base paints ++

[gkatz]

Hi all
what are the base paints (from the tamiya PS ine ) you belive one should own: black? white? clear? and why...

i am asking because I have seen, for example, people online putting the one coat of the color (for example blue) and then "enforcing it" with another color of white/black

thanks in advance?

[Mokei Kagaku]

1 hour ago, gkatz said:

Hi all
what are the base paints (from the tamiya PS ine ) you belive one should own: black? white? clear? and why...

i am asking because I have seen, for example, people online putting the one coat of the color (for example blue) and then "enforcing it" with another color of white/black

thanks in advance?

To me, white, black, silver, flat clear, yellow and pink are "base paints" that I always need to have available:

Black: regularly required for details, like air intakes, window surrounds etc.. More important though, I almost always put on a final coat of black for a uniform and technical look (on the inside) and to make the body as opaque as possible.

White: to brighten light colours, and to block darker colours (applied after) from being visible through the light colour(s) (applied prior). Also, often required to back fluorescent colours.

Silver: to get the most of metallic and translucent colours and make them opaque (more relevant for light and translucent and/or metallic colours). Also, sometimes silver is required to block fluorescent colours from bleeding through a light colour applied before the fluorescent colour is applied. For instance, if white is used first and fluorescent pink applied after, the pink will shine through the white even if the white colour was backed up with black. My experience is that only silver sufficiently blocks fluorescent colours from shining through light colours.

Yellow / pink: depending on the desired result, backing red with yellow or pink (instead of white) to "adjust" the red colour. 

Clear: Tamiya PS55 flat clear works well as a primer, allowing for the use of paints not recommended for polycarbonate to be used. E.g. Tamiya TS colours and especially OEM-colours to replicate the colour on a 1:1 vehicle. Also, PS55 is from my extensive experience the most scratch resistant PS colour, so sometimes I use it as a final coat (over black) and/or when the inside of the body is more or less visible with body mounted. Finally, PS55 can be used on the outside when a flat finish is desireable, like canvas tops, window rubbers and other parts that are flat on 1:1 vehicles.

The necessity and benefit of using these different colours vary with the brand of paint(s) used, the desired result, personal preferences, colour scheme, order and number of layers, body shape, the hues onto which the "base paints" are applied and more, so with experience, different people tend to come to somewhat different conclusions.

 

 

[gkatz]

BTW, what are translucent tamiya colors for? r they as the name suggest? so a single layer would keep the color see though? when would u use this variant?

[Willy iine]

1 hour ago, gkatz said:

BTW, what are translucent tamiya colors for? r they as the name suggest? so a single layer would keep the color see though? when would u use this variant?

Translucent is basically as the name, it is like a film of the color, but to be painted over with another color.

This is translucent red + gunmetal

 

As for the must-have PS colors, I always keep a decent inventory of white as it is used for backing everything these days besides black and dark colors like the above.

[alvinlwh]

.

[cstorckiii]

I know you've said Tamiya PS specifically (black, white, and silver for backing), however there are two additional paint lines to consider if they are available in your area of the world (search Amazon or ask at your LHS). Duratrax makes a polycarbonate spray paint in 130ml cans, and have a black and white specifically for backing that dry slightly denser and more opaque than PS. I have used these both over and under PS paints and the have been compatible. Also, Traxxas has a line of polycarbonate paints in both 130ml and 400ml cans at roughly the same cost per ml as Tamiya PS paints ($15.99 USD for the 400ml can). I have yet to use the Traxxas paint, but it's there as an option.

Edited March 18, 2024 by cstorckiii
Corrected typo: changed TS to PS.

[gkatz]

I have put down an order for some spray cans. Where I'm from no one carries these and importing sprays is against security regulations so most store don't ship them internationally. Found an eBay seller that will and hoping for the best

[alvinlwh]

.

[gkatz]

On 12/2/2023 at 7:27 PM, alvinlwh said:

I am in the same situation. Regular mail will not carry spray cans or lithium batteries. And with spray cans, it is very obvious what is inside the package.

crap - order was canceled by seller 

[gkatz]

following up: i have talked to a company that enables shipping by boats... its a few months of sailing but they claim I can send the cans like that.

not sure if they know what they talk about so I will have to dig a little deeper but I have sent a link to them and they confirmed they can (its a local company where I live with a warehouse on the USA - so you ship to the USA warehouse and from there it goes by boat).
I assume other countries with problem such as mone have a local service that is similar... (but you will have to wait a long time for the shipment)

[alvinlwh]

.

[gkatz]

i got lucky and a friend from NYC brought me 2 cans. TBH i dont undersatnd why getting this on the plane in a suitcase is ok for via mail its not ok. 

i need to be really stingy using them.
from all you guys experience, would a single white can be enough for a single car? for instance the optima mid?

i need to know how to ration my usage
10x in advance.

[alvinlwh]

.