Question about paint,decals and clear coat

[DWR]

I have a question about paint, decals and clear coat. I would like to know what some fellow members are doing to achieve the fantastic results I see on this forum. Once you have laid down the last paint coat do you polish it in any way before adding decals? Once the decals are applied and then apply the clear how do you finish or polish the clear coat?

Thank you

[Dragline]

This is truly a question that can have MANY answers.. For me it's quite simple really. But my system is probably not used by anyone here Perhaps it is.

This is what I do.

Clearly prepping is everything, you must spend your time getting the base as smooth and blemish free as you can with a minimum of 600 paper. This entails all mold lines and any filler you have used. I then prime with either Duplicolor or Tamiya. The color is important depending on the topcoat. Orange, Yellow and light Reds and Greens get white primer. My metallics get grey only. Some guys go silver or gold under transparent colors but since I don't use those.......

How you paint your color coat is a thing of practice and patience. I use Laquers exclusively since they dry quickly and are the most forgiving in terms of running. A first light coat should be followed by another light coat. I shoot wet in wet which means 10 minute flash times between coats. Final coat is usually wet and always achieves a glossy [if you are using gloss] finish. Tamiya paints are generally semi-gloss and require either polishing or a clear coat for a mirror like finish. Decals are always under the clear coat for me. Other can do it as they please but I want it to last past my time on this earth so burying the decals under the clearcoat is the only way for me. Duplicolor paints come in small cans and have soooo many colors you'd be amazed. They too require clear coating or polishing to bring them to life. The metallics MUST be clear coated if you want them to Pop.

Clear coating for me is either Tamiya clear for white and Testors 1814 enamel for all other colors. The Testors clearcoat is something I have mastered and it responds very well to either Novis or automotive brand buffing compounds. Tamiya also responds to them but the Tamiya polish is better is this repsect. Tamiya paint goes on thin and cannot take an aggresive compound all that well till you have experience with it.

My advise is to take a little from everyone who gives pointers and see which works for you.

This is how I got my particular formula down.

Hope this helps.

Bob