Tamiya Lacquer paint and primers

[Steve D.]

Last year I built a couple of Revell's new chopper motorcycle kits , and while finishing them , noticed quite a difference between one I had painted with white primer and the other with gray . And this got me to thinking (a dangerous thing)

what would this paint look like with a bunch of different undercoats or primers if you will .

Next was , what car looks really good and is green metallic ? Well it just so happens I have a case of Revell's rereleased Shelby Cobra with the excellent Cartgraph decals . And Sam Feinstein's green car is the perfect canvas for this little test .

So I built up five models for the test ( originally I was just going to paint the bodies , but mt ADD got the best of me and I finished them all ... when I found my self starting to super detail one I had to run away...) I decided to go with what I thought were the most common colors to use for basecoats . White primer , Gray primer , Gloss Black , Silver Leaf , and Gold . All the paint used was Tamiya Lacquer in the spray can . Tamiya makes 2 different colors of gray primers , regular and fine . One is a light gray while the other is a little darker , and more like the standard automotive type , I chose to use this .

I sprayed all the models with the primer one day , allowed to dry for 24 hours, then dusted on two finish coats . Allowing about an hour between finish coats . All the models were done uniformily as far as time goes . I think this is important when dealing with lacquers , as the finish coats actually eat into the base coat and react to some extent .If you allowed the primer to completely gas out (7-8 days) you might not get the extreme differences in color that I came up with .

Well the results are pretty amazing to say the least . Everyone who looks at them has a different favorite , I'm kinda partial to the one with the Gloss Black undercoat . It looks like it was painted with liquid Emeralds really cool . I plan on showing these at shows around New England this Fall ,and maybe at the NNL EAST in the spring (I've made the last two )

When using Lacquer paint experiment before hand , because there are so many different types with all kinds of different ingredients , that the only teacher can be EXPERIENCE ! ! That was the main reason I used all the products from one company . As a matter of fact I think Tamiya paint is a little pricey !! and only use it when necessary !

(TIGHT WAD ????? what..)

ALSO REMEMBER LACQUER IS DANGEROUS <TREAT IT WITH THE PROPER RESPECT .

Take care , and see you around the clubhouse ,

Steve D.

[bobss396]

Good post. I've experimented with primer colors before and usually make up a long strip of shirt cardboard with all the primers side by side. It makes it easier to compare them at least for me. I'll even hold it up to a mirror (bathroom vanity has the best lighting).

I still don't see why people are gun shy with lacquers. All you need is a good primer under them. The overall advantages are well worth it. It dries a lot faster (less time for bugs and dust to get mixed up into it), is a harder finish, polishes out well. I just had my fill with enamels, I know some guys work miracles with them.

Bob

[41CHEVY]

Good post. I've experimented with primer colors before and usually make up a long strip of shirt cardboard with all the primers side by side. It makes it easier to compare them at least for me. I'll even hold it up to a mirror (bathroom vanity has the best lighting).

I still don't see why people are gun shy with lacquers. All you need is a good primer under them. The overall advantages are well worth it. It dries a lot faster (less time for bugs and dust to get mixed up into it), is a harder finish, polishes out well. I just had my fill with enamels, I know some guys work miracles with them.

Bob

I agree, I've used lacquers from the time of the AMT cans. I've tried enamels and the new Model master Acryls, both a 50/50 for results.no bugs ...but always a hair (LOL). The only Lacquers I've had a problem with was the HOK line. One other thing that effects color variation is distance from item and air presure (metalic colors) Paul

[41CHEVY]

Good post. I've experimented with primer colors before and usually make up a long strip of shirt cardboard with all the primers side by side. It makes it easier to compare them at least for me. I'll even hold it up to a mirror (bathroom vanity has the best lighting).

I still don't see why people are gun shy with lacquers. All you need is a good primer under them. The overall advantages are well worth it. It dries a lot faster (less time for bugs and dust to get mixed up into it), is a harder finish, polishes out well. I just had my fill with enamels, I know some guys work miracles with them.

Bob

I agree, I've used lacquers from the time of the AMT cans. I've tried enamels and the new Model master Acryls, both a 50/50 for results.no bugs ...but always a hair (LOL). The only Lacquers I've had a problem with was the HOK line. One other thing that effects color variation is distance from item and air presure (metalic colors) Paul