Looking for a Good Maroon Color

[Jim B]

I am looking for a good maroon color for a 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe. I tried Tamiya Maroon TS-11, but it's too purple for my liking & like all Tamiya gloss paint it won't stay on the model. That's two coats over Tamiya Surface Primer (grey).

[KWT]

hmmm... that's odd. I've never had that issue.

[Jim B]

Constantly have this issue with Tamiya gloss, not with flat though.

[James2]

Picture isn't the best but this is the same paint over grey auto motive sealer/primer. 

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, Jim B said:

Constantly have this issue with Tamiya gloss, not with flat though.

I think it needs a couple light mist coats, then heavier coats can follow. I never had that problem putting it over Tamiya primer. Here is the TS-11 on my Willys pickup.

Edited January 28, 2023 by NOBLNG

[Jim B]

Those are definitely less purple. They really look nice. 

[Dpate]

Are you using the spray cans or are you decanting it? When i last used tamiya's maroon it was over bare plastic scrap part testing out the color.  This color you have to build up until you get the fullness of the maroon by doing light coats few mins between coats.  It even looks purplish like that in my tamiya paint jar, but i think this is the only color tamiya actually has that is a automotive color made just for there fairlady z kit. From the picture it looks like you were trying to build up the gloss too fast, and not saying you did it's just the way it looks is all.

If you are using the can did you shake it good enough? Warm it up in water for few mins? Hot water bath will give a nicer spray. 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Dpate

[jaymcminn]

Tamiya maroon will be very different over different primers. This is over Tamiya Red Oxide primer...

And over Tamiya grey primer. 

Tamiya requires 3-4 mist coats applied about 5 minutes apart to build up a base and 3-4 wet coats after. Most of my builds are finished with Tamiya and I never have coverage issues.

[Jim B]

Wow! Jason.  Those are beautiful.

Lots of good information here, so to answer some questions.  I am using the TS-11 straight from the can.  I generally do not run spray paint under warm water, but since I store them in a basement, that might not be a bad idea, or at the very least let them sit upstairs in the sun for a little while. I did apply the paint over Tamiya Primer, but it really is a light grey.  I might experiment with Flat Black and a darker grey.  I do think the coats are a little heavy.  I'll have to try using mist coats to see what that does.  I'll post more pics once I get some more paint going.

[Cool Hand]

Looks like the paint can hasnt been shaken enough.

 

Polished TS-11 over black surfacer.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Cool Hand

[Dpate]

42 minutes ago, Jim B said:

Wow! Jason.  Those are beautiful.

Lots of good information here, so to answer some questions.  I am using the TS-11 straight from the can.  I generally do not run spray paint under warm water, but since I store them in a basement, that might not be a bad idea, or at the very least let them sit upstairs in the sun for a little while. I did apply the paint over Tamiya Primer, but it really is a light grey.  I might experiment with Flat Black and a darker grey.  I do think the coats are a little heavy.  I'll have to try using mist coats to see what that does.  I'll post more pics once I get some more paint going.

Just warm up some water on the stove and sit the can in the pot for about a min or two, and dry can off and shake for few mins and off to the races.

[jaymcminn]

41 minutes ago, Dpate said:

Just warm up some water on the stove and sit the can in the pot for about a min or two, and dry can off and shake for few mins and off to the races.

Make sure to take the pot off the burner first...?

[Dave G.]

I just use full hot tap water when I heat spray cans. Give it a shake every couple of minutes till the can is just comfortably warm after a shake. It doesn't need to be too hot, remember the pressure builds with heat. The paint thins out too and will atomize much better than a cool can will. Tamiya cans I imagine heat quickly, I'm used to things like Rustoleum, Krylon paints, 3M contact cement, acrylic or lacquer clears too and such.

[NOBLNG]

I keep the cans of primer and any paints that I intend to use soon in my dehydrator, (which is set on low heat), next to the spray booth.

[Matt Bacon]

On the original issue, I think the paint is laid on too thick. If it’s wet on the model, it pulls back from raised bits and the edges of shut lines. Lots of very light coats until the coverage is even works for me with any Tamiya paint. If you need it, Novus polish in the “fine scratch” flavour works wonders. That TS-11 was originally for the Tamiya 1/12 240ZG, and according to Octane, that colour was _meant_ to be “Marron” or Chestnut, so it’s a red-brown, not a purpley-red…

Best,

M.

[Jim B]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys.  I appreciate the help.

[gman]

My first go around with the Tamiya TS maroon was similar to what happened in the photos of the original post. I could say the same for other colours in the TS line as well.

I was ready to give up on the Tamiya TS sprays, but it turns out I was applying them wrong- as others have said, spray mist coats to build up some coverage and "tooth" for the following coats. Let those mist coats gas out, and then slowly build up successive coats to get full coverage. The solvent in the following coats will chemically bond with those initial mist coats and smooth them out as you continue to build the colour up. The Tamiya TS maroon lacquer is a semi-transparent paint, so multiple coats (ideally over a darker primer) will help you get to your chosen opacity in fewer coats than if spraying directly over bare plastic. If you see some texture in the paint after arriving at proper coverage, let it cure completely (the texture should settle down some when fully cured) and then polish using gentle compounds.

[TransAmMike]

On 1/28/2023 at 8:19 PM, Cool Hand said:

Looks like the paint can hasnt been shaken enough.

 

Polished TS-11 over black surfacer.

Wow Luke, that is one beautiful paint job.  When you say "surfacer" are you referring to Mr. Hobby surfacer and if so, which one. 

Thanks, Mike

Edited February 5, 2023 by TransAmMike

[KWT]

On 1/28/2023 at 8:19 PM, Cool Hand said:

Looks like the paint can hasnt been shaken enough.

 

Polished TS-11 over black surfacer.

HoLy... wow...

[Exotics_Builder]

Another vote for Tamiya TS11.  This one over Light Gray Primer

 

[Jim B]

Thanks for all the replies, guys.  I really appreciate it.  I'm going to give the TS-11 another shot once CNY gets out of the Deep Freeze we're in (I paint in an unheated garage).