Paint

[Randy Earle]

Okay guys. I used the faithfull old enamel paint and laquer thinner today. I remember why I quit painting now, stinks and it's all over the place and me. What water based paints do you guys use? I have been a hold out on this, but no more after today. Being a N&W modeler, I use black. So....what black model paint can I use in my airbrush and clean everything up with water? I don't want to use anything like Scalecoat II where I have to buy their thinner, I wanna use soap and water. Water based black, what for gloss, and what for dull finish after decaling?

[CIOR]

I will let the experts chime, but I like Poly S, nice and easy. I know others are ScaleCoatII....

[sarge]

I still use floquil, but have used poly s as well. Had one bottle of scalecoat and didn't like it. It may have been an old bottle though.

[antlorch]

Well I have always used Floquil and regular old laquer thinner,mixed 50/50,,,, and I really liked Pollyscale mixed with distilled water.........60/40 mix.................the finish is nice and smooth......then just a gloss coat for decals...........

[Randy Earle]

What about this Model Flex Super Gloss Black?

[Smoke]

Randy,
I have used,use Modelflex paints. As you may know they come prethinned, which can be very helpful. If you do use Modelflex, one sugestion I have is let the paint completely dry and spray a coat of glosscote over it before handling too much. the paint is very easy to rub off with minimal handling. I myself use Future floor wax for my glosscote. It makes the paint indestructable once dry.

I have used Polly Scale and would recommend them. They are nice and cover very nicely. Of course lighter colors take more paint, but that is expected. The Dash 8 that I just finished was painted using Polly Scale paints.

[antlorch]

Randy I have never used it so I have no idea how it works........... If you have any I would try it on a spare shell before I did it on something that is detailed.

[Randy Earle]

Thanks guys, I really have to change paints though. This chemical stuff is too much for me at my age. It's been 8 hours since I painted those diesels, and I can still taste the fumes from it. I painted those outside, but you couldn't get away from it. I have a nice spraybooth, but my other half won't let me use it in the house even with ventilation. At least with water based paints the fumes and clean-up wouldn't be so nasty. After being a custom painter from 1984 to 1996, I've had too much contact with thinners and touline. Seems the worst and messiest was Floquil Conrail Blue.

[Randy Earle]

Sept 20, 2008 22:35:28 GMT -5 @msppca said:

not sure why you are picking the wife over the painting though

She is worth it.

[CIOR]

Randy, several years ago I went to Sears and bought a respirator. Cost me $30, but any time I paint, sand or anything that I can breath, I wear the thing and it was worth the extra money to me.

I can't stand the crap getting into my sinus anymore, so it works well.
Then I had the wife buy me some cheap latex gloves at the CVS or Walgreens. Needless to say, I no longer look like a fought with the paint monster when I am done.
Just in time to let a custom painter tackle my stuff..LOL

[beentherecnthat]

Hey Randy,

I did custom painting in the HS where I worked for 8 years, and still do some. I wanted to get away from all the cancer chemicals too, especially as I got doing more custom work. You don't have to breath them in, they will soak right through you skin! I started using Modelflex when it first came out, though others I know had no success. Then Testors bought them out and changed the formula, I couldn't get the same results. I switched to the Polly Scale acrylics and have had great success with these, no problems with chipping/rubbing off. I thin about 15% (6 paint, 1 water) with tap water and spray about 22 - 25 psi. I always use a respirator because I have my head in the booth most of the time (anal?). I find the black is one of the easiest colours to use, but they all go on nice. Lighter colours such as yellow or orange need a good coat of white first. The only issue is they are all flat finish, so a gloss coat is needed before decals, but I use their gloss finish too. (and flat after decalling)
For weathering, I make thin washes (1 paint 2-3 thinner) using blue windshield washer glycol!! It is already cut with water and the alcohol keeps the thinned paint from beading up on the model, but a thin wash lets you build up layers slowly.

[Randy Earle]

Thanks for the info.