66 Chevy Impala SS

[bluestringer]

Interior is finished. I should be getting the body paint in the next couple of days. I've got it prepped and primed, ready for the color coat.

[redscampi]

 

Very nicely detailed. It's a shame they are so hard to see once installed.

[TransAmMike]

Looking good there James. Perfect sheen on the seats.

[Zippi]

Looking good James.  I'm curious on how the MCW paint works out.  

[bluestringer]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:22 PM, redscampi said:

 

Very nicely detailed. It's a shame they are so hard to see once installed.

Thank you.

 

On 5/3/2023 at 8:46 PM, TransAmMike said:

Looking good there James. Perfect sheen on the seats.

Thanks Mike.

 

13 hours ago, Zippi said:

Looking good James.  I'm curious on how the MCW paint works out.  

Thanks Bob. I finally got the paint, just haven't had time to spray it. I'm curious too. 

[bluestringer]

Not sure if I like this MCW lacquer. Seems to go on streaky and blotchy. I put on 3 coats, maybe I need to put on a couple more. And it's not as glossy as I thought it would be, guess I can remedy that with a clear coat. 

[bluestringer]

After looking closer I will say I'm not impressed with this MCW paint at all. Very rough, not smooth. I will need to wet sand to get this smoothed out, and try adding another coat. I've never had to sand a body I painted with Tamiya paint. I should of just tried to find a Tamiya color that was close to the original. Also the bottle leaked badly when shaking it, never could get it tight enough to stop the leaking.

Edited May 7 by bluestringer

[espo]

28 minutes ago, bluestringer said:

After looking closer I will say I'm not impressed with this MCW paint at all. Very rough, not smooth. I will need to wet sand to get this smoothed out, and try adding another coat. I've never had to sand a body I painted with Tamiya paint. I should of just tried to find a Tamiya color that was close to the original. Also the bottle leaked badly when shaking it, never could get it tight enough to stop the leaking.

Did you test the MCW paint on a section of the kit spruce? Some lacquer paints are a little hot for the plastic in our kits. Also most of them will need a couple of coats of clear to bring out a nice smooth and shiny surface. 

[bluestringer]

33 minutes ago, espo said:

Did you test the MCW paint on a section of the kit spruce? Some lacquer paints are a little hot for the plastic in our kits. Also most of them will need a couple of coats of clear to bring out a nice smooth and shiny surface. 

I didn't, but should have. But it's not like it was too hot. It is just not smooth, feels very rough. I used Mr Hobby Primer.

[Zippi]

I hate having paint issues.  I remember reading somewhere the process MCW recommends for there paints.  Might look around on thete site or Hobby Nut Models site.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I can tell from the photos that a large part of the problem is probably your airbrush.

Looks to me like the streaks are because of a narrow spray pattern.

These paints have very fine metallic particles and require a wide spray pattern, and even strokes while spraying.

The graininess is likely caused by spraying too lightly, too far away, or too high of an air pressure.

These paints dry extremely fast, and will dry in the air if not sprayed properly.

 

A couple of lighter coats to start to get a good base, followed by a couple of wet coats is a good practice, but spraying with an airbrush with too small of a needle, causing too many overlaps, is still likely to leave streaks.

 

I have to ask, at this point, how much of the paint have you used?

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited May 7 by StevenGuthmiller

[bluestringer]

54 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I can tell from the photos that a large part of the problem is probably your airbrush.

Looks to me like the streaks are because of a narrow spray pattern.

These paints have very fine metallic particles and require a wide spray pattern, and even strokes while spraying.

The graininess is likely caused by spraying too lightly, too far away, or too high of an air pressure.

These paints dry extremely fast, and will dry in the air if not sprayed properly.

 

A couple of lighter coats to start to get a good base, followed by a couple of wet coats is a good practice, but spraying with an airbrush with too small of a needle, causing too many overlaps, is still likely to leave streaks.

 

I have to ask, at this point, how much of the paint have you used?

 

 

 

 

Steve

I disagree. I've sprayed a lot of bodies and never had this problem. I've sprayed metallic using my airbrush which has .3 needle, never has this problem.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, bluestringer said:

I disagree. I've sprayed a lot of bodies and never had this problem. I've sprayed metallic using my airbrush which has .3 needle, never has this problem.

Okay.

But, like I offered in the MCW thread, I've had these exact same problems in the past when using some acrylic lacquers, and I can tell you from experience that there's a 90% probability that there's nothing wrong with the paint.

Some lacquers use fast drying reducer, and you have to make adjustments for that.

It's really no more complicated than that.

 

As far as the streaks go, it's pretty hard to blame that on the paint.

Judging by the color variation in the photos, the paint is heavier in some areas than others.

It's up to the painter to make sure the coats are even.

 

 

Steve

[bluestringer]

Ok, well I'm just bummed out because I wanted this to turn out good since it's a replica of my first car. That's why I went with the MCW, I wanted the original color. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. I've heard wet sanding a metallic is not the way to go. But I think I will try to sand out some of the roughness and shoot another couple of coats. I'll try to get closer and put it on wet, maybe that was the problem. This is my first time using lacquer so I admit I don't know much about it. I think from now on I'll stick with acrylics. I have used about half of it.

 

The lid does not have a foil seal, so don't know what happened there. I know they had just made a move and were backlogged on paint orders, maybe a mistake was made.

[customline]

OK, now I'm scared. I have a bottle of MCW paint for my '65 Impala ragtop I think Steven is right about this. I read the directions that they provide and they are very specific about applying their paint. There's enough in the bottle for a practice run. When the '65 is up in queue, I will definitely spray some fenders I have. ( I have numerous '32, '34, etc...)  A second coat of Tamiya primer might be a good idea too. 

Edited May 8 by customline

[StevenGuthmiller]

7 minutes ago, customline said:

OK, now I'm scared. I have a bottle of MCW paint for my '65 Impala ragtop I think Steven is right about this. I read the directions that they provide and they are very specific about applying their paint. There's enough in the bottle for a practice run. When the '65 is up in queue, I will definitely spray some fenders I have. A second coat of Tamiya primer might be a good idea too. 

Remember, I believe that I heard somewhere on the forum recently that MCW recommends not using Tamiya primer in conjunction with their paint.

I didn't pay much attention because I don't use Tamiya, but it might be something you'll want to investigate.

If I'm correct, it apparently had something to do with a recent primer reformulation by Tamiya.

My recommendation would be a good primer sealer such as Duplicolor.

But that's just one guy's recommendation.

 

Your post was exactly why I took a little bit of exception to James' post.

MCW paints are wonderful stuff and it concerns me that people could get scared off by one bad experience that may or may not be an actual paint problem.

I use MCW all of the time, and I have nothing but good things to say about their product, and I would hate to see people not even giving it a shot because of a bad revue or two.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[customline]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Remember, I believe that I heard somewhere on the forum recently that MCW recommends not using Tamiya primer in conjunction with their paint.

I didn't pay much attention because I don't use Tamiya, but it might be something you'll want to investigate.

If I'm correct, it apparently had something to do with a recent primer reformulation by Tamiya.

My recommendation would be a good primer sealer such as Duplicolor.

But that's just one guy's recommendation.

 

Your post was exactly why I took a little bit of exception to James' post.

MCW paints are wonderful stuff and it concerns me that people could get scared off by one bad experience that may or may not be an actual paint problem.

I use MCW all of the time, and I have nothing but good things to say about their product, and I would hate to see people not even giving it a shot because of a bad revue or two.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Thank you for the heads-up, Steven. You just may have saved my neighbors an earfull of the most disgusting language they had ever heard 🤓.  Dupli-color is kinda pricey, though, and it's a high build primer-surfacer, right?

By the way, that big Poncho ragtop is AWESOME!

Edited May 8 by customline

[StevenGuthmiller]

9 minutes ago, customline said:

Thank you for the heads-up, Steven. You just may have saved my neighbors an earfull of the most disgusting language they had ever heard 🤓.  Dupli-color is kinda pricey, though, and it's a high build primer-surfacer, right?

By the way, that big Poncho ragtop is AWESOME!

No, Duplicolor makes many different primers.

The one that I’m talking about is called “primer sealer”.

It’s not a “high build”.

Just a primer designed to seal what’s under it, and enhance the shine of what goes over it.

Duplicolor primer is actually more economical than Tamiya, at around $10.00 or $11.00 for 12 oz. vs. about the same price for 6 oz. of Tamiya.

 

 

Steve

[customline]

15 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

No, Duplicolor makes many different primers.

The one that I’m talking about is called “primer sealer”.

It’s not a “high build”.

Just a primer designed to seal what’s under it, and enhance the shine of what goes over it.

Duplicolor primer is actually more economical than Tamiya, at around $10.00 or $11.00 for 12 oz. vs. about the same price for 6 oz. of Tamiya.

 

 

Steve

Ah ha. OK, then.  And it won't eat plastic? The money works out the same, so.....yeah, thanks again!

[StevenGuthmiller]

38 minutes ago, customline said:

Ah ha. OK, then.  And it won't eat plastic? The money works out the same, so.....yeah, thanks again!

It is an automotive lacquer primer, so it can be hotter than some other primers, but if you use several light coats, you shouldn’t have any crazing issues.

But if you’re apprehensive, you could start with a coat or two of the Tamiya primer, followed by a couple more of the Duplicolor.

The initial coats of Tamiya will help guard against the hotter Duplicolor primer.

I often do this, except with Testors lacquer primer instead of Tamiya.

 

 

Steve

[Dan Hay]

Glad I clicked on this thread, I ordered some MCW paint for the first time recently, so all advice on that product is appreciated. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Dan Hay said:

Glad I clicked on this thread, I ordered some MCW paint for the first time recently, so all advice on that product is appreciated. 

If you’re familiar with spraying acrylic lacquer through an airbrush, you shouldn’t have any real problems.

They’re all pretty comparable.

 

 

Steve

[customline]

15 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

It is an automotive lacquer primer, so it can be hotter than some other primers, but if you use several light coats, you shouldn’t have any crazing issues.

But if you’re apprehensive, you could start with a coat or two of the Tamiya primer, followed by a couple more of the Duplicolor.

The initial coats of Tamiya will help guard against the hotter Duplicolor primer.

I often do this, except with Testors lacquer primer instead of Tamiya.

 

 

Steve

I really appreciate your advice, Steve. 

[bluestringer]

Ok, I sanded with 1500 and 3200 and it smoothed out quickly. Feels really smooth and looks better also. I did burn through some spots so I will hit it with another coat or two. I'll try to get closer and put it on a little wetter, I am running the psi around 30. Hopefully it will turn out ok and I can put the clear on it.

[KWT]

I've never used it, but I will jump in with a Good luck James!