So now that we are forced to go acrylic’s what the best for gloss white and black to get the best finish out of an air brush?
John
Tamiya sprays are very good, decanted. You can also get amazing gloss from tamiya acrylics thinned with lacquer thinner…
That depends on how glossy you want your finish and how much time you have to let the paint cure. I recently started using MRP Black 2K paint for a basecoat when using Alclad lacquers, and the level of gloss is beyond what I thought was possible with model paint without polishing. Its a two-part paint (paint and hardener) that is extremely easy to get a mirror finish with. The only drawback is curing time. It takes 5-7 days for it to completely cure and harden. But, if you’re switching over from enamels, that’s going to feel just about right anyway. I believe they also make a White 2K paint. [:D]
No problems with Tamiya Gloss Black thinned with their Lacquer Thinner
No problem with white as I still have a nice supply of Modelmaster Insignia White.but I like to lay down some canned white Tamiya Primer to help along any white
I’ll second Tamiya’s acrylic Gloss Black X-1 and Gloss White X-2. I thin them with Tamiya’s acrylic thinner, X-20A.
I’ll second or third the Tamiya acrylic gloss.
Why are we forced to acrylics? I still use enamels and lacquers. The latter two still give good gloss finishes.
Don, have to been to our LHS no enamels left or lacquers. Mission models and tamiya. I’m using up the last of my enamel stock, may try MRP paint too.
John
I like Tamiya as well. And will throw in Mr Color.
btw hobbylinc still has some mm enamels.
I’m also using Tamiya X-1 and X-2 for everyday jobs where gloss black or white are needed for brushing, since I already have a lot of Tamiya paint. MRP also makes non-2K , airbrush-only gloss black and white paints that fully cure in less than an hour, so I’m mostly using those now when airbrushing. The 2K black I’m using pretty much only as a black basecoat for Alclad. Tamiya does have a really good gloss, but when compared side by side to the 2K gloss, well…you’d have to see it to appreciate it. It’d be great for painting a black car or motorcycle. Just depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, and how much time you’ve got.
I couldn’t be paid to use 2K paint in my home. It was catalized paints that drove me out of painting 1/1 even with the suits and positive pressurized head pieces. Not me, no way. The thing about 2K is it’s not just atomization but fumes, if you smell it it can get in through eyes and skin pores even as the paint cures. It’s a chemical curing process that cure in organic matter like human tissue but unlike the organic stuff ( lacquer, enamel, acrylics) that eventually breaks down and is expelled from your body, this stuff is there to stay. I read the industry guidelines and decided to get out of general refinishing with any paint containing isocyanates. I did panel repairs and such for a time and left that too eventually.
If you have a Hobby Lobby in your area they have a big rack of Testors paints, with many enamels still in the line, plus their new lacquers. Michaels still carries Testors enamels too.
Good point Don,
I assume that those will go too? isn’t all of testors going away?
Hi, Falcon, no, Testors is not going away. The parent company discontinued Model Master, but the Testor enamels are still being produced.
I know they have FS number paints at hobby lobby are these not model master Items? I guess I’ll have to take a closer look after work
Funny how folks assumed Testors is going away. No… Testors is not going away. Model Master line are eliminating certain line of military colors.
Yep. It’s a good idea to check it out for your favorite colors, as they sell out the remaining stock. I stopped at a local HL a couple of weeks ago and grabbed a couple rattlecans of colors I use for armor and Maschinen Krieger builds.
Everything that was a FS number enamel or acrylic is gone at Hobby lobby all discounted to .99 cents a bottle, I grabbed about 20 bottles of anything I thought I might use.
It depends on location. The ones around here still have the odd bottle or two. For the Model Master fanatics, it’s definitely worth stopping in at the nearest store to see what might be left.