Paint questions

1210 Views 13 Replies 4 Participants Last post by maestro862, Mar 15, 2004

LUW

Discussion Starter · Mar 14, 2004

I have a few questions for the more knowledgeable customizers here at DXC:

1) Is it true that if you heat-up the model BEFORE you paint the paint will stick better? If so, should you do that only for the paint or for the primer too?
2) Is it ok to use Tamyia TS paints over Testors primer?
3) And what about using Tamyia clearcoat over Testors spray paint?
4) What is the best to use to paint zamac, Testors or Tamyia spray paint?
5) Is it ok to paint over a factory painted diecast? If so, what's the best paint to use? Is it enough to only sand the original paint a little and then just spray paint over?

I don't know why, but it has been really hard to find Tamyia stuff here in Brazil, so I was thinking of maybe trying Testors. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

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maestro862

· #2 · Mar 14, 2004

1. Never heared of that but I guess it couldn't hurt. You definately do not want a cold model although that shouldn't be too much of a problem in Brazil.
What is important is to heat the paint can before using it. The paint will go on a lot smoother.

2. If they are the same kind of paint, it should be OK (ie: enamel) But you might want to make sure with someone that has experience with both.

3. Same as above

4. I never tried Tamiya on Zamac. Never had problems with Testor...

5. Yes, it is OK, however, you will loose detail as the paint might get too thick in places = unrealistic.

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allanmodel

· #3 · Mar 14, 2004

All I can say is...try not to mix..use only one brand :cheers

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Scott_S

· #4 · Mar 14, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

As said before - put the cans in warm water to make the paint application smoother. Never mix spray paints, always use 1 brand for the primer, base & clearcoats. I've had problems in the past with stripping the car down to bare metal, the paint wasn't sticking that well. I usually scuff & sand the car down , then start to prime, paint & clear it. I haven't had any problems doing this and all the small details are still there. Although, I use automotive spray paint because I think it goes on better & dries faster.

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· #5 · Mar 14, 2004

I usually do bare metal, with Tamiya primer/paints. With a spray stripper, it takes about 20 minutes to completely remove all paint from the car. I've had no problems with primer sticking to the car afterwards. I too, stick to one brand of paint while I'm painting.

As fas as heating up the model, I generally just make sure that the model itself is at room temp, while you heat the cans up prior to applying.

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LUW

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 14, 2004

Thanks guys, you helped a lot! :cheers

I was after Tamyia TS paints per Allan's recomendation, but as I said, thye're hard to find here. Testors on the other hand is easier to find, so I'm thinking of using it. If I do use Testors, what would be the best kind of paint for zamac?

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maestro862

· #7 · Mar 14, 2004

I've had good results with Testor enamels

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LUW

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 14, 2004

Maestro, does it take long to dry?

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maestro862

· #9 · Mar 14, 2004

Not really. The secret, with any paint is to do thin coats. Heavier coats will be much more prone to orange peel, checking and other sorts of ailments...
If you want good results, you should wait at least an hour between paint coats,
12-24 hours if you wet sand between coats and at least 3 days after the last coat,
before final polish. If you are less patient, the results will be OK but not fantastic.

Check this article by Alex Kustov:How To Lay Down A Perfect Paint Job
Even though he uses an airbrush, you can get good results with cans as well.
Just make sure you do not polish a paint containing metalflakes. the only way to do this is to clearcoat it at least 3 times and polish the clearcoat.

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LUW

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 14, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Thanks maestro. :cheers

When you use Testors, do you use their primer too?

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LUW

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 14, 2004

Guys, and what about this?

It's a kit from Testors with enamel paints, 6 colors, primer and propellent. Are neamels easy to work with and do they take long to dry?

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maestro862

· #12 · Mar 15, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

yes, I do use their primer as well.
The kit is nice if you do not have an airbrush as it allows you to use a wider range of colors than those offered in spray cans. It is basically the same as the cans.
The only problem is that the propellant cans get expensive after a while.