Nail Polish And Hok

[m408]

Got an air brush kit and compressor for XMAS and trying to get out of my rattle can painting.

My building skills are minimal. Detailing to me is plug wires and maybe fuel lines. If I can get two tones on an interior I'm happy.

That being said, maybe I can up grade my painting, with a bunch of practice on spoons and old bodies of course.

I see here, and in the magazine photos, references to paint jobs using HOK or nail polish. Any help using these products, primers, thinners, recommended psi, drying times, etc would be greatly appreciated. Seems to be a huge variety of colors to play with.

I know, pretty basic stuff to you folks, but I'm really a newbe at this. My high tech painting involved heating a rattle can before using.

Thanks in advance.

[Andy Wyatt]

Hey Milt...by no means am I the paint expert around here by I think I can get ya started. When you use HOK or nail polish you will need to use a good primer under it. Duplicolor, Plastikote both work well. Thinning these paints and nail polishes needs to be done with lacquer thinner. Ask 15 people here what brand and you'll get 15 different answers. I use the stuff they sell at AutoZone and it has worked fine for me. You'll want to get the paint to about the consistancy of milk. That will mean adding a lot of thinner to the nail polish. Also with nail polish yu'll definitely want to strain it before you spray it...there will be lumps. Air pressure and distance from the body will all depend on how thin you have your paint and your airbrush itself. I usually spray at around 20 psi...maybe backing down a pound or two for my final coat. All of this will become clear, as you said yourself, with lots of practice. I'm sure others will chime in and be of more help as well. Good luck!

[bobss396]

I've been using Mr. Color Thinner with nail polish, I thin it about 2 parts thinner to 1 part polish. I agree on anywhere from 18-20 PSI. I use the biggest nozzle and fan spray that my airbrush will take. I stay in real tight with it, maybe only a few inches away and take my time with it.

Expect to lay down 8-12 coats, each coat will flash over in 10 minutes or less, but I've started doing a few coats and will now let it dry. On some of my early jobs, I can look into the finish and see where it has "leached" into the primer, just too much solvent going down too fast. If it can't gas out through the top, it will go into the primer.