One Shot Paints

[Cato]

When I was a kid I used to pinstripe and letter using One Shot enamel paints-the stripers favorite.

They're still made today but without the lead.

Anyone have experience shooting these through an airbrush and what are best techniques? Is the coverage still good without the lead?

[Skip]

Yes, the coverage is about as good as the leaded variety. I liked the leaded One Shot better than the new formulation, don't think there was enough lead in it for all the hysteria! It will cover as well as any of the current model paints. You probably already know to use their reducer rather than turpentine or generic reducer like you could with the old formula, use their hardener as well.

[Cato]

You probably already know to use their reducer rather than turpentine or generic reducer like you could with the old formula, use their hardener as well.

Yes to the reducer but why the hardener? You want it to dry more quickly? Can you get it through an AB reduced to the famous '2% milk'?

I also wonder about Yost's method with lacquer thinner...

I see you have experience with this stuff by your RF avatar...

[Skip]

The hardener makes the new formula dry a little quicker as well as polish out better, new stuff seems to gum up with polish even after long curing times.

Sign Writers and Pin Stripers have used lacquer thinner with One Shot and other sign painter's enamels almost as long as they've been painting signs. So the answer is yes, One Shot can be mixed with lacquer thinner and shot through your airbrush. From what I've read lacquer thinner was used almost exclusively with the old "Japan" enamels that a lot of gilders used to set off the leaf on all those old glass doors and windows. They used lacquer thinner for the same reasons we uses it with enamels today, it dried quickly and was glossy.

There is a guy over at the Kustom Kulture Lounge who shoots One Shot on commercial trucks, tow trucks, delivery rigs and stuff, can't remember the name right off. I think the thread is something like "what I do with One Shot" or something similar.

How long ago did you close your "Striper's Kit"? If your brushes are still in good shape guys are ailmost fighting over the "old Dominicans" Grumbachers and stuff earlier than the eighties. I've been Striping and Sign Writing on and off since the early seventies, I wear old fart glasses and can't get into some of the weird contortions needed to stripe some areas on cars like I used to but I still got it! Once you learn the art it never really departs from your fingers.

[Cato]

I stopped sometime in the mid-70's. My claim to fame was a little lettering on Ivo's 'rainbow' FED around '68.

I still have a couple of my brushes and they're in excellent shape. But I'm not; vision problems make it hard to even build models sometimes.

I love One Shot for the vibrant colors right out of the can. And used in the right application, they're stunning.

Thanks for the detailed help Skip.