Hey, fellas… i was just wondering if you guys can give me some tips on how to work with laquer. It’s my first time using the stuff, and I’m using Gunze paints and Thinner on an Accurate Miniatures TBF 1C… What are the do’s and dont’s of laquer?
Thanks in advance! [:D]
One of the only things I can think of is test spray to check for compatibility over your undercoats.
Laquer dries hard and fast, since it has a “hot” thinner, it can craze plastics and “lift” enamels both.
Laquers as a habit dry slightly dull, which may not be a problem at all on your Avenger. If it were something glossy, a good polishing is standard procedure with laquers.
Hope this helps[:)]
DO NOT use arcylic primers. Use either automotive lacquer primer and wet sand or use Krylon gloss bloack #1601 as your primer. See “The Secret Life of Alclad 2” at my site. While it is aimed at Alclad the primer aspects are the same and the pitfalls are the same.
One of the bigger “Dont’s” for laquer, IMO, is don’t breathe it! The fumes are evil and I’d strongly recommend a respirator.
Resperator and test it. Check!
Hmmm… i was worried about priming. That means, i can’t use my Tamiya Primer, right? I dunno if we have krylon here, swanny… will a gloss black laquer rattle can do the trick? What about an enamel/acrylic coat on top of a laquer coat? also, should i be worried that it will eat through plastic?
Shrikes,
That depends on what you are planning to do with the lacquer.
Lacquer can be sprayed safely over enamels and acrylics but it takes special techniques such as spraying on light, mist coats with the lacquer to give the underlying paint a protective barrier against the wetter coats of the lacquer.
Concerning primers, I like the Floquil primer in their railroad line of paints.
Mike
Hi Shrikes. I’ll ditto what the other guys have said. Safety is the keyword when using lacquer paints and thinner. For me personally, I am only using lacquer based products-Alclad, Krylon, for natural metal finishes other wise I use acrylics. You still must use safe working practices but acrylics are not nearly as toxic. Since you are using Gunze, you can thin with 91 percent alcohol-50/50 works great and is safer than using lacquer thinner. Your clean up will also be a lot easier. Just run a mixture of Windex and distilled water through your airbrush.
Mike McShea