I have been a model maker for the last 12 years or so. I work with spray paints all the time and therefore I would like to advise everyone (if you want to listen to me blab on), about how you should paint your bodies to get maximum shine, and smoothness (so the paint doesn't ripple, flake, or feel like sand paper). There is nothing worse than you working so hard on a body then to stuff it up in the end.
1. Clean the surface which is about to be spray with detergent to remove any grease or gunk which is accumulated by your skin coming in contact with the part. Once clean, wear a glove to avoid further contact.
2. I personally prefer Tamiya Sprays or Testors (Boyds) Enamal Spray Paints. Tamiya for the reliability, and Testors for the wide variety. Choose the colour you would like to work with and firstly shake the living daylights out of the can for about 2 minutes. Then run the bottle under HOT water from the tap (wait till you think the tap is running at its hottest) and allow the hot water to come in contact with the can evenly. Run the can under the tap for about 1 minute. NEVER dump the can into boiling water as it may explode!
Reason for running the can under hot water after shaking you may ask?
You shake the paint to mix up the mixture of paint and thinner inside for starters. Running it under a hot tap will heat up the paint inside the spray can and paint like oil - becomes finer when heated. So when you spray, you will notice the paint coming out will be a fine mist instead of visible spirts of paint.
3. To attain maximum shine on your body - DONT POLISH IT or use a Gloss Coating. This is the correct way of getting your body right (but it is time consuming), but I kid you not - if you follow what I say - you'll be able to see your own face on the car body!!!!!!!!!!
Spray in thin layers of paint when spraying. Leave the paint to set (leave for 24 hours). Use Tamiya's "Fine Abbrasive" Sandpaper and use the finnest sheet - the 1200 and lightly sand back the paint evenly (DO IT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION OR YOU WILL UPSET THE PATTERN - BELIEVE ME). Once complete, respray the car and repeat the waiting and sanding process. Do this process 3~4 times - I'll guarantee you will be able to see your own face reflecting off your shiny new car body.
Not only does the paint shine like you wouldnt believe, but also the paintjob will be smooth and will look professionally done (so you can gloat to your friends about how good you are at spray painting).
I will demonstrate this process on my Nissan Concept (as soon as my exams are over) to show everyone the process and the extraordinary results which can be achieved by following the above process.
If anyone decides to try the process I have listed above - please leave a message to let me know how you have gone.
Those are good tips. I'm gonna try those tips when I respray my S2000. Remember that car? LOL... I'm not happy with the color so I guess it'll have to be repainted.
Any tips on priming? There are chip and deep cut marks on the S2000 body. I need to either fill it in or sand it out. Any tips?
I would personally suggest depending on what colour you are going to use. If you are going to use a metallic colour - base it with Tamiya Spray "Silver Leaf" TS30, or "Bright Silver" MS2. Do NOT use any Tamiya Sprays starting with PC - as it's polycarbonate paint and it'll melt your shell straight away. Do 2 light coating and sand it back in between, then apply your final colour. If you're going for a plain colour, for the best gloss finish possible, I would personally suggest you base your car in white. This gives the paint a surface to grip to for starters and then once you sand it back (after painting your main colour), the base coat will provide a shine for the main coat. You'll see what I mean when you start painting it. I hope it works well for you.
Mondo,
I'll put on my Europa Avatar again. It's dated way way way back if you can find it. But yes - I will be hopefully doing a demostration with the Nissan Concept Mid M4 on the holidays to show that it is easier to achieve a higher gloss finish than using a gloss spray in the end.
Use Tamiya's "Fine Abbrasive" Sandpaper and use the finnest sheet - the 1200
I use 800 waterproof sandpaper from a regular DIY.
just leave a piece in a bowl of water for 15 minutes and start sanding. make sure the paper is wet and the parts you're sanding gets wet from the sanding. if you using this paper dry it will immediatly scratch.
you can see your reflection without even painting.
I use this technique on a bumper im fixing up for my 1:1 car. the 800 grit works like a charm. I was told to use 400-600 but I couldn't find it.
I used Easy Off oven cleaner, spary it over the body and put it in a ziplock bag for a day. Then I scrubbed the body with a soft brush. Some times you have to re-apply it one or two more times. It really work, the plastic is left intact.
Easy Off works but Scalecoat or ELO work better and are more plastic safe.
Another thing is the polishing medium. 1200 grit is great but there are polishing kits for plastic models that start at 1200 grit and go all the way up to 14000 grit cloth and they are designed for polishing paint. Last time I looked the whole kit is only about $20 from a LHS or mail order and is used by the national competition winners. From what I understand the original use for the ultra fine emory cloths is polishing commercial airplaine paint. Less drag = less fuel.
Oh yeah, one other thing. I saw a seminar at a contest where they showed how to use this polishing kit to take a fairly deep scratch out of a plastic model windshield. You see there are some pretty rare kits out there and a lot of people are into disassembling and restoring them to show quality.
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