# paint



## Jakes Dad (Aug 8, 2006)

Breaking out my old airbrush to paint my sons pinewood derby car. I have the wood prepped fine, but am having trouble with paint. I used to use the Testors lexan paint for my RC bodies, but have been banned from painting in the house from the wife, because of the smell. I went to a local craft store and bought some water based paint, but can't seem to get that thinned down enough to spray, without having it have no cover. Is the Parma fascolor any better ? Do I need to cut the water based paints with water like the Testors with thinner ? Of do I just go straight from the bottle and spray ? If I do need tocut it, what ratio should I start with ? Thanks


----------



## TOM MAR (Jul 24, 2008)

Hey, I think the fastcolor covers a little better than the craft store, But I had to cut it for a standard air brush. A racing buddy told me about a cheap $10 air brush at our generic tool store that works great for rc ( Harbor Freight is the store) You would probably have to put a base color down first as I have yet to find the coverage in the new water based paint's as we had with Bolink paints. I do not know the part # but it in a yellow & blk &white box with 6 bottles that snap ontothe air output for quick changing. 
It will put a coat on a 10th scale body in about 5 passes. I don't know if it's the best but it sprays parma's metal flake with no problem.
Hope this helps


----------



## Jakes Dad (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks Tom I have a single stage badger air brush. I just need to figure out this water based paint so I can pait these cars up again. I think I am going to go this weekend and get some Fascolor and see how that works.


----------



## TOM MAR (Jul 24, 2008)

Cool I bought a badger too, I haven't used it. 
Yet.


----------



## OvalmanPA (Mar 21, 2000)

You might find that you even have to "dilute" the Fascolor paints. I've heard guys use everything from alcohol to Windex to thin it down but I've always had the best luck with water. The alcohol seemed to make it dry even faster coming out of the air brush (hence..clog) and I never tried the Windex. One thing you HAVE to normally do with water based paints is spray at a higher air pressure. I've had the best luck with 40-60# and go from there. Thinning helps but then you have to watch closer for runs.


----------



## TOM MAR (Jul 24, 2008)

The alcohol I haven't tried, and it makes sense that it would act as an accellerator for drying. The windex ( our slot car guys use a couple drops of 409 ) acts as a fisheye elliminator & helps the paint to flow together.


----------



## Jakes Dad (Aug 8, 2006)

As far as cutting the paint with water, does normal filterd water work well, or should I use distilled ? Thanks. I need t oget off the pinewood derby stuff and start painting bodies again. But then that would require me to have something t o put the bodies on, and then something to do to tear the bodies up to replace and we can all see where this snowball is heading.


----------



## TOM MAR (Jul 24, 2008)

Just painted a few & I'm about at the bottom of the hill already, I feel you pain....


----------



## frostbite75 (Apr 17, 2006)

Faskolor has released a reducer I think. They may carry it at the local HS. I've tried reducing with most things, 409, windex etc but switched to HOK paints before they were discontinued. But I'm looking to switch back. I have also heard of people using the Auto Air reducer too. Call Coast Air they will be able to answer anything you need. Be careful with ammonia in the cleaners & don't soak the airbrush in it to clean. It will damage the chrome coating. Hope that helps.

Matt Snow
Frostbite Graphics


----------



## TOM MAR (Jul 24, 2008)

Filtered should work fine. I've used it with no problem, but I would recommend a hair dryer at a distance on low.

I have seen the fastcolor reducer, but have not tried it.


----------



## Jakes Dad (Aug 8, 2006)

I am going to LHS tomorrow to pick up some paint and see if I can recapture my painting mojo. I need to to be able to pull off the paint scheme brought to me by my son yestereday.


----------



## Ken Miller (Oct 23, 2009)

use a 50/50 mix of 409/Future floor polish.....dilute paint as need....Im not kidding...it works! :thumbsup:


----------



## ToddFalkowski (Aug 31, 2006)

I've used Rain-X glass cleaner to thin it out. I haven't tried Parma's reducer, if they released it. I did try a sample I got from Parma at the hobby show a couple years back, and didn't like it. (don't know if the public release is the same stuff)


----------



## Jakes Dad (Aug 8, 2006)

It worked out pretty good just using craft paint and a little bit of water. Now if only I could get my son to keep from paint 2 inches away from the car and not have runs all over it. Oh well, we all had to learn at 1 point.


----------



## speedster1919 (Oct 4, 2009)

I sell waterbase paints. The general rule is if it is raining, snowing, or real high humidity use alcohol. It is not heat that makes it dry but airflow. Not all alcohol is the same. Methanol is a bad choice. Alot of cheap rubbing alcohol is a mix of water % to alcohol, which can be good. Distilled water is the best water. Even bottled water has minerals added for taste. Now I wait till my wife is gone. Spray the body with Testors in the front yard in 30 degree weather and let flash about 2 minutes. Then I take in the house to the bathroom with the fan running to exhaust some fumes. Later I splash some aftershave around and haven't been caught yet. LOL


----------

