Core RC Paint - don't waste your money!

[ChrisRx718 4470]

Core RC Code Paint 

Creating a separate thread because I want this to appear on google searches - as a warning to others! I'm not a professional, but not exactly an amateur either, I've been spraying bodyshells for over 12 years! 

I'm sure like others during the time of the Covid Lockdown have experienced low levels of stock - particularly Tamiya paint, which has sold out in many popular colours.

I bought some common colours (white & black) for use as backing colours. I also bought a cheap bodyshell from L&L Models, which arrived without the rear spoiler it was photographed with, but whatever.

I'm glad it was cheap, because I also used the cheap Core RC paint on it, opting for 'Neon Fire'. I saved a couple of quid over the Tamiya equivalent.

Oh how the can of paint coughed and spluttered (even after warming and vigorous shaking). It spat its' contents all over the shop in a fine mist mainly of propellant, supplemented with big splatters of paint. Lovely.

I persevered. "Once this is backed with white it will look fine" I thought. I used the whole can on a 210mm M-chassis body. Bearing in mind that; a Tamiya can of PS paint is 'only' 100ml, these are supposedly 150ml, I expected great coverage.

I was wrong.

The white similarly had to be coaxed into action, seemingly refusing to spray its' contents. The lacklustre coverage was again observed, as was the splattering. Again, I used a whole can on a small body, with very poor coverage. I then backed this with some Tamiya PS12 silver because it was still not looking very opaque!

Looking at the body once everything had cured I was very worried. I had hoped some of the speckles of white were on the overspray film on the outside, and the inconsistent colouring would look better once the film was removed.

That's not a reflection on the left, it's the white showing through.

So I have more Code RC paint which was reserved for another project, safe to say that is all going straight in the bin, circa £24-worth of it! It's just not worth ruining bodyshells for.

Heed this warning. Save your money, buy Tamiya paint.

[Fruitfly01 596]

Wow. that's awful.  I'm not too fond of painting car bodies, but when I do I've always used Tamiya, and judging by your pictures, I will continue to do so.  Thanks for the heads up, but sorry about your misfortune.

[Crashboxdummy 39]

Ouch. That’s not good. I guess it goes to say you get what you pay for.
 

Thanks for the warning though as it is always tempting to go for another brand especially if it’s cheaper. 

[ThunderDragonCy 7873]

Mirrors my experience with Core RC paint exactly. Not worth it. 

[Problemchild 2149]

To add some balance (not affiliated with them at all) I just painted my Durga in core RC neon carrot silver backed 

no issues at all 

 

and painted my comical hornet and falcon with the core RC graphite - 1 can did 2 cars

I messed up my manta ray cockpit with the translucent tamiya pink because it splattered if not pressed perfectly and I had to wipe it off and start again

(similar when I used it to paint my brat lexan)

 

if only propellant is coming out then that’s normally when you hold the can not vertically 

 

JJ

[Busdriver 6209]

I too have used core rc paint without issues. In fact I thought it covered better tha some Tamiya paint. Luck of the draw!!!

Edited June 1, 2020 by Busdriver
Can’t spell🤪

[TurnipJF 9188]

I only tried it once, with metallic black. Poor coverage and "blobby" consistency even after warming and a whole lot of shaking of the can. 

Quality control is often one of the first things to be sacrificed when companies are trying to cheapen a product. I am thus not surprised as to the mixed experiences being reported. As @Busdriver says, luck of the draw...

[Manix92 121]

I wonder if it is just poor QC on the nozzle? You can buy upgraded nozzles at quite a few places for aerosol spray paint.

[topforcein 1764]

never used rc-core paint and wont as its cheap but on the other hand i have had plenty of problems with tamiya paint and had a few shells ruined with the dearest one being a grand hauler shell and fenders so i wont use tamiya ever again

[Problemchild 2149]

I can only see a few scenarios where only propellant comes out though 

1. there wasn’t any paint in the can (you’d feel if it was light)

2. The can isn’t held vertically 

JJ

[TurnipJF 9188]

3 hours ago, Problemchild said:

I can only see a few scenarios where only propellant comes out though 

1. there wasn’t any paint in the can (you’d feel if it was light)

2. The can isn’t held vertically 

JJ

It could also be that the feed tube inside the can is leaking, absent or improperly positioned, all potentially due to poor QC.

[Problemchild 2149]

True - holding the van upside down would make it work though then?

JJ

[Juggular 4961]

Seeing as even Tamiya could be a problem, I'm thinking some of it might not be the brand, but the weather.  

[1]  Using Tamiya sprays, I often experience sputter at the end of spraying a layer.  It happens as a drop forms near the nozzle.  That one drop near the nozzle creates endless sputters.  I fling my wrist to get the droplet off.  Or it might be better to wipe it off with paper towel.  But it's just better to spray in thin layers.  By the time the nozzle gets wet enough, you stop spraying.  

That means about 15-20 short passes for one layer on a good day.  10-15 passes on mediocre conditions.  I spray the can upside down to clear the nozzle after every layer (so that it won't clog).  Wait an hour and then do another layer.  I would repeat that for at least 3 layers for Lexan shells, 2 layers for resin bodies.  It's impossible not to get the nozzle wet. That's why weather is so important.  

[2]  I keep the 60/60 rule recommended by Tamiya. Over 60 degrees F (16C) of temperature & less than 60% humidity. That's absolute minimum for me.  I try to paint on 70/50 days. [Above 70 degree F (21C), below 50% humidity]  Today was the best day this year.  It was about 74F (23C), about 35% humidity.  (EXCEPT FOR POLLEN...Ugh!  I was outside only for 3 minutes)  

Had to sand and spray again, but I probably got the same result (I haven't looked at it yet).  Below was taken just before I went out to spray for the second time.  (I don't spray indoors, even with respirators because of health concerns. My ex-roommate from 1994-1996 just got out of hospital after removing pre-cancerous growth from his esophagus. We are just at that age where we'd start to find that we are not as invincible as we once thought)  Toys are not worth dying for. I might spray indoors, if I get a powerful spray booth, though.  

If the temperature is cold, it's just hard for droplets to spread and make even surface. These conditions create "orange peel."  High humidity might make it very hard for the paint to cure.  Obviously, long spraying sessions also create wet nozzles and sputter.  So if you add humidity + low temp + wet nozzle, it's the worst.  

On the other hand, extremely low humidity + high temperature could create "dusting."  Nozzles don't get wet.  By the time droplets hit the surface, they become gooey or dried dust.  Even gloss paint looks flat.  After everything dries, you wipe your hand on the surface, and you pick up paint dust. But underneath the dust, it could also look like orange peel again, because bigger droplets didn't have time to spread evenly before they dried.  

I thought dusting was because I was spraying from too far away.  So I go closer, and make a puddle.  Heat + dryness = very sensitive to spraying distance.  So maybe about 50-60% humidity would be better than desert-dry weather.  Air could hold only so many molecules, if there is more moisture, fumes would evaporate slower, giving time to spread out on the surface to make glossy finish.  Mornings are always wetter than afternoons.  I spray in the afternoon because it rains more than London here.  But if you are in the arid area, you might spray in the morning when there is more moisture in the air.  

 

In the end, I found that the best days are in the spring and fall.  But in the spring, nearly invisible pollen land on your paint. In the fall, it's the wind and the leaves. (It's better in the fall. At least leaves are easy to avoid)  Obviously, rainy days are no good.   

Below is my general rule of thumb for painting outdoors. I would not paint when it's colder than 50 degrees, nor when it's hotter than 90 degrees.  

50 degrees(10C): below 30% humidity (and bring the shell indoors to dry)

60 degrees(15C): below 40% humidity,

70 degrees(21C): below 50% humidity, 

80 degrees(26C): below 60% humidity.  

I only get a dozen chance to spray in a year, according to this rule of thumb for best results.  I'm thinking about using window fans for the winter.  That way, I'll turn off the vents, spray indoors wearing a respirator. And quickly vent the room for an hour.  I'll spray when there is wind west to east.  Most rooms face east in this house. If I sprayed in the wrong wind, no matter how strong the fan is, it will blown the fume right back into the house and I'll be in the dog house.  

 

[Nobbi1977 1793]

Don’t bin them, send them my way. I screw up enough paint jobs for it not to make a difference.

I have used a tin of Core Rc orange and found them to be ok. Coverage on my Comical was not great but then I had used most of the tin on another body first.

 

It is a real shame it has ruined a shell, I hate the cutting out enough to feel your pain

[barnettgs 5]

The colours of Core RC look alright. Tamiya colours look much nicer and they have loads of colour to choose from.

Every time I see a video of any RC pro building their high end kit other than Tamiya, they always seemed to use Tamiya paint.

[J@mes 2326]

I used the core rc chrome black and white paints on my Konghead Without issue. The chrome was really good in my opinion. I will add that most of the car was painted with Tamiya metallic blue. Perhaps that is the best use for this make, as cheap backing paint.

[Problemchild 2149]

Why don’t tamiya make bigger cans

JJ

[barnettgs 5]

1 hour ago, Problemchild said:

Why don’t tamiya make bigger cans

JJ

Indeed, I found out the hard way when I was spraying CC-01 Defender body green. I ended up with light green on one side! Should have bought two...

[Wetman 417]

I used the core rc paint on a drifter body for the bairn, well was going to be a runner for mine but he`s claimed it. Anyway What should have been a metallic red turned into pink when backed. Experienced the same issues with big droplets appearing right in the middle of a pass over. However also used a tin of Core paint clear sparkle as a first mist coat and had no issues at all. 

On a side note the Fast Finish white i used as a backing  for both bodies (2x tins)i wasnt impressed with at all, seemed to go everywhere but where the nozzle was pointing and seemed very powdery yet the blue the young un used for his skyline body from Fast Finish was bob on.

As @Busdriver says it seems to be very much luck of the draw