# nail polish?



## airman34 (May 18, 2011)

Anybody out there ever paint with nail polish or the liquid rubber DIP IT? Just wondering if and how they would look.


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## Rotwang (May 25, 2011)

I've used clear nail polish for eyes. It's also great for touching up minor dings on guitars.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I have seen some car models airbrushed with nail polish


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I've also seen some figure models - like a bride with a satiny, shiny wedding dress done in white nail polish.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Good question, A34 (although I can't figure out why you'd want to spray Dip It on a model)! Some time back I picked up a couple bottles of Street Wear nail polish called "Toad", an olive drab with gold flecks in it. I though it'd be perfect for Dracula's Dragster, but I haven't had the guts to actually spray it yet.

Anybody got recommendations for thinning this stuff? I was thinking I'd thin the nail polish with lacquer thinner and spray this hot potato over a goodly layer of primer. But I'll be glad to hear from them as has sprayed nail polish successfully (or not - you can learn a lot from mistakes, too).

Have a great weekend, all.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

I have used clear nail polish on eyes to 'round them out' and give a natural look. My opinion on modleing is, "if it works, used it" ! I'm not sure about spraying it though, the 'flecks' would gum up the airbrush and it would also be hard to thin out.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

the Dabbler said:


> ...the 'flecks' would gum up the airbrush...


They don't look any larger than those you see in model paint, like Testors square bottle Gold, Dabs. I've found that type of paint just requires more cleanup effort at the end of the spray session. My main concern is, what substance thins nail polish without vaporizing styrene?


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## Stoney-VA (Oct 19, 2011)

I've never spayed nail polish but here is someone how claims to be a resident expert.

http://modelpaint.tripod.com/nailpolish101.htm


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

Alot of nail polishes clean up with acetone. Try that or lacquer thinner. I'd use a good lacquer primer to assuage your worries. My wife (read EX) gave me some nice blood red nail polish once and I thinned it a bit with lacquer thinner and used it on some Vampi fingernails. Man did it pop. Nothing like using the real thing.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

You can airbrush the stuff. Car modelers have been doing it for 50 years. You can thin it with acetone or lacquer thinner. One problem I have seen with it being airbrushed is that, like lacquer paints, it can spiderweb (come out in big cotton candy whisps). A thinner like Mr. Color Levelling THinner that has a retarder built in might work here as Mr. Color paints can have the same problem.

You can airbrush lacquers on plastic for a couple of reasons - airbrushed paint usually dries before it has a chance to melt the plastic, and you can use a primer.

The flakes in some polish are not particularly large. Have you ever seen the Pactra clear RC Car paint that has gold or silver craft glitter in it? That stuff airbrushes too! You just have to use a larger size nozzle and needle, or open up your brush for a larger spray pattern.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Stoney-VA said:


> ...here is someone how claims to be a resident expert.


 Stoney,
This looks like sound advice to me. Mr. Drew has elaborates nicely on the suggestions that have been posted here. Thank you all!


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## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

Here is what I have on the subject.....

Nail Polish is a Lacquer "paint" with chemical additives that react to cause super fast drying and durability. Traditionally it is made to go on smooth, dry fast and become chip resistant by design. As well it is available in just about any color from standard blood red to blues and purples and even Gothic Blacks. 

Some paint the nail polish directly on their base coat with the bottle brush - although this is said to work, only a few samples have surfaced. Instead the preferred method is to shoot a thinned version of the polish through a standard airbrush. Airbrushing Allows the right amount of paint and air to mix giving a smoother, more attractive finish. 

To airbrush the nail polish it must be thinned: Two schools of thought here - the first uses Lacquer thinner, this thins that paint very well (most recommend a 50/50 thinning although it does depend upon the polish manufacturer) but depending upon your base coat and or primer it can react funny with enamels and some acrylics causing a crackling effect when drying. Obviously this ruins your custom. 

The second school prefers acetone - again a 50/50 mixture is a good place to start - it does not produce any side effects when painting over enamels and acrylics, cleans up well and is as easy to use as Lacquer thinner. Use this also at 100% for clean up of the airbrush as well. 

It is not recommended that Paint thinner be used as nail polish contains different properties then standard paint and this can cause clogging of your airbrush. 

Drying time should be fairly quick and it is recommended that additional coats, if necessary, be sprayed within a few minutes of that drying time and before permanent hardening begins. 

As with all paints you will need to experiment with pressure, amount of air and amount of paint before reaching that perfect flow. Again, like all materials the cheaper the nail polish the cheaper the results. "Ya get what ya pay for" A drug store $1.29 bottle is probably not going to yield desired results as a high-end OPI or like brand - these can run as much as $6-8 per bottle.


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## airman34 (May 18, 2011)

I thought the DIP IT might work for painting the Black Widow's suit or possibly the wheels on a tank. Thought it might make a good "rubber" look.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I see your point, but I don't know how plastic will react to DIP IT. Testors makes a brownish-black paint that looks like rubber; it's called "Rubber" :hat:. It has a flat finish, but you could shine it up for the Black Widow with clear gloss.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Dip It is also like 1/8" thick...


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## tomcurran545 (Aug 13, 2021)

I use *Revlon Nail Enamel Nail Polish* because the nail polish work flawlessly when you use it with a base and topcoat.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

If I remember right the guy who painted the Enterprise refit for TMP used nail polish.


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## dymaxion2 (Nov 14, 2021)

This 1957 Revelle Cadillac Seville Prototype SSP Re-pop circa 1990's was finished with Fingernail Polish in the Day . I did a color match using a Paint Chip Book Color Chart . . I added the Production ; Front Fender to Quarter Chrome Strip . As well as rhe Production Paint job . These all came equipped with Dual Srtripe White Walls . NOT Full White Walls depicted on this Replica . The Buyers demanded full White Walls for the Purchase to be final . IIRC , the Show Car Tries were changed out to reflect the demand of prospective Customers . "WHY SHOULD I PAY FULL PRICE FOR FULL WHITE WALLS . Then GET NOT FULL WHITEWALLS ?" At the time of my WIP on this one . No available documetation was available for color reference . Only BW pics we to be found . I coated it with Testor's Pro Master Modeler High Gloss Clear . The Stainless Roof quickly oxidized into a shade of Gunmetal . I am a nit picker , admittedly retentive Factory Stock Builder . I am not so happy with this one  . 

This Lady is finished in Nail Polish also . I don't do people well at all . One of my friends finished this very early Jimmy Flintstone casting for me . A Pretty "long tall woman in a Green Dress" . Also Depicted L/R is "Wild Bill Maverick" > Lil Red Wagon . Don Garlits > Swamp Rat ?? . I don't recall who #3 is . #4 is the Lady here .. Comments welcome . God Bless


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

They all turned out well. The yellow lighting on the people are interesting - do you remember your light source?


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## dymaxion2 (Nov 14, 2021)

I used a Failing Didigital Camera at the Time . It was new in 2006 . These pics are from 2015 . I use a White Plastic Pail as the Background . A White Towel for the 'flooring' Kinda looks like snow ..lol . A small High Intensity Lamp (1980's Tech) just behind the Camera . While Directly Overhead , also Overhead Behind the Camera , 4 Energy Efficient (Mercury) Extended Life ?? Watt bulbs in two fixtures . Ceiling Fixtures with Circa 1992 Manufactured Housing Diffusers (covers or shades) . Some other Pics I have came out with the same Yellow effect . I really believe it had much to do with the Ambient Outside Sunlight . I like the pics . To me this seems to sharpen the Details . TY for asking and Comments .. Thanx


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## dymaxion2 (Nov 14, 2021)

dymaxion2 said:


> This 1957 Revelle Cadillac Seville Prototype SSP Re-pop circa 1990's was finished with Fingernail Polish in the Day . I did a color match using a Paint Chip Book Color Chart . . I added the Production ; Front Fender to Quarter Chrome Strip . As well as rhe Production Paint job . These all came equipped with Dual Srtripe White Walls . NOT Full White Walls depicted on this Replica . The Buyers demanded full White Walls for the Purchase to be final . IIRC , the Show Car Tries were changed out to reflect the demand of prospective Customers . "WHY SHOULD I PAY FULL PRICE FOR FULL WHITE WALLS . Then GET NOT FULL WHITEWALLS ?" At the time of my WIP on this one . No available documetation was available for color reference . Only BW pics we to be found . I coated it with Testor's Pro Master Modeler High Gloss Clear . The Stainless Roof quickly oxidized into a shade of Gunmetal . I am a nit picker , admittedly retentive Factory Stock Builder . I am not so happy with this one  .
> 
> This Lady is finished in Nail Polish also . I don't do people well at all . One of my friends finished this very early Jimmy Flintstone casting for me . A Pretty "long tall woman in a Green Dress" . Also Depicted L/R is "Wild Bill Maverick" > Lil Red Wagon . Don Garlits > Swamp Rat ?? . I don't recall who #3 is . #4 is the Lady here .. Comments welcome . God Bless


These are the rest of my population for lack of a Better Term . I have some more .. Enjoy .. Comments Welcome . God Bless


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Nice bunches of people. The boards look nice. Do you still have them? Were the engines just for display or did they go into other models? 🤙


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