Randy Ayers Nascar Modeling Forums

[Tcart77]

Hello everyone, I am in the process of switching from rattle cans to airbrush. What are the best paints for body's that will hold up if you have to tape off for multi color paint jobs? I would like to use acrylics but not sure how they will hold up. How are the model master acryl paints? Would like to get a consistent process to use.
Thanks

[Rob Spires]

I’m fairly new to airbrushing myself, and so far have exclusively used Tamiya acrylics thinned with alcohol. I have found these paints to be very forgiving as I learn, and would recommend them to other beginners.

[CJ44]

I prefer Tamiya.

Make sure you wash the body before painting (liquid soap works fine). That will ensure whatever masking tape you use won't bring up the paint with it.

[Jim N]

With proper surface preparation, most every paint will hold up to masking. Now having written that, I am assuming you do not use regular masking tape as all bets are off when using that stuff.

Make sure you wash the parts, scuff them with sandpaper and then lightly sand your primer coat.

When using paint, I suggest that you use the manufacturer's thinner (if necessary) when starting out. Guys will use other stuff to thin, myself included, but it eliminates one element if something does not go right.

[jpeter]

I have been airbrushing acrylics for a while now. I like Tamiya but I've had good luck with Model Master and have even used craft paints with success. I thin Model Master and craft paints with windshield washer fluid. I use the tamiya thinner with their paints. The most important thing I have found is the need to prime everything. Acrylic paints (at least Model Master) don't adhere as well to bare plastic.

[kurth]

I have had the best luck with lacquers. I build more planes than cars these days and I use Mr Hobby lacquers and MRP lacquers. When I build cars, I look for touch up paint which seems to be some kind of lacquer. MCW paint has the correct paint for many older nascar schemes, I have not checked for new colors. Lacquer adheres very well, dries fast, and can be polished to a high shine. I always use primer on bodies, or just about any part I paint with lacquer.

The drawback is that the fumes can be dangerous, and you really need to use a spray booth to draw the fumes away. If there are other people in the house when painting, they may find the smell unpleasant. My Old Milwaukee Pontiac was painted with MCW lacquer, but the thread was lost when the old board went away.

I hope it helps.

[StuBeck]

I wash the body with dish soap, primer with Mr Hobby primers, and then use acrylics from Tamiya as my normal paint. For body colors I typically use Zero paint which is a prethinned lacquer paint, but if I use Tamiya acrylic I'll thin with Tamiya acrylic thinner with a few drops of Mr hobby levelling thinner. Otherwise for interior parts when I thin, I'll just use 70% alcohol.

For tape, I use Tamiya tape for parts which already have paint on them. Blue tack tape tends to pull up the paint unless you take down the stickyness a bit...and then you're more likely to have the tape not work properly.

[Shunter]

Tamiya KP are fantastic..