Compatible paints, primers, and clear coat

[Milo]

I've got a beautiful blue kind of body color for my new amt corvette model, it's a testor's enamel paint. I'm gonna airbrush it onto the body, but I was wondering which white primer (I would like a spray can for both) and clear gloss coat is compatible with enamel paint. I've already made the mistake of using lacquer gloss on enamel...

[stitchdup]

Save yourself some trouble and use the same brands. Once you have built up a few cans with leftover paints you can start to experiment with them then. Personally I stopped using enamels, they just never seemed to fully harden for me and i dont have the patience to watch paint dry so i use mainly 1/1 auto paints

[StevenGuthmiller]

What is the shade of blue your using?

 

If it's a darker blue, or at least a medium blue, you can use Testors enamel gloss.

Testors clear enamel gives you a nice gloss with a single wet coat, but it yellows fairly rapidly, so use over a light color isn't recommended.

 

It also takes a long time to cure, as do all of Testors enamels, as well as most enamels.

For that reason, if you're using enamels, you have a couple of options.

Either you can use a dehydrator to try to speed up the curing process, or you can just plan on putting it in a safe place for a number of weeks while the paint cures.

 

Way back when I was using Testors enamels, once the paint and clear were applied, I just planned on letting it cure for a good 6 weeks to 2 months, especially if you plan on doing any polishing.

The paint should be dry enough to handle after a week or so, but I wouldn't do much else with it until it's fully cured.

 

Just be aware that Testors clear enamel can run and pool, so don't apply it too heavily.

Just enough to give full even coverage, and a glossy finish.

 

While it's a little testy to work with, as are Testors enamels in general, a fairly decent finish is possible.

If you plan on going this route, just plain old Testors primer, whether enamel or lacquer primer, will work just fine.

As a matter of fact, back when I did the paint jobs depicted below, I often used Testors "Metallic Silver" in a spray can for my primer.

 

Here's a couple of old models shot with Testors enamels and clear that I painted many years ago.

They could be fairly presentable if I ever decided to finish them.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Dpate]

Only enamels I use is Tamiya X & XF line for detail work etc. once you get into the hobby good, wanna use enamels id recommend MCW along with their hardner. I’m strictly auto lacquers for 90% of anything model related. MCW enamels can gloss up really nice, and be sanded, and compounded, and polished up really nice without a separate clear coat.

Edited June 4, 2023 by Dpate

[Bills72sj]

Enamels can give great results. The cure time is the biggest drawback. If you are using rattle cans then 2-4 weeks. If you are airbrushing the little bottles thinned with lacquer thinner then just a few days.