What's your "go to" semi-gloss black rattle can paint?

[Goodwrench3]

So many  parts on kits are either flat black or semi-gloss black.

What is everyone's "go to" rattle can spray for semi-gloss black ?

I.e.  ideally:

• Easy to apply -- doesn't run or sag easily (in case you have to blast a little extra in to tight areas).
• Not thick
• Dries quickly
• Lays down nice and smooth every time
• Even coverage -- doesn't need primer, doesn't appear "blotchy"

Looking forward to hearing !

Thanks!

[Miatatom]

Tamiya.

[DiscoRover007]

I don't think there is one to be honest. Vallejo makes a really great flat black in a spray can that I use for mass painting. Thats not to say there isnt one you could use. But for semi gloss black its hard to beat the use of an airbrush. It looks more realistic and atomizes the paint better. You could try krylon but I find it to be too glossy. Tamiya TS semi gloss black could work but again would look better through an airbrush.

[Goodwrench3]

Thanks -- Unfortunately, I'm not at the airbrush stage yet (hopefully this summer).

Is this the Vallejo spray paint you are referring to ?   I didn't see semi-gloss black in the color choices.

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by Goodwrench3
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[Goodwrench3]

[Deuces ll]

Dupli-Color????....

[DiscoRover007]

23 minutes ago, Goodwrench3 said:

Yes that's their spray can. They make a black spray. It comes out like a flat black but lays down extremely well.  You might find it labeled as a primer but I think thats just a mix up in labeling. Duplicolor, Rustoleum, and Krylon make a semi gloss black that you are welcome to try. I'm just nit picky with my paints.

[Goodwrench3]

Cool --   I see they have an "Acrylic Satin Varnish" spray.

Are those "varnish" sprays then used to take the flat black to a "semi-gloss" (satin) or "gloss" black  ?

I've never understood these "Acrylic" sprays and "Varnishes".

Thanks

 

[peteski]

7 hours ago, Goodwrench3 said:

Cool --   I see they have an "Acrylic Satin Varnish" spray.

Are those "varnish" sprays then used to take the flat black to a "semi-gloss" (satin) or "gloss" black  ?

I've never understood these "Acrylic" sprays and "Varnishes".

Thanks

 

Sounds liek a marketign terms.  "Acrylic" is likely the acrylic resin used as binder in the clear coat.  "Varnish" is then used to indicate that it is a clear coating.

 

And yes, since the reflectivity (glossiness) of any object depend on its surface roughness, by applying a clear topcoat which dries to some specific level of glossiness (or lack of thereof) affects the glossiness level.  Did I make it as clear as lacquer now?

Edited April 24, 2020 by peteski

[Matt Bacon]

Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black. Or Citadel Chaos Black in a big can...

beat,

M.

[Goodwrench3]

33 minutes ago, Matt Bacon said:

Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black. Or Citadel Chaos Black in a big can...

beat,

M.

Thanks !   Looks like some really positive comments on the Citadel paint.  But it looks like it's kind of hard to find  ?

 

[Dave Van]

3 hours ago, Deuces ll said:

Dupli-Color????....

Go to NAPA is you have one....get a can of Dupli-color LACQUER Semi Gloss Black. I've gone through more than I'd care to admit.  It's online too....but even I have a NAPA and I live way back in the woods!!! 

[Goodwrench3]

4 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

Go to NAPA is you have one....get a can of Dupli-color LACQUER Semi Gloss Black. I've gone through more than I'd care to admit.  It's online too....but even I have a NAPA and I live way back in the woods!!! 

 

Thanks --  does it work well on bare plastic ?   Or does it need primer under it ?

 

[Tom Geiger]

The cheap Walmart Color Place flat and gloss blacks work fairly well. I do like the sheen of the flat black.

I also use a lot of Testors flat black.

I will buy off brand blacks and grays just to see their results. On a chassis or interior you will find multiple tones and finishes of black. So there are times when I will have several flat blacks.. say the Color Place black for a surface with Testors flat black accessories. Different contrasting tones.

Also consider adding clears over various blacks to get different tones.. different brands of flat, semi and gloss will give different tones. 
 

Here’s the Walmart Color Place flat black

Edited April 23, 2020 by Tom Geiger

[Dave Van]

1 hour ago, Goodwrench3 said:

 

Thanks --  does it work well on bare plastic ?   Or does it need primer under it ?

 

I shoot it on bare plastic from about every manufacture......but test on sprue. If needed you can use Dupli-color #1699 sealer then the black. I do this when I have diferent colors under.....

[Goodwrench3]

8 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

I shoot it on bare plastic from about every manufacture......but test on sprue. If needed you can use Dupli-color #1699 sealer then the black. I do this when I have diferent colors under.....

Thanks !

I've got a NAPA nearby and apparently O'Reilly Auto carries it too -- I have one just down the street.

 

[cobraman]

You might like the Krylon Short Cuts flat black. It is really not a flat at all . More of a satin or semi gloss I think. I buy it at Hobby Lobby for about 3.50/4.00 a can.

[Jon Haigwood]

Normally I just spray Rustoleum Satin or Semi Gloss clear over the black primer or anything else that I want to have that type of finish such as engine blocks, transmission , interiors etc.

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

The cheap Walmart Color Place flat and gloss blacks work fairly well. I do like the sheen of the flat black.

I haven't seen that stuff in over a year. However, I've discovered Touch N Tone paint, which I BELIEVE is the same thing. 

I wouldn't call it (or the Walmart stuff) a semi-gloss, though. It's pretty flat. 

Krylon Matte Black is pretty good, but I'm disappointed with its coverage. If I'm using it, I use the TNT flat black as a primer, and then shoot the Krylon Matte. 

Testor has a rattlecan semigloss black lacquer, too, which I've been using. This is a true semigloss, with a certain amount of sheen. It's too shiny for upholstery or a "satin black" finish to my eye, but it would be good for car frames, firewalls, underhood sheetmetal, and so forth. I just painted a hot rod frame with the stuff, and it looks very good. 

[Deuces ll]

I've sprayed Dupli Color "black trim paint" on seats and door panels... Almost looks like fresh black leather when dry.... ??

Try it on a plastic spoon first and see how ya like it....

[vintagerpm]

17 hours ago, Goodwrench3 said:

Cool --   I see they have an "Acrylic Satin Varnish" spray.

Are those "varnish" sprays then used to take the flat black to a "semi-gloss" (satin) or "gloss" black  ?

I've never understood these "Acrylic" sprays and "Varnishes".

Thanks

"Varnish" is British for "clear coat".

Acrylic refers to polymers added to the paint. Any paint can be acrylic - lacquer, enamel, or otherwise. Tamiya's spray can lacquers are "acrylic". When talking about paints, most modelers use the term "acrylic" when refering to "aqueous" (water-based)  paints, which is what Vellejo make.

[vintagerpm]

18 hours ago, DiscoRover007 said:

Yes that's their spray can. They make a black spray. It comes out like a flat black but lays down extremely well.  You might find it labeled as a primer but I think thats just a mix up in labeling. Duplicolor, Rustoleum, and Krylon make a semi gloss black that you are welcome to try. I'm just nit picky with my paints.

It may not be a mixup in labeling. It may really be primer. Vellejo makes acrylic primer in many different colors for airbrushing. I use them all the time on military models.

[Goodwrench3]

1 hour ago, vintagerpm said:

"Varnish" is British for "clear coat".

Acrylic refers to polymers added to the paint. Any paint can be acrylic - lacquer, enamel, or otherwise. Tamiya's spray can lacquers are "acrylic". When talking about paints, most modelers use the term "acrylic" when refering to "aqueous" (water-based)  paints, which is what Vellejo make.

Thanks for the explanation.  I've been making the mistake assuming that "Acrylic" means water-based.   Clearly not the case.

 

[Goodwrench3]

13 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I haven't seen that stuff in over a year. However, I've discovered Touch N Tone paint, which I BELIEVE is the same thing. 

I wouldn't call it (or the Walmart stuff) a semi-gloss, though. It's pretty flat. 

Krylon Matte Black is pretty good, but I'm disappointed with its coverage. If I'm using it, I use the TNT flat black as a primer, and then shoot the Krylon Matte. 

Testor has a rattlecan semigloss black lacquer, too, which I've been using. This is a true semigloss, with a certain amount of sheen. It's too shiny for upholstery or a "satin black" finish to my eye, but it would be good for car frames, firewalls, underhood sheetmetal, and so forth. I just painted a hot rod frame with the stuff, and it looks very good. 

Yes I have used the cheap-O Walmart flat black and then sprayed the Model Master semi-gloss black lacquer over it.  You can be pretty "generous" with the Wal-Mart flat black -- you can blast it in to corners, tight spots, etc. and not really have to worry about it running or sagging.   BUT I found that you have be very careful when spraying the Model Master lacquer over it because the Wal-Mart stuff is enamel -- and if you get too generous with the Model Master lacquer over it, it can "bubble" the paint.   So that's why I was wondering if there might be a good "one step" replacement for what I had done.

 

[Snake45]

14 minutes ago, Goodwrench3 said:

Yes I have used the cheap-O Walmart flat black and then sprayed the Model Master semi-gloss black lacquer over it.  You can be pretty "generous" with the Wal-Mart flat black -- you can blast it in to corners, tight spots, etc. and not really have to worry about it running or sagging.   BUT I found that you have be very careful when spraying the Model Master lacquer over it because the Wal-Mart stuff is enamel -- and if you get too generous with the Model Master lacquer over it, it can "bubble" the paint.   So that's why I was wondering if there might be a good "one step" replacement for what I had done.

 

Yes, there is, but it's not in a rattlecan. It's Model Master Black Chrome Trim thinned with lacquer thinner and airbrushed. Wonderful stuff!