Lacquer paints

[Mopar D]

Hi Guys, I've been out of the loop for awhile...like 20 years lol. And im looking to get back into it again.

I need some advice on the paints avaiable today like the ones from Testors. I'd rather use the Lacquers so i can get a nice finish on the model after buffing.

Are you guy's using any primers on the models if so where and what can i use. i haven't found any primers made by Testors not even on there site.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[ismaelg]

Dennis,

First of all, WELCOME BACK!!!! Primer IS a must if you are using lacquer paints, and so is personal safety gear (A respirator is a must as well). Especially with today's softer plastic from Revell, AMT etc. My favorite primer is Cobra Colors Moon Mud. Unfortunately, Cobra Colors is no longer in business. My second choice (to be first when I run out of Moon Mud) is Plastikote T-235. Easy to use (spray can) and works great. It is gray but it also comes in white and black (T-236 and T-237 I think) It is a bit hard to find in some places. Some people like Dupli-Color primers, easily available in places like Wal-Mart, Pep-Boys, Auto Zone etc. Tamiya offers a primer to be used with their lacquer paints. I don't know how well it works with Testor's or any other lacquer.

The key is testing and work slow.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

[jbwelda]

tamiya is as usual head and shoulders above the rest though my one experience with the newish testors laquers was all right. tamiya makes at least two grades of primer, one fine and one extra fine grain. im pretty sure testors makes at least one primer product but i dont even fool around with that, i go for quality and quality is spelled T-A-M-I-Y-A in my book. you often dont even need to polish the paint if applied well in my experience...unless you like the polished look of a "finish" (which i do so i polish whether it needs it or not).

[MonoPed]

I haven't used the Testors lacquers, so I can't comment on them. That being said, you would do well to give Tamiya lacquer sprays a try - good stuff!! Their primer, available in white and grey is also very nice to use, very fine grain, and doesn't bury molded in details. As Ismael mentioned, the best money you cna spend is on a cartridge-type respirator made for lacquers and other VOC materials. Lacquers dry fast, lay down thin, and cure rock hard. Here are a couple cars done with Tamiya sprays, and rubbed out with Novus plastic polish #2.

Tamiya Ferrari 360 Modena, painted TS-16 Yellow:

Monogram '65 Corvette Stingray, painted TS-08 Italian Red:

Neither of those have any clear, just rubbed with Novus #2.

Brian

[white00gt]

sorry to butt in on your topic but I have a question about Tamiya paints,

I just used tamiya paint on model masters primer (been a while and had used it in the past without a problem- 6years ago)

this time when I used the tamiya paint which has been a fav. since I first used it, well the paint crazed badly I am going to strip the paint off this one

My question is : does anyone know if I could spray auto primer like plastikote over model masters primer and use tamiya paint then-because I have another car that I did alot of putty work on and I am afraid that the body work will get ruined if I strip that primer off the body so I can use the tamiya paint or should I use model master paint as a base coat (tested it on a spare hood and no crazing)then use the tamiya (I am laying down stripes on the car so model masters gold paint will go down and then masked for stripes then body will be black

oh yeah body was sprayed with future before primer

thanks guys for any help

[MonoPed]

Is the model master gold the new lacquer, or the old enamal?

[jbwelda]

whitegt, i dont know about plasticote but ive sprayed tamiya primer over other primer with no ill effects, then tamiya color over the tamiya primer.

ive been told that if youre planning on using tamiya you should use tamiya from start to finish (primer to clear) so thats what i do and so far its all been good (except for my own clumsiness lately). ive sprayed testors clear over tamiya color too without a problem.

it might matter though how much you spray on. i always try to dust on a few coats before going at it for a flow coat and havent had problems at all.

one thing: test test test. ok i guess thats three things.

[white00gt]

Is the model master gold the new lacquer, or the old enamal?

says its enamel on can

[Modelmartin]

I have used Dupont and now use PPG grey lacquer primer. The Dupont can craze on occasion but the PPG is real plastic friendly. In the past when I used aerosol primers I experienced cracking of the paint about 6 months after it was dry and polished. I only airbrush my paint jobs. They put too much stuff in the spraycan piant to keep it sprayable and that is the stuff that eats the plastic and causes fisheyes. I use Tamiya, Duplicolor and whatever cool color automotive lacquer I can find. I would rather eat dirt than use enamels on my paint jobs. Of course, once in a while I do a nostalgia build with Testor's flake but I airbrush it after decanting it.

lacquer is the best and airbrushing is the best way to go.

[MonoPed]

..says its enamel on can

That's likely the culprit, the Tamiya lacquer ate into the Testors enamal, causing it to wrinkle.

[ismaelg]

As a rule of thumb, don't mix lacquers and enamels. BUT if you are going to: enamel over lacquer is usually OK, lacquer over enamel is a big NO-NO

[Steve H.]

What all these guys say about Tamiya lacquer is true... its great stuff!

Testors lacquer are good, especially if you're looking for factory stock colors. I find Testors to be thicker, though (see below)

My experience with Tamiya and Testors together... Testors over Tamiya works for me. I tend to use a lot of Tamiya lacquers because I like their colors. I also LOVE their primers. But... I don't like Tamiya clear, as I find its too thin for my heavy handed polishing. Testors clear lacquer is a little thicker, goes over Tamiya nicely, and has some room to polish.

I've had several different reactions to Tamiya clear over Testors, though, none of them good. :shock:

[simonr]

In my opinion, if you want something in lacquer that will hold ANYTHING over it, is't plastic friendly, real thinn, don't need to sand anything after spray or airbrush it, that is completly compatible with enamels, lacquers or acrylic, I recommend Gunze Sangyo's Mr. Surfacer 1000 primer. Once you use it you will forget about those testors or tamiya's primers. I've heard that Floquil primer do the same, but, I haven't try it yet.

Simon

[JOHN_BISCI]

I always use white automotive primer in a can. It protects the plastic and does not tint the paint (or bleed through). Have you ever shot Grabber Orange over gray auto primer?

[dukeaholic]

I use alot of the Tremclad spray paints, primer and clear. I also do use the testors paints.