Painting a Hard Body ... Spray or Brush?

[BillL130]

OK, my question is can I get a good looking paint job by "Hand Painting" (using a brush) Hard Body? I live in an apartment and my wife will literally kill me if I use Spray cans in the spare bedroom again. LOL. It stinks up the whole apartment. Will using a brush gives me streak marks and look sloppy? I plan on paint my Vanessa's Lunchbox one solid color, nothing fancy. Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks.

bill

[aconsola]

Brush painting a hard body will likely yield poor results. spray in one form or another is ideal. When I lived in an apartment, I would spray in the basement utility/storage room or wait for a nice calm day and do it outside.

The best thing would be to get the wife out of the house for the weekend and use the spare bedroom.

-Anthony

[eek!]

Spray it if possible..(provided you don't gas your wife/blow up the

room etc..).  See Tamiya's own advice regarding painting hard

shells.  Also has a quick MPEG you can view.

Link:  http://tamiya.com/english/scale/beginner2/2.htm

Best,

[Tamiya King]

Yes, spray is the best way!

Here are some results I have had with spray:

This one was done in two parts, the color paint itself, then a clear coat. I did about 4 (Not Heavy) coats of the burnt copper, then 3 coats of the clear coat!

This Motorcycle was also painted with a two part paint and clear coat process!

Here is an example of a 3 parts Flip Flop process. You first do a flat black paint, then the flip paint (The more the flip paint coats, the better look), then a final clear coat:

Just remember to take your time and do thin coats as heavy coats will run and sometimes not dry right. Also remember to do it on a warm dry day. If it is damp out (Just got done raining) it can tend to haze over. A part on my Motorcycle did that because I was too impatient to wait for a dry day. Now I have to sand it and redo it.

Good luck!

[Alfaman]

I have a NIB Midnight Pumpkin which I had the same question about - it seems spraying it is the popular opinion here and that's what I had planned to do, but nobody has mentioned priming the body ?  Is this because this is taken for granted or is it not always necessary to use a primer 1st ?

[eek!]

I prime.  It's a nice bit of insurance the topcoat will adhere properly.  Another use for primer is if a different color is used then it is easy to see how well you've covered with the topcoat as they contrast.  Below is my King Hauler done with a rattle can, Testor's #1237 primer.

 

Tamiya King,

I've got two questions that are eating me:

1.  What type of clearcoat are you using?  Acrylic, urethane, lacquer or combo?  Out of a can?

2.  What's with that purple thing (egg)?  I'm dying to know what's going to crawl out of it 5/1![]

Best,

[Shodog]

As others have said, to get the best finish you need to prime it.  Otherwise the paint will run and collect in the cracks and crevices of the body.  I like Tamiya spray paints the best.  The make a fine line primer, a number of colors and a clear coat which all work in conjunction with each other.  Here is a few pics of my blackfoot body

[BillL130]

Guys, thanks for all your tips. I really do appreciate it. Looks like I'll spend an afternoon at my parents house and get the job done right.

One more question, when you apply your paint, then the clear coat ... when would you apply your decals? after the paint job is completely done (apnt and clear coat), or would you apply paint, apply decals, then apply clear coat? Thx again.

[Shodog]

I know that some people like to apply decals then clear coat but I don't like to.  Reason is that the decals are flexible and usually clear coat is not.  Some clear coats are aggresive and might melt into the decal.  what I like to do is shoot a couple of clear coats.  paint in the details like the door handles and emblems then shoot a few more clears coats on top.  Then I apply the decals.

[Tamiya King]

I always prime my cars. Sometimes, prime and sand and prime again! Sorry, I thought it was a given.

As for clear coat, I use out of can and the same brand and type as the paint I am using.

I don't know how others do it, but I always give thicker coats of clear coat than I do paint. Almost to the point where it is about to run. Otherwise, it tends to haze over. Just my opinion, but I am far from an expert! (And **** that Blackfoot looks hot! [])

As for the egg, I don't know, someone on here started it, so we will find out together! []

[eek!]

The best advice I can offer is not about painting.  It's the

preparation.  I'm not a painter, my King Hauler and Isuzu are

literally the first bodies I have painted.  The Mu turned out

spectacular with the primer and Tamiya spray for the topcoat (I'm not

showing it quite yet.  Hopefully ready next week[])

The pics below are of an invaluable book I found out about painting.

  I've never felt confident before about painting but after

reading the first article I realized I could do this fairly

easily.  This is by the publishers of RC Car Action and RC Nitro

magazines.  They emphasize proper preparation, or else everything

that follows may be a waste of vaulable time.  ISBN: 0-911295-53-4

Wash the body

thoroughly in warm water/mild detergent, even if it looks clean. 

Wear gloves if possible or wash your hands to prevent skin oils from

contaminating body.  The bottom pic emphasizes this.  I've

also included a link to a post of tips I placed with tips that you may

get some use out of in painting and assembly.

Link:  http://tamiyaclub.com/CS/forums/ShowThread...D=161830#161830

Best,