Enamel cut with lacquer thinner

[Guest G Holding]

Ten to fifteen mist coats??? Seriously?? That would bury every detail on a body,not to mention giving it the "dipped in syrup" look. No way I would put that much paint on a model. Even with laquer, the most I will spray on a body is six coats and that's including the clear coats. You don't have to pile the paint on to get a good shine.

Talk to Donn....and LOOK.....every line is crisp and all details pop.YES ! 15 or MORE mist coats.I guess that Donn must not be correct...even though you will be amazed...

[Dr. Cranky]

I don't know, folks, but results like these are hard to argue with . . . and my recommendation is when in doubt, buy the DVD and check it out for yourself. Follow the four P's and you will undoubtedly get similar results to these:

[Cato]

Rich-very nice of you to take the time to post your snaps-much appreciated. The 55 with clear, even in this 'raw' form looks terrific. I'd like to go that way.

All your spoon samples clearly (pun intended) show how the base makes a huge color difference. With clear added, the light reflections are pinpoints-very nice.

Although I can, I'd rather not use a polishing kit to 12,000 on the final coat. So if I can get a color + clear topcoat to look like that, I'm a happy dude.

Pat-I agree and 'got' that quite a while ago. Less paint is 'more'. My last project, my GT-40 was done in Tammy lacquer and needing no filler. I just primed, scuffed to 2000 and misted enough color to get even coverage. Masking and shooting the stripes was another adventure but the BMF masks left nearly no edge. What I had, I cut flat with 6000 but did not clear over or polish. Then I weathered the front, sides and bottoms and only the roof and hoods are as-shot color. Wanted it just like race cars were shot in the '60's- shot in the shop, put on the track and run hard.

For this project I need a concours finish and am using the totally different enamel system. The clear added looks attractive and will spoon test.

Differences aside, I've gotten great answers and alternatives in this thread and really appreciate all who chipped-in. This next job should be better than anything previous I've done.

Thanks.

[Dr. Cranky]

Here are a few more:

[Bluemiles22]

Cato no problem. But let me specify the Chevy and the spoon samples don't have clear coat over them, or polished. That's straight from the airbrush. The clear was mixed with the actual color to make it a little more transparent. I polish it regardless how smooth it comes out anyway it makes it look that much better.

[Cato]

Yes I understood that and that's just what I was looking for.

Is that a mix of maybe 1/3 color, 1/3 thinner and 1/3 clear?

[Bluemiles22]

Ok wasn't sure if I worded my post properly. Yes 1/3 of each, if your not mixing in clear and just doing straight color then do two parts paint and one part thinner. It took me a little while to get the hang of it but once you do you'll be happy with the results. And also I would check out Donns DVDs. He lays out every detail. Definitely worth picking up if your gonna start painting with enamels.

[Art Anderson]

I've used lacquer thinner to reduce enamels (including Testors) for airbrushing since the late 1960's. It's always worked very well for me.

Art

[Gluhead]

Sorry, Cranky, Donn, whoever else finds them the best thing since...whenever...but those DO look dipped in syrup. It seems this has become a very common ailment with model car builders - the euphoric state induced by syrupy, candy-like, 3-scale-inch-deep finishes.

After my recent trip to the Toledo NNL, I'm half tempted to declare it an epidemic. The tables were loaded with cars that were absurdly shiny. Smooth paint? Yes! Blemish free? Yes! Gloss? Yes! But looking like it was just pulled from a vat of magic fairy juice? No. Sorry, but no. If you can't see it, you're blinded by the bling and no amount of discussion will ever convince you to look at these with an objective eye.

Anyway, carry on. I've made my annual objection to cartoony gloss. See ya again next year.