# Painting White Letter Tires



## 12Blacktop

Does anyone have anything they use to paint the white letters on tires and it actually DRYS ??.. Testors gloss white just stays tacky on the tires. And the flat white rubs right off. I even tried clear coat over them... stays tacky... I'm about to just leave blackwalls on all my junk. 

btw, I'm new around here. I left a message in the intro thread. 
Thanks
Ed

2012 Dodge Charger Blacktop


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## philo426

You have to use acrylic paint to have the paint dry!


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## f1steph

Mat Tamiya Acrylic paint is what I use. Apply thin layers of paint, let the paint dry between layers. I use a super sharp toothpick along with a magnifier....... AND A LOT OF PATIENCE!!!!!!. Don't drink coffee before, this my best tip. A shaky hand is your worst ennemy. 

That's what I did on my last project: 1/20 Tamiya Brabham BT50. I have dry aftermarket letter decals but I nearly lost what's left of my hair with them on another project (1/20 Williams FW07). So I decided to paint them. And I'm satisfied with the result, it was my first on a 1/20 scale. 

https://plus.google.com/photos/101014169512489939839/albums/6030036622136370913

Good luck

Steph


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## vypurr59

You could dip the tires in future, let dry, and use enamel paint. But the method I prefer to use is to paint acrylic paint onto a piece of tape stuck to a flat piece of glass, then press the lettering to the paint, sorta like a tampo print., clean up the edges with a toothpick and /or a q-tip moistened with water.


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## 12Blacktop

Thanks guys I'll try the acrylic.


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## irishtrek

Future will give the acrylic paint something to 'grab' onto, otherwise it could get scraped off easily. It does on styrene anyway.


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## Chief Joseph

I use a very fine brush and white Liquitex acrylic artists' paint. And a lot of patience, LOL. I also have a range of white letter tire waterslide decals that can help get the white-letter look without a lot of hair loss  And I also make some white resin tires that can be painted black, then have the paint sanded away from the letters, leaving them white.


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## irishtrek

12Blacktop said:


> Does anyone have anything they use to paint the white letters on tires and it actually DRYS ??.. Testors gloss white just stays tacky on the tires. And the flat white rubs right off. I even tried clear coat over them... stays tacky... I'm about to just leave blackwalls on all my junk.
> 
> btw, I'm new around here. I left a message in the intro thread.
> Thanks
> Ed
> 
> 2012 Dodge Charger Blacktop


Are the tires rubber or vinyl???


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## -Hemi-

OK now I'm lost, (that at times is a difficult one to pull on me!) What is "Future" Not sure I've ever heard anything called that before.....?


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## vypurr59

Future is an clear, acrylic floor polish. Now it is called Pledge with Future Shine. It can also be found at Dollar Stores. 
http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q524/vypurr59/f032ca06.jpg
It is self leveling and can be brushed on, dipped, or air-brushed.

Here is a link to a wonderful Tutorial about Future.
http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html


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## SteveR

I found that using pale grey acrylic looked more realistic than white.


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## vypurr59

SteveR said:


> I found that using pale grey acrylic looked more realistic than white.


Steve, I have used pale grey as well, for that worn out look.


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## scottnkat

I could never get the white lettering painted well at all. I tried paints, pens, and finally my wife came across the Recollections signature opaque marker at Michaels and brought it home for me to try. Since then this has worked for every tire I've used it on. It dries quickly and you can trim the tip to make it as narrow as you need it to be.


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## vypurr59

Thanks for that tip Scott, I will have to look into these as well.


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## whiskeyrat

In the past I've simply dry-brushed on acrylics, but they do have a tendency to crack to some degree if the tires rub on anything... I've considered using liquid paper (white-out) but I fear the same effect. What about that white window marker that I've seen used to write on windshields, like when a car is for sale? Is that acrylic paint? Scott I need to try that opaque marker you were talking about...do you know if it's oil based, or water?


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## 12Blacktop

whiskeyrat said:


> In the past I've simply dry-brushed on acrylics, but they do have a tendency to crack to some degree if the tires rub on anything... I've considered using liquid paper (white-out) but I fear the same effect. What about that white window marker that I've seen used to write on windshields, like when a car is for sale? Is that acrylic paint? Scott I need to try that opaque marker you were talking about...do you know if it's oil based, or water?


 
You know I think I have one of those windshield markers. I'll give that a try. I picked up a Tamaiya acrylic flat white yesterday to give it a shot.


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## chippmunk53

The acrylic paint that works best on vinyl tires should be water-based. Any other solvent will attack or try to dissolve the tire because of its chemical properties. 

If the lettering on the tire is significantly raised, simply smear a thin coat of acrylic on an old CD, then press the tire against the paint. Quick, easy, but be sure to mate the cd and tire squarely, else you'll have whitewalls you never intended to produce!

For that wide whitewall look, I chuck up an old wheel in a drill, and slowly turn the tire/wheel while holding a brush to it. A few turns later, and instant whitewall! You can vary the brush size for different thicknesses of stripe.


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