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Posted

OK Im new to this forum and have a question. I've looked at quite a few pics in the forums and am wondering how you guys get your cars so shiny?! I'm in the final stages of the first car i've done. any tips and tricks would help tremendously. Thanks!

Posted

I use automotive paints and clear mostly.But I have also used lacquer.For the ultimate shine you have to polish the finish out.I am using Meguiar's PlastX for a polishing compound right now and it is good stuff.It is made for polishing out headlamp covers on cars.I use it with Flannel from Wally World.

Posted

The best thing I can tell you is take your time and be patient. In order to achieve the shine and depth of some of the paint you see here takes hours of working the paint. The process I use is no different then if I were painting a full sized auto. Each and every layer of paint is block sanded to get rid of orange peel and imperfections before the next coat is applied.

Avoid using hobby Enamels as they tend to never fully cure. The use of automotive paints, fingernail polishes and lacquers will yield a much superior finish. A lot of the models are shot with at least 1 coat of clear then polished out.

My personal preferences are PPG Sealer/Primer which allows me to paint over any color plastic with no bleed through even when the base plastic is red and the color coat is white. I follow the sealer/primer with the color coat, I spray on average 4 light coats of color then top it off with 2-4 coats of Catalyzed Urethane Clear. The only thing you have to remember with the Catalyzed paint is it is basically a 2 part epoxy clear and you need to make 100% sure you have your equipment cleaned up before it has a chance to setup in the airbrush.

From there polish it out as needed, but with the Catalyzed Urethane Clear that normally isn't needed.

Posted

hey bud, thanks for all the information and tips. also i saw the links on your reply. i may look into joining those. I too am a christian and look forward to talking to you more. Again Thanks

Posted (edited)

If you're just starting out then you're probably like me, still using spray cans, as opposed to an air brush. You probably don't have some of the more elaborate (and very useful) aids like a spray booth or a dehydrator. It's summer now, so regardless of where you live in the USA (assuming you do) your chances of getting great results without a spray booth or dehydrator are at their best. So here are some thoughts assuming you're using spray can paints.

1) Choosing the right paint.

I agree that generally speaking automotive paints will yield better, more consistent results. Hobby paints are expensive when you consider the quantity they sell you. Enamels can yield very smooth, deep finishes and a good deal of gloss, but they take a long time to cure. Even in hot dry weather you should allow a week or more for the paint to cure before you can sand or polish it. Even laying down multiple coats of the same color requires waiting a couple of hours between coats before the car can be handled. So, IMHO, try to avoid enamels if you can.

One advantage of hobby paints is that they tend to offer more imaginative colors in spray cans than automotive touch up paints you can buy in car parts stores. If you find just the right color then, within reason, it doesn't matter how much you pay for your paint. If I had to recommend a hobby paint I think it would be Tamiya paints. The cans are small so they land up being pretty pricy (I usually buy 2 cans of Tamiya for a single car because generally speaking for a single color car one can doesn’t provide quite enough paint). But the quality is excellent and they have some very nice colors. Testors makes nice lacquer paints and their enamels are available in a terrific range of colors which can be very tempting.

In automotive rattle can paints I get very good, consistent results from both DupliColor and Plasti-Cote paints. Both brands are generally available at most chain auto parts store. It really is worth the time spent to take part of a day and drive around to the various stores in your area to see who has the best variety and selection.

For primer I personally use DupliColor sandable primers and primer sealers (critical if the underlying plastic isn't in a light, neutral color like white or pale gray or beige). Plasti-Cote primers have an excellent reputation on this forum as well. Choose the appropriate color primer for the final color you are applying. For example a darker primer such a red oxide, black or drak gray will darken a lighter color coat such as white, yellow of pale blues or greens. For these I use a white primer. For deep reds, violets or maroons I find red axide adds some richness and depth.

You will find that automotive rattle can paints like DupliColor or Plasti-Cote will cost you roughly one half to one third as much as hobby paints. My understanding is that both these brands are modern acrylic lacquers. It’s critical that you use the proper primer before applying them to bare plastic because they will wrinkle (craze) the plastic if you don't. I find that the DupliColor primers I use are pretty kind to the plastic.

Very important, all these paints a really bad for you. They contain all kinds of terrible carcinogens and other stuff that will do your lungs no good at all. Make sure you paint in a well ventilated area. Ideally, you should get a good respirator if you're going to do painting with any frequency at all. They can be bought at auto paint supply stores or on line. I find that excellent prices can be found on e-bay.

2) Painting under the right conditions.

Paint is stinky and can get over anything near it when you spray. As a result, in my case, I have to paint outdoors or at the front of the garage with drop cloths covering virtually anything even faintly nearby.

First and foremost, make sure you are painting in an environment that ideally has warm, still air. Paint booths are one way to achieve this. But they cost money and when you are getting started chances are they are out of reach. So try to avoid damp, cool, windy days. The wind makes it hard to get an even coat over the paint. Some of the paint will dry before it lands on the car and result in a grainy dull coat. Lacquers in particular have a tendency to dull or blush when the air temperature is too cool. Summer weather helps enormously in avoiding these pitfalls so you have a good chance at a great result during this time of year.

One way to avoid the wind is to paint inside a large box shielding the car from the wind. Cool conditions can be counteracted by heating the paint can in a pan of warm water before spraying and by warming the body under a bright lamp or in a warm room before painting.

3) Patience is the key to good paint jobs, flaws are the enemy right from the start.

Good paint jobs require careful work. First make sure that the underlying body surface is absolutely smooth and flawless. You'll never overcome any flaws like scratches, rough spots, glue smudges, etc. once you paint over them. So put in the time to get the bodywork right before you paint.

The best way to get the bodywork right is to apply thin coats of primer and check for flaws. Fill and sand the flaws and apply more primer. Once you're satisfied with the body surface apply one final layer of primer and get ready to apply color.

One technique I have moved towards is color sanding. This is the technique mentioned by Fletch of sanding out orange peel and flaws between color coats. It really works. Each successive coat gets smoother and more consistent. This is the patience thing again. It's tempting to put down a nice thick glossy coat of color and call it good. But the chances of getting a smooth glossy finish in one or two color coats aren't very good. But if you color sand then you have to let the paint dry hard enough to sand between coats. This is where the very slow curing time of enamel really poses a problem, especially if you don't have a dehydrator to speed things up. If you use automotive paints which are generally urethanes or lacquers and you must air dry then allow at least 12-18 hours before color sanding. A good dehydrator at 105 degrees Fahrenheit will cut this down to a couple of hours. You should color sand using a finer grit sand paper. I generally wet sand starting with 400 grit. As the coats get better and smoother I move to light sanding at 800 grit. I usually put down about 4 coats of color, sanding between coats.

Finally, clear coats provide the depth and protection to your color coats that allows you to sand and polish without removing any color. I usually put down 2 or 3 coats of clear before sanding and polishing. Then I generally start with a wet sanding using 1000 grit to eliminate any flaws or orange peel and then a light pass with 2000 grit. Then I'll put down a final coat of clear and prepare to polish it. By now I have enough smooth coats of paint that have been sanded and smoothed that orange peel is no longer an issue. Now I'm ready to polish.

At this point I should mention that some of greatest paint jobs by the greatest painters are never polished. Polishing can impart a subtle haze to the paint. So the great master painters sometimes avoid polishing altogether and lay down a final "wet" clear coat to achieve maximum gloss. For us mere mortals a good set of polishing cloths going from 3200 grit to 12000 grit will yield beautiful results. Remember, however, to rub lightly to avoiding polishing down through the color coat. If you are already to the point of a smooth, shiny paint job from all the color sanding, etc. you will be very pleased with the impressive results you can get.

Finally, the haze can be reduced even further by using a plastic polishing or sworl removing product like Meguiars ScratchX or PlastX.

I hope some of this helps. The bottom line is that patience is the key...

Edited by gbk1
  • Thanks 1
Posted

wow...thank you so much for those tips. again you have amazed me with how deep this can really get lol. I just sort of build it paint it, but now want to make it look as good as i can. Thanks again!

If you're just starting out then you're probably like me, still using spray cans, as opposed to an air brush. You probably don't have some of the more elaborate (and very useful) aids like a spray booth or a dehydrator. It's summer now, so regardless of where you live in the USA (assuming you do) your chances of getting great results without a spray booth or dehydrator are at their best. So here are some thoughts assuming you're using spray can paints.

1) Choosing the right paint.

I agree that generally speaking automotive paints will yield better, more consistent results. Hobby paints are expensive when you consider the quantity they sell you. Enamels can yield very smooth, deep finishes and a good deal of gloss, but they take a long time to cure. Even in hot dry weather you should allow a week or more for the paint to cure before you can sand or polish it. Even laying down multiple coats of the same color requires waiting a couple of hours between coats before the car can be handled. So, IMHO, try to avoid enamels if you can.

One advantage of hobby paints is that they tend to offer more imaginative colors in spray cans than automotive touch up paints you can buy in car parts stores. If you find just the right color then, within reason, it doesn't matter how much you pay for your paint. If I had to recommend a hobby paint I think it would be Tamiya paints. The cans are small so they land up being pretty pricy (I usually buy 2 cans of Tamiya for a single car because generally speaking for a single color car one can doesn’t provide quite enough paint). But the quality is excellent and they have some very nice colors. Testors makes nice lacquer paints and their enamels are available in a terrific range of colors which can be very tempting.

In automotive rattle can paints I get very good, consistent results from both DupliColor and Plasti-Cote paints. Both brands are generally available at most chain auto parts store. It really is worth the time spent to take part of a day and drive around to the various stores in your area to see who has the best variety and selection.

For primer I personally use DupliColor sandable primers and primer sealers (critical if the underlying plastic isn't in a light, neutral color like white or pale gray or beige). Plasti-Cote primers have an excellent reputation on this forum as well. Choose the appropriate color primer for the final color you are applying. For example a darker primer such a red oxide, black or drak gray will darken a lighter color coat such as white, yellow of pale blues or greens. For these I use a white primer. For deep reds, violets or maroons I find red axide adds some richness and depth.

You will find that automotive rattle can paints like DupliColor or Plasti-Cote will cost you roughly one half to one third as much as hobby paints. My understanding is that both these brands are modern acrylic lacquers. It’s critical that you use the proper primer before applying them to bare plastic because they will wrinkle (craze) the plastic if you don't. I find that the DupliColor primers I use are pretty kind to the plastic.

Very important, all these paints a really bad for you. They contain all kinds of terrible carcinogens and other stuff that will do your lungs no good at all. Make sure you paint in a well ventilated area. Ideally, you should get a good respirator if you're going to do painting with any frequency at all. They can be bought at auto paint supply stores or on line. I find that excellent prices can be found on e-bay.

2) Painting under the right conditions.

Paint is stinky and can get over anything near it when you spray. As a result, in my case, I have to paint outdoors or at the front of the garage with drop cloths covering virtually anything even faintly nearby.

First and foremost, make sure you are painting in an environment that ideally has warm, still air. Paint booths are one way to achieve this. But they cost money and when you are getting started chances are they are out of reach. So try to avoid damp, cool, windy days. The wind makes it hard to get an even coat over the paint. Some of the paint will dry before it lands on the car and result in a grainy dull coat. Lacquers in particular have a tendency to dull or blush when the air temperature is too cool. Summer weather helps enormously in avoiding these pitfalls so you have a good chance at a great result during this time of year.

One way to avoid the wind is to paint inside a large box shielding the car from the wind. Cool conditions can be counteracted by heating the paint can in a pan of warm water before spraying and by warming the body under a bright lamp or in a warm room before painting.

3) Patience is the key to good paint jobs, flaws are the enemy right from the start.

Good paint jobs require careful work. First make sure that the underlying body surface is absolutely smooth and flawless. You'll never overcome any flaws like scratches, rough spots, glue smudges, etc. once you paint over them. So put in the time to get the bodywork right before you paint.

The best way to get the bodywork right is to apply thin coats of primer and check for flaws. Fill and sand the flaws and apply more primer. Once you're satisfied with the body surface apply one final layer of primer and get ready to apply color.

One technique I have moved towards is color sanding. This is the technique mentioned by Fletch of sanding out orange peel and flaws between color coats. It really works. Each successive coat gets smoother and more consistent. This is the patience thing again. It's tempting to put down a nice thick glossy coat of color and call it good. But the chances of getting a smooth glossy finish in one or two color coats aren't very good. But if you color sand then you have to let the paint dry hard enough to sand between coats. This is where the very slow curing time of enamel really poses a problem, especially if you don't have a dehydrator to speed things up. If you use automotive paints which are generally urethanes or lacquers and you must air dry then allow at least 12-18 hours before color sanding. A good dehydrator at 105 degrees Fahrenheit will cut this down to a couple of hours. You should color sand using a finer grit sand paper. I generally wet sand starting with 400 grit. As the coats get better and smoother I move to light sanding at 800 grit. I usually put down about 4 coats of color, sanding between coats.

Finally, clear coats provide the depth and protection to your color coats that allows you to sand and polish without removing any color. I usually put down 2 or 3 coats of clear before sanding and polishing. Then I generally start with a wet sanding using 1000 grit to eliminate any flaws or orange peel and then a light pass with 2000 grit. Then I'll put down a final coat of clear and prepare to polish it. By now I have enough smooth coats of paint that have been sanded and smoothed that orange peel is no longer an issue. Now I'm ready to polish.

At this point I should mention that some of greatest paint jobs by the greatest painters are never polished. Polishing can impart a subtle haze to the paint. So the great master painters sometimes avoid polishing altogether and lay down a final "wet" clear coat to achieve maximum gloss. For us mere mortals a good set of polishing cloths going from 3200 grit to 12000 grit will yield beautiful results. Remember, however, to rub lightly to avoiding polishing down through the color coat. If you are already to the point of a smooth, shiny paint job from all the color sanding, etc. you will be very pleased with the impressive results you can get.

Finally, the haze can be reduced even further by using a plastic polishing or sworl removing product like Meguiars ScratchX or PlastX.

I hope some of this helps. The bottom line is that patience is the key...

Posted
I sprayed this Vette with ppg single stage enamel, no wet sanding polishing or buffing.

005-6.jpg

Gorgeous Henry. Rattle can or airbrush? This is what I mean about the best gloss coming from an unpolished surface and enamel. But you've got superb technique if you can get to this point without color sanding. Congrats! B):)

Posted
Gorgeous Henry. Rattle can or airbrush? This is what I mean about the best gloss coming from an unpolished surface and enamel. But you've got superb technique if you can get to this point without color sanding. Congrats! :lol::blink:

Its ppg single stage enamel sprayed with an airbrush.

I know what you mean about the best shine without polishing,

enamels always seem to have a slight haze to them after polishing.

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