# What is best paint for high gloss coat?



## robtrek

Hi! As a relative newbie to car modeling, I was wondering if anyone had a technique/opinion as to what the best combo of primer and main body color paints are the best? Also, is there a primer color that makes a difference as well(black, white or grey with, say, a Ferrari red final coat)?

Thank you in advance,
Rob


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## superduty455

Hey Rob! I'll answer your questions with what I use. Not everyone is going to have the same answer as we all have our own techniques and favorite items to use.
First, I'll answer the easy question. Ferrari uses an almost fluorescent orange for their base before they use final color. I find using Tamiya's TS-36 fluorescent red. It's pretty bright but helps with the Ferrari hues in red and yellow.

As far as primer goes I usually decide what color the car is to determine the primer color. Light bright colors I want to use white. Darker colors I want black. Gray is pretty good in keeping them all neutral. Really depends on what you want to achieve. Pick up a box of plastic spoons and test on them to see what you come up with. Cheap and effective way of determining color hues with different primers on them.

I'll go through my steps of achieving a glossy finish. Like I mentioned before everyone has their own method. I do what works for me. 

I wet sand almost everything, including the bare plastic model itself. I use 3600 or 4000 polishing cloth, maybe a little rougher grit on the bare body first. I do this after every primer coat to, at least until I'm happy with how the body and any work looks. 
I usually don't polish the painted body too much unless I find something in the paint. DO NOT polish a pearl or metallic body as it will muddle the look of the color.
Once I'm happy with my color coats I will then start with clear coats. I'll do a couple light mist coats and see how things look. One heavy coat if I'm happy with about 5-10 minutes of flash time between coats. I'll then stick it into my dehydrator for 4-6 hours depending on the paint I've used. Then I'll do one more polish cloth of 4000 and final clear coat. 

As for paint I utilize Scalefinishes.com paint which can be anything from acrylic to lacquer of some sort. It's great stuff and he can mix any color you want. In order to achieve a gloss finish though you may have to use clear coats. I do, on all my paint regardless if it needs it or not only to protect it from my polishing sessions. Most times solid colors can be polished without a clear. 
In the end, or rather the beginning, make sure all your body work is as flawless as it can be otherwise you'll see the glaring mistakes show up after all the work you put into it.
Like I said this is my method. Everyone has a different way of doing things and none of them are wrong. If I see someone has a method I haven't tried I go with it to see if I get better results. Or I use some of the techniques and add them to what I already know.
In the end, just have fun and build for you.
I hope this helps you a bit. 
Chris


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## Ian Anderson

(("Pick up a box of plastic spoons and test on them to see what you come up with".))

Now theres a great Idea Chris, I never thought of it before dont know why, its the right material and finish and all, I think i can use that idea Well, "THINKS CHRIS"

Ian


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## Pete McKay

I'm not quite as technical as Chris, I pre-sand starting at 1500 to remove mold lines and then go to 2500 for final sanding, all of it wet. I then will either shoot a coat of primer gray, zinc chromate or red oxide depending on what color the car will be. My main paint coat preference is Tamiya for rattle cans but if I'm airbrushing a color that means I'm doing a special project and it's always Ditzler. I will shoot 3 color coats with wet sanding with a 6000 to 8000 grit Detail Master sheet. After that I will either airbrush a coat of Future Floor Wax or as with my last two projects I'll polish out the paint to 12000 grit with the DM polishing kit. As Chris said, don't try to polish out pearls, metallic or metal flake paints. I have polished out paint and then shot the Pearl Clear that Tamiya makes over it and it comes out as smooth as if I polished it out, if you do that wait for the paint to cure again, usually a few days or you could have a nasty orange peal problem. 

A lot of modern and sports cars use a bit of semi-gloss black, I use only Tamiya TS-29 for that, for the black borders on the windows and chassis parts. I also use a lot of Model Master's Metalizers for things like engine and exhaust parts and now dip my brake rotors in Aluminum Plate Metalizer for a real look. I often mix my own tones for things like exhaust systems, getting subtle differences for the exhaust system the further it gets back from the engine. 

Interiors I virtually always brush paint, I'll paint in the creases of the seats a slightly darker color then a day later go back and do the main color. Once everything is dry I then shoot a light coat of Testors Dulcoat over everything and let it dry. 

If you don't have an airbrush they can be found online fairly inexpensive through Harbor Freight. Don't worry about spending $100 on your first one, you can get a good complete compressor and airbrush set up for about $70 and that will also work with an expensive one later. I use rattle cans for now because it's cold outside and it takes some time for me to move my compressor and stuff out on the patio. Once summer comes I'll be airbrushing almost exclusively.


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## robtrek

Wow, thanks for the info Chris and Pete! I will be using the advice. Very clear, especially about polishing. Good to know tried and true grit ranges. 

Any opinions on the type of paint prefered for the brushing of the interior. I use acrylics exclusively, no enamels. A choice between Tamiya or Testors MM Acryls ultimitely. Any opinions on which is the better for that? Also, do you prime the interior first? 

Oh and I have an airbrush and compressor, but thanks for the info. I used to build more years ago, but it was military and sci-fi. I haven't done a car in over 15 years (and that was a commision of sorts...a trade). As you guys are the experts (as is ovious by your work!) I wanted your opinions on techniques and paint choices.

Once again, thank you very much!! I'm sure this will help others as well.
Rob


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## Pete McKay

Well I'm not expert, not anymore. I used to be considered a Master Modeler by my IPMS club about 20 years ago, but a bad car accident, age and some health conditions long ago ended that association. I stopped building all models in either late 2001 or early 2002 and just started getting back into it last November. Cars have always been my love; I've won more than 200 awards including a few Best In Shows from 1985 through 2001 but I haven't even been to a model contest since September 2001. 

I use enamels for the most part but the Tamiya rattle cans are considered a type of lacquer. Their finish dries fast and smooth and unbelievably thin allowing much of the detail to come though. Tamiya offers a really great range of colors and several clear coats including the pearl overcoat I mentioned. 

Much of my bottle paints are from the Testor's Model Master line, and I continually make my own colors with empty bottles I buy directly from Testors. I'd say about half of the 100+ bottles I have are probably custom colors. I also buy a lot of discontinued colors like the Boyd's line that Testors made up until 2008 when Boyd Coddington died. There are still a few online retailers that deal with them, haven't seen any in my local hobby shop for at least a year. 

I seldom prime interiors unless they're molded in a color like red or yellow, then, thanks to Zombie's suggestion, I shoot them in primer white and brush over that. It worked great on my current Ferrari California project, it might be something I continue to do now.


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## superduty455

I'm similar to Pete with the exception of age and accident. Been in a magazine, and have also won numerous awards. My favorite being a best paint award for my Nero Daytona 612 seen in Pete's thread.

I'm a huge airbrush guy. Have been using my Badger 175 double action siphon feed for over 20 years. I recently picked up a Badger 150 for interior work.

When it comes to painting interiors I use a number of paints and brands no matter what it is to get the desired color I am looking for. I'm becoming a fan of Tamiya acrylics for black window surrounds as any excess can be wiped off with Windex. 
I mainly airbrush all my interior's, especially the big areas with hand painting done by brush on the dash and smaller items. As Pete mentioned, it really depends on the interior color that decides whether I use primer or not.

I'm not fully convinced of Future floor wax as a clear right now. I've heard a few guys that have been using it for years have a few models that are now turning yellow, similar to Testors clear.

Primer is another thing to look for. Tamiya makes some great stuff, but it is expensive and hard to get right now since the California code for labeling caught up with them. No new supply until about April. Mr. Surfacer is another really great primer and maybe even better than Tamiya or at least very close.

I love Tamiya sprays as they are a synthetic lacquer, go on thin and dry very quickly. Keep TS-29 loaded in your arsenal. You'll use this color a lot.

If you have a hobby shop (brick and mortar store) I highly advise checking them out and just looking at what they have. Otherwise hit up a few of the sponsors here on the site, especially Mega Hobby, which has great prices and lots of items.

I think that about sums this little section up.
Chris


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## Jon Mopar

does anyone here use automotive paint??? (thinned out appropriately when sprayed threw a gun). I build a lot of late model cars, with paint hues that don't have close matches when it comes to hobby paint. 

I've been using Dupont/Napa "exact match" paint. Matched to code. Even out of the rattle can, it lays nicely. I wet sand afterwards of course. Sometimes I clear, other times I go the single stage route, just depends on the color


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## Pete McKay

Jon, I use Ditzler stuff because I have it in my shop. I also will use automotive pearls sometimes but Tamiya actually has a product that surpasses it. Most of the time if I'm spraying automotive paint it's for a customer with a very specific car color, like the mid to late 1990's chameleon purple that was on some of the Pontiac cars like the Firebird. I also use touch up colors and even nail polish colors if I like it enough.


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## Dave621955

Rob, I do pretty much the same as Pete and Chris but don't polish as much. I'm more of a "looks good from the road doing 60" kinda guy. I use a air brush almost exclusively, you can see my attempt at the rattle can in a previous post but that's me. I've seen the work builders like Pete, Chris. Erik .. etc do with rattle cans and it rivals any spray gun, I guess that means I need more practice. As far as paint I use Tamiya paints for military but for cars I use either PPG or Omin (PPG's bottom line) paints which I get from a fellow modeler who happens to own a body shop.


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