Airbrushing / thinning / rattle cans / primer questions?

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I've been into models for almost a year now and all this time I've mainly been using tamiya rattle can enamel paints for car bodies. I've had a relatively inexpensive air brush for some time, but after my first (failed) attempt I gave up on it (wasn't aware that I had to thin a paint before spraying it). Never had any problem with tamiya spray cans, but they are getting a little bit on the expensive side...

So I have a few questions.

Does anyone have any experiences with spraying testors enamel? How were the results? Any tips?

Exactly how much thinner to use?

What kind of thiner is the best without spending a fortune?

What kind of primer do you guys (and gals) use? Is it better to use a rattle can primer or can you buy jars of it and air brush it? Is it necessary to thin the primer before spraying it?

I heard of duplicolor paint and primer from people on this forum. Is it safe for the plastic? How about the duplicolor lacquer?

Also what kind of glue is the most effective? I've been using tamiya extra thin glue, but whenever I glue already painted parts the paint usually gets "eaten" away because of the glue. Oh and what kind of glue and paint do you guys use on resin parts?

Sorry for the whole 21 questions thing. Appreciate your help. Thanks.

[charlie8575]

My answers in red.

I've been into models for almost a year now and all this time I've mainly been using tamiya rattle can enamel paints for car bodies. I've had a relatively inexpensive air brush for some time, but after my first (failed) attempt I gave up on it (wasn't aware that I had to thin a paint before spraying it). Never had any problem with tamiya spray cans, but they are getting a little bit on the expensive side...

So I have a few questions.

Does anyone have any experiences with spraying testors enamel? How were the results? Any tips?

Testors enamels work well in an airbrush when thinned with garden-variety lacquer thinner. Start with about a 50-50 mix, and thin as needed. You want it to be about the consistency of milk.

Exactly how much thinner to use?

See above.

What kind of thiner is the best without spending a fortune?

See above.

What kind of primer do you guys (and gals) use? Is it better to use a rattle can primer or can you buy jars of it and air brush it? Is it necessary to thin the primer before spraying it?

I like Dupli-Color and Plasti-Kote primers best, I like Plasti-Kote a little better because it's not as chemically hot. Their white primer is especially nice. Plasti-Kote can be most easily sourced at CarQuest stores.

I heard of duplicolor paint and primer from people on this forum. Is it safe for the plastic? How about the duplicolor lacquer?

Dupli-Color is perfectly safe, but don't put it on in heavy coats. Auto parts stores carry it.

Also what kind of glue is the most effective? I've been using tamiya extra thin glue, but whenever I glue already painted parts the paint usually gets "eaten" away because of the glue. Oh and what kind of glue and paint do you guys use on resin parts?

Testors and Tamiya cements are both fine. They will remove the paint to get to the plastic to bond it. Try to do sub-assemblies prior to painting, that will reduce some of your problems. For parts that must be painted prior to assembly, use either 5-minute epoxy or super-glue if possible. For resin, 5-minute epoxy is usually the best choice, although many use superglue with good results, too.

Sorry for the whole 21 questions thing. Appreciate your help. Thanks.

Hope that answers your questions.

Charlie Larkin

[crazyjim]

You may want to consider purchasing Donn Yost's "The Art of Airbrushing Show Quality Model Cars" DVD. Donn goes through all the steps to get a high quality finish with Testor's enamels. Check it out at www.OldMansModels.com.

I bought a copy and it's a wonderful reference. Since purchasing the DVD, I have switched to using HOK pre-mixed paints shot through a Paasche H series airbrush.

I use only Plast-i-cote sandable primers.

Edited May 29, 2011 by crazyjim

[MikeMc]

You may want to consider purchasing Donn Yost's "The Art of Airbrushing Show Quality Model Cars" DVD. Donn goes through all the steps to get a high quality finish with Testor's enamels. Check it out at www.OldMansModels.com.

I bought a copy and it's a wonderful reference. Since purchasing the DVD, I have switched to using HOK pre-mixed paints shot through a Paasche H series airbrush.

I use only Plast-i-cote sandable primers.

DITTO....great advice!!

I bought Donns DVD and all I shoot is lacquers....his technique works well and will transfer to other paints

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Thanks for the help.

As for plast-i-kote primer, do you guys airbrush it or does it come in a ratte can? Is there a specific kind that is better than the others for models? I don't know much about primers so is it an enamel or a lacquer primer?

Appreciate the help.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Oh and can anyone explain to me the whole photo eched parts thing and how do you work with is, how do you glue it, what is it, anything I have to know about it?

[raymanz]

I've been into models for almost a year now and all this time I've mainly been using tamiya rattle can enamel paints for car bodies. I've had a relatively inexpensive air brush for some time, but after my first (failed) attempt I gave up on it (wasn't aware that I had to thin a paint before spraying it). Never had any problem with tamiya spray cans, but they are getting a little bit on the expensive side...

So I have a few questions.

Does anyone have any experiences with spraying testors enamel? How were the results? Any tips?

Exactly how much thinner to use?

What kind of thiner is the best without spending a fortune?

What kind of primer do you guys (and gals) use? Is it better to use a rattle can primer or can you buy jars of it and air brush it? Is it necessary to thin the primer before spraying it?

I heard of duplicolor paint and primer from people on this forum. Is it safe for the plastic? How about the duplicolor lacquer?

Also what kind of glue is the most effective? I've been using tamiya extra thin glue, but whenever I glue already painted parts the paint usually gets "eaten" away because of the glue. Oh and what kind of glue and paint do you guys use on resin parts?

Sorry for the whole 21 questions thing. Appreciate your help. Thanks.

I,myself use a paasche H model airbrush also have great results every time I use it.(keep 'm clean) Charlies set some good guide lines to go by.I've learned that just a little more thinner to the ratio gives more shine.(a few drops or so)Use some polishing cloths helps also.White glue works on PE Ok.or epoxy. Read some how to books or articles and watch these dvd's. Just practice on some old bodys and get use too the paterns and you should pick it up in no time.You'll have to experiment with the airbush to become with whats comfortable to you.Good Luck and let us know how it works out for you.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I,myself use a paasche H model airbrush also have great results every time I use it.(keep 'm clean) Charlies set some good guide lines to go by.I've learned that just a little more thinner to the ratio gives more shine.(a few drops or so)Use some polishing cloths helps also.White glue works on PE Ok.or epoxy. Read some how to books or articles and watch these dvd's. Just practice on some old bodys and get use too the paterns and you should pick it up in no time.You'll have to experiment with the airbush to become with whats comfortable to you.Good Luck and let us know how it works out for you.

Speaking of polishing, is there a particular brand of cloths or sand paper I should look into? How fine is it supposed to be? What grid #?

[Agent G]

I picked up a set of polishing sand paper sheets at Hobby Lobby last week. They range in grit sizes from 3000 to 12000.

You start with the 3000 and lightly wet sand the entire body with each sheet, all the way up to 12000. It seems strange to sand a paint job,but the end result is what you want.

Then you use a good polish and a soft cotton flannel cloth to polish the paint out. I use an old white 100% cotton t shirt.

G

[charlie8575]

Thanks for the help.

As for plast-i-kote primer, do you guys airbrush it or does it come in a ratte can? Is there a specific kind that is better than the others for models? I don't know much about primers so is it an enamel or a lacquer primer?

Appreciate the help.

Plasti-Kote and Dupli-Color are both lacquer-base primers. I understand Plasti-Kote may be a bit hard to get in the Great White North, though.

Dupli-Color changed its colors in the primer. Their gray sandable primer is now bordering on black; far too dark for most needs. The primer-sealer, however, is still a light gray color, and is better suited.

Primer-sealer, whether Dupli-Color or Plasti-Kote, is needed over red, orange, yellow, purple, and most green plastics. The solvents in paints tend to leech the colorant compounds used in HIPS and will mottle your finish color.

Charlie Larkin

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Plasti-Kote and Dupli-Color are both lacquer-base primers. I understand Plasti-Kote may be a bit hard to get in the Great White North, though.

Dupli-Color changed its colors in the primer. Their gray sandable primer is now bordering on black; far too dark for most needs. The primer-sealer, however, is still a light gray color, and is better suited.

Primer-sealer, whether Dupli-Color or Plasti-Kote, is needed over red, orange, yellow, purple, and most green plastics. The solvents in paints tend to leech the colorant compounds used in HIPS and will mottle your finish color.

Charlie Larkin

Does duplicolor come in white primer as well?

I take it that pretty much any dupli-color and plasti-kote primers are suitable for models. For some reason I thought automotive primer would be too thick for the thin details of models.

Thanks guys.

[Erik Smith]

Duplicolor comes in white.

Duplicolor is kind of "hot", so if you have any joints or removed mold lines, they may show up when you paint. The duplicolor primer sealer seems to be hotter than the sandable primers. The remedy is to paint a few layers of Future over joint lines or mold lines and then paint. Future is Pledge with Future Shine, available at most large home improvement stores.

Plastikote, as mentioned above, is not as hot, in my experience.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I keep seeing the name future on here a lot. What does it do exactly? How do you use it? Do you spray it or just clean the surface with or do I dip the whole body in it?

Edited June 1, 2011 by CEKPETHO BCE

[MikeMc]

I keep seeing the name future on here a lot. What does it do exactly? How do you use it? Do you spray it or just clean the surface with or do I dip the whole body in it?

YES......

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Today I bought some testors enamel thinner and I noticed on testors website that there is also "testors airbrush thinner". I'm just wondering whats the difference between them and can I use this for airbrushing, or is it just for brush painting and cleaning the brush?

This is the picture of what I bought

[crazyjim]

I use the cheap lacquer thinner from Wal-Mart for cleaning brushes and the airbrush. Whatever kind of paint, I still use the lacquer thinner.

[CEKPETHO BCE]

I finally got some duplicolor sandable primer in black and tried using it. Looks like a nice even flat black paint. I'm really considering leaving the car in primer (I wanted to paint it flat black anyways). Will the paint (primer) chip or fade? Looks nice, but I'm not sure whether the primer is durable enough to serve as the top (and bottom lmao) coat. Anyone ever leave your cars in primer?

[MikeMc]

I finally got some duplicolor sandable primer in black and tried using it. Looks like a nice even flat black paint. I'm really considering leaving the car in primer (I wanted to paint it flat black anyways). Will the paint (primer) chip or fade? Looks nice, but I'm not sure whether the primer is durable enough to serve as the top (and bottom lmao) coat. Anyone ever leave your cars in primer?

yep.....but it is very thin,

I would seal it with some dullkote

[CEKPETHO BCE]

Ok I finally got some lacquer thinner as well as tamiya acrylic thinner. I tried to spray a car with tamiya paint + thinner and I got proportions all wrong apperantly lmao. Didn't end well, now I will probably turn that car into a rat rod... maybe adding tamiya flat base to an already flat red had something to do with that lmao.

ANyways can anyone tell me exact proportions I'm supposed to use with tamiya acrylic paint + tamiya acrylic thinner as well as testors enamel with lacquer thinner?

[Canuk]

Lots of times the acrylic is thin enough to spray out of the jar.

Should be a milk consistency. Just thicker than water.

[MikeMc]

Lots of times the acrylic is thin enough to spray out of the jar.

Should be a milk consistency. Just thicker than water.

get a glass and fill it 1/2 way with milk....swirl the glass....watch it run down the sides....thin the paint to the same...Tamiya acrylics do vary by color and each batch...some needs a few

drops..others lots more...think milk!!