I need help with paint

[hemihauler11]

For awhile I've been doing amateur paint jobs with Walmart spray paint the paint always is slick but its not near the quality I want or I realize expert modelers are receiving on their builds. What do I need to do? What can I get at a place like Hobby Lobby or Micheals?

Looking forward to hearing with everyone that has their own techniques also. I just need some help/advice.

Thanks

[hemihauler11]

One thing I really would like to know is what brand and I don't think I want to brush it on

[JollySipper]

You can get good results with WalMart enamels... What I do is spray on my color coats and let them dry. Then wet sand until all of the gloss is gone. You may think you are ruining your finish, but once the paint is dull from sanding, there is no orange peel. Then you can clear over it. I have gotten good results with Rustoleum Crystal Clear..... Hope this may help some!

[unclescott58]

Here I go again. The paint I mainly buy today is Tamiya. There's a lot cheaper paint out there, but none I've had as much success with. I too can get good paint jobs with cheap WalMart or others paint. But, I've also gotten some terrible paint jobs using cheap paint, including Testors enamels. In the long run, I think I save money using Tamiya's lacquer spray paint. I have yet needed to strip and redo a model I've painted using their paint. So far I've been very happy with every paint job I've even gotten from a can of Tamiya paint.

They say you get what you pay for. For years I stayed away from Tamiya paint because of the cost. I regret that.

Scott

Edited February 25, 2015 by unclescott58

[hemihauler11]

What about model master paints

[ZTony8]

Model Master paints aren't completely horrible but any Testor rattle can paint will spray out thicker than Tamiya paint and therefore will require more work to level it out.

[unclescott58]

I've found Testor's One Coat lacquer to be pretty good too.

Scott

[Monty]

Model Master paints aren't completely horrible but any Testor rattle can paint will spray out thicker than Tamiya paint and therefore will require more work to level it out.

You can get very satisfactory results with Model Master paints (and even standard Testors paints) if you're willing to step up to an airbrush. In my experience, it's better to buy the paint in bottle form and reduce it with lacquer thinner for airbrush use, but you can also decant rattle can paint into a jar and airbrush it. Check YouTube for some Donn Yost videos. IIRC, he uses Model Master paints almost exclusively.