This is a pretty long rant but the main point of it is a question. Does anyone make a good gloss white acrylic for air brushing?? Off to the rant!! 99% of my work is done in acrylics, with heavy emphasis on air brushing. I like the ease of clean up, low fumes, and easy mix thinners with the acrylics… Tonight I had to do some detailing of a model I am putting together. I had to paint inside the wheel wells etc with gloss white. I went and got some Aztek white but was sorely disappointed with the results. Full coverage would take several coats and it would be pretty 'heavy. So I grabbed a bottle of gloss white enamel, poured some into the airbrush cup, thinned it till it looked good and proceeded to spray the taped off areas. Before I even turned the booth on I could smell the petroleum fumes just from the cup sitting there. Well the painting actually went well. Must have got the mix right but I did have to dial up the air a little. Now its time to clean the air brush. First thing I do is ‘pour’ the left paint back into the bottle, except I get it all over the threads and side… sigh. Clean that mess up. Get out the laquer thinner (mineral spirits) and pour that into the cup, again and again and again trying to get it clean. Trying not to spill it or make even more mess. By now the smell is getting strong. . With the cup more or less clean I start to clean the air brush but my trusted squirty bottle only has water in it… uth oh, so I start by blowing clear thinner out of the cup but that of course back siphons paint making the cup messy again (suction feed). After some time the brush itself and the cup are ‘sorta’ clean. In comparison with acrylics I simply squirt from the squirty bottle into the paint inlet till it runs clear, squirt a little water / cleaner mix through the brush and I’m done. Water is cheap, doesent smell and if I get some on me so what? Thanks for bearing with me 
I’ve never met a white acrylic I liked. Never enough coverage and so thin it’s uneven. If you have one, making it gloss is easy with a clear coat.
Testor’s white enamel in the square bottle is pretty much all of the things you describe, but it DOES cover.
Another approach is white primer, like Tamiya Fine, with a clear gloss overcoat.
I’m a fan of rattle can white primer for all my white needs. I’ll cover it with a gloss or flat lacquer as needed.
It’s very rare for me to use enamels. They just take so damn long to dry. Although lately I have taken to thinning them with lacquer to speed drying. Worked ok on a couple test shots. Still…
edit: I forgot to specify that I use Testors white primer lacquer. They make primers in lacquer base and enamel base, and as already stated, I avoid enamels like the plague.
I agree with GMorrison. Try white primer. Two colors are notorious for not covering well - white and yellow. If you use white primer for both, you’ll get better results.
Hasn’t been the same since they took the lead out…
Flat white primer/tooth coat followed by a gloss white top coat. Enamel or acrylic, it works fine for me. But seriously, Humbrol enamels are usually my first choice, if I have a choice for any particular color.
I love the smell of paint fumes in the morning. It smells of…modeling.
I too like using acrylics now but still have some enamels on hand. Was doing touch up’s using MM Insignia White on my A-7 a couple hours ago. Later and for the life of me, I can’t remember how I got white paint in my hair on the top of my head. [*-)]
I find gloss enamels need to be thinned a little thinner than flats. Getting a real good gloss is an exercise in brinkmanship. One needs to bring the last coat right up to the point just before it runs- that is, really wet. How do you know when it is about to run? Experience- that is the only way. I think practicing on scrap is more important with gloss paint than with flats.
I use enamel paint, either Humbrol or Model Master, for 99% of my modeling. I love it! I’ve never noticed any problems with drying time. Maybe I’m just slow builder…maybe hell, I am a slow builder![:D].
Gary
Another vote for Tamiya primer and a clear coat.
I have to echo-- I’d have gone with a rattle can white primer and a gloss coat.
I stick mainly to acrylics. A white primer followed by a white acrylic followed by Future (straight from the bottle) does the trick for me. If you build up the coats of Future slowly over the white acrylic it will get as glossy as you want.
Jim [cptn]
[dto:] Can’t go wrong with Tamiya White primer and clear, or even a coat of Tamiya Gloss over that. Works like a charm, covers like a woolen blanket. Without the fuzz… [:P]
Enamel and I never did get along well. I hated its wait times and thick application. Acrylic and Lacquer are good friends of mine though.
I never did have problems with Gunze or Tamiya white. Takes 2 or 3 thin coats max to cover, heck they even didn’t need a primer. Use those brands and you won’t have issues.
“Gunze or Tamiya white”
Are those acrylics? I am going to check them out!
Yes they are acrylics.
Gunze also has a lacquer line, which is the Mr. Color series, or “C” series.