out to get it really smooth and slick?  I'm new to it, so it is taking some time to get used to.  I've had 30 years with testors and duplicolors.  

[Monty]

On 8/1/2019 at 10:18 AM, Mr. Metallic said:

In my opinion, they have changed the size of the flakes over the years since this paint line launched 10-ish years ago. I beleive they made the flakes smaller to address the criticism of the flake being too large at launch. So, it all depends on when your can was made

I have used these paints extensively over the last ten years.  But, i could be wog about the change as well, and there could just be lots of variability between batches.

 

The examples you posted didn't seem to be egregious as far as flake size, but I believe the biggest offenders were the three shades of blue.  Still makes me wonder why they varied the size.  You'd think uniformity would've been considered when these paints were being formulated.

I wish we had an industry insider on the board who could confirm your assertion that they eventually made the flakes smaller.  

[StevenGuthmiller]

10 hours ago, Monty said:

The examples you posted didn't seem to be egregious as far as flake size, but I believe the biggest offenders were the three shades of blue.  Still makes me wonder why they varied the size.  You'd think uniformity would've been considered when these paints were being formulated.

This is a good question.

Even the after market air brush model paint outfits use varying sizes of particles.

Couldn't tell you why, but generally there is little difference.

Certainly less difference than the Testors paints.

 

Steve

[peteski]

I'm  one of the modelers who is on the same page with Steve regarding the Testors paints metallic size particles being way out of scale. I take photos at my club's annual contest (to be published in Scale Auto Contest Annual) and the size of metal flakes shows up in those photos really well (and they look like bass-boats not model cars).

[StevenGuthmiller]

15 minutes ago, peteski said:

the size of metal flakes shows up in those photos really well.

This is my only point.

If you can pick out individual metallic particles in a photograph, they're too large.

 

I will add that I'm not immune from this phenomena either.

Sometimes even MCW and Scale Finishes have particles that are a little too large.

It happens. 

 

 

Steve

Edited August 8, 2019 by StevenGuthmiller