Good gloss finishes

Hmmmm....it sounds like a call to our own resident "plasticmodeler"; and a class on his fan-tas-tu-pendous gloss finishes!

:o)

Jim, Here is what I do when painting a model car.

1. After cleaning the parts to paint - sanding, removing flash and washing with soapy water - use your air brush hose to remove any water and set down for a day to air day.
2. Apply your primer and let dry for about a week (again this is what I do - others may use a different technique).
3. If you find any imperfections, sand and reprimer and go back to step 2.
4. Apply your paint - rattle cans or air brush - in light mists - wait about

10 minutes between misting - it should be tacky if you touch it, of course you won't. When you achieve the depth of color you are looking for, set the model down and let dry for about 2 to 3 weeks - (my technique, other have theirs). I have a spray booth with two 150 watt bulbs, I leave the model in the booth for about 2 hours so the paint begins to cure, then I set it down for 2 to 3 weeks to completely dry - from the inside out.

1. If you are going to apply clear coat, go to step 4.

I don't use clear coat. I use Tamiya's Rubbing and Polishing Compound and get the same results or better. It is what in the old days we used to call "good old elbow grease." I'll post a picture later of a red Cobra 426 I'm working on.

Good luck and happy modeling,

Ray Austin, Texas - where else!!! ===

"Jim N." wrote:

Ray's suggestion of 'elbow grease' is the best bet for gloss finishes. No matter what clear you put over a *not so smooth* finish color, you'll always see the problems. If you need/want a clear gloss, that won't attack decals, Future is about the easiest to use.

-- Chuck Ryan Springfield OH

Jim, I posted two sets of 5 pictures of my Cobra 427 on alt.binaries.models.scale. The Cobra was painted with Tamiya Italian Red and polished with Tamiya polishing and rubbing compound - no clear coat.

Ray Aust> Although I mostly build military, I would like to try a car or motorcycle.

Thanks for the tip- will check tonight. I tried to rattle can spray a Tamiya Porsche model as an experiment. I put it on too thick, and got some runs. Also, the metal flake in the paint is way too large, and not very scale like. It also didn't distribute very evenly.

I guess now I'll have to wait a few weeks to sand it down and then apply a few more coats. It's no wonder I enjoy armor and aircraft more than cars!

Soak it in 91% or stronger alcohol (be careful - it's flammable!). The paint should come off within a few hours with no damage to the plastic.

The paint is Tamiya lacquer, not acrylic. I don't believe that it's remotely soluble in alcohol.

If you want to remove the paint and start over, you can soak the body in brake fluid (overnight) or Castrol Super X (be sure not to use a metal container since it will dissolve the container, overnight), cover it with Easy Off oven cleaner (in a plastic bag, a few hours), or you can buy Strip-A-Kit (the best all around choice, but the other things can be had off any grocery/department store shelf).

Is it better to strip the body and start over, or let it get hard and then sand the drips?

In my opinion, it depends on how bad the drips are. If there are drips/sags that are extensive and extend over or around curves on the bodh that would make the hard to sand, then strip and start over. If the drips/sags are minimal and are on sections that are easy to sand, generally sections that are pretty much flat, then go ahead and try sanding. If it doesn't work, you can always strip then.

I know.

It is. 91% or stronger, as I said.

I personally love the Castrol SuperClean. I just pour enough in a rectangular plastic Gladware container to cover a car body, put the lid on to let it soak overnight, then you can always reuse it if need be. And the stuff comes in at least a gallon container and has a whole list of dilutions to clean about anything around the house! Full stregth works great on a BBQ grill, or half strength and there's no scrubbing to remove soap scum. And it's biodegradable. Seeing as it comes in a large bottle for about $4 at Wal-Mart, it ought to be cheaper then the alcohol, and it doesn't seem to have much odor. I've used brake fluid once for some metallic silver Dupli-Color that just wouldn't come off in Castrol or alcohol, and it worked well but it stinks to high heaven, and is hazardous to dispose of. But if you need to get some paint off, it'll work and it's not too expensive.

"Al Superczynski" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

CSC is great stuff but it won't touch the Tamiya lacquers; that's why I recommended 91% alcohol.

But hey, what do I know about model-building? I'm just a rookie...

It won't touch the diecast paints either, will it Al, ? ;-)

-- Chuck Ryan Springfield OH

If it did it would make short work of the metal... ;-p

Are you referring to 91% ethanol (as in 190 proof grain alcohol or 95% denatured alcohol), or 91% isopropanol?

The latter.

a foolproof way to know if paint or primer is dry is to hold the model up to your nose and sniff it(sniff test).. If you can smell anything at all it's not dry ...no need to wait umpteen weeks for the heck of it. just do a sniff test.

I don't believe I called anyone a "rookie" and certainly never meant to imply such. I was merely stating my personal preference, not trying to seem better than anyone else...