I am building the USS United States and following the step-by-step instructions from the book, “How To Build Ship Models” by Les Wilkins. At least I think it is Les Wilkins but since I am at work I cannot doulbe check. Any way, he mentions using Floquil paints. I picked up some floquil paints but I do not know whether they are gloss or matte colors. Does Floquil make gloss colors? The color I have is called REEFER WHITE. I was thinking about maybe painting it with Tamiya colors instead of smelly enamels or lacquers. Any opinions out there?
I am not familiar with FLOQUIL but I have read somewhere that they also have HI-GLOSS or GLOSS clear paints. I also read that you need to apply a barrier coat between the plastic and the FLOQUIL to avoid damage to the plastic. A lot of care must be taken in using it as it is flammable.
I use TAMIYA acrylics most of the time. They are water-based so cleaning is easy. They do not have a strong offensive smell so I can use them indoors. They do dry fast, however. Acrylics also come in flat, gloss and semi-gloss variants. Acrylics can be applied to plastics without the need for barrier coats.
If you want to use different types altogether in one subject just make sure that application would be in the following order:
- Lacquer paints
2.) Enamel paints
3.) Acrylic
I suggest however to experiment to check whether which type you would be comfortable working with and whether which type works best on your subject.
Good luck.
Floquil are generally railway modelling paints, and reefers are usully matt rather than glossy seeing as they are freight wagons.
Floquil paints use a Xylene based thinner, and in the UK at least Xylene is a registered poison!
You might want to go the acrylic route!
Karl
floqil paints as mentioned mat , they also made milatary colors. testors recently bought out floquil .i airbrush floquil & i can thin it with lauqar thinner. it dries to a flat finish. once you get used to working with it although they are model rr colors you can mix them to get colors you need