# Paint?



## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

I picked up a Dash's 55 body from Nostalgia Hobby in Scotch Plains today. I'd like to paint it and was wondering, what should I use? Tester's Model Paint? Rattle Can?

What do you guys use? I read through the 55's thread and saw some really nice bodies and it inspired me to do my own.


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## gear buster (Dec 1, 2005)

*paint*

440,

I have used Model Master Rattle cans due to the nice colors they have.
I mostly airbrush with automotive paints, model masters, testors or acrylic water base you can get at craft stores.
It is mostly up to what you feel comfortable using. 
Rattle cans you can warm up and get great results and a coat of clear or future and you can get great paint jobs.
Experiment is what I have done with paints. Give it a shot. :thumbsup:
Experience is the best teacher I say.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Yup, Buster is right... practice helps. 

If wanna see how something lays, go down to the thrift store and get a scoop or two of clunker diecasts and practice.

The guys have heard me say this 800 times, but once again, not all bombcan nozzles are created the same. The metering can vary hugely. Always save the good ones when ya drain a can. It's never guaranteed that you'll get a nozzle with a good fan/pattern and nice atomization. Sounds tarded, but works good. 

Air brushes are great, infinite control of air and fluid metering as well as pressure adjustment...cant go wrong with that. Takes practice to learn to control viscosities and become comfortable with but in the end there is no substitute. Proper maintenance/cleaning is the ticket...The Bobzilla mantra! 

Rule number one...always test shoot before you blat some diahreaha on your beautifully prepped body.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Just remember if you're using cans, warm them up with some water before shooting. You'll get a finer and better coating when you lay it on. Also, LIGHT COATS between drying. Once your happy with the paint and detailing, you can clearcoat the paint job with your clearcoat (warmed as well). Once that sets (overnight is best), I would put the decals on and then give her a couple of coats of Future to protect the decals and give it some gloss. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

I was thinking of shooting over to Wal-Mart, they just put the Kustom Kolors Model Paint on clearance. They apparently don't sell much models so they are going to stop carrying it. 

I always liked the colors but it was expensive. But now that its on clearance I'm going to go buy a bunch of it. They even have an airbrush kit and cool stencils for flames. 

Is there anything I need to do to the body to "prep" it for paint? I was never good at painting model cars but I want to take time with this.


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## ScottD961 (Jan 31, 2008)

Hey Guys , I have been reading this with great interest and was wondering , Don't you loose some of the fine detail if you use the rattle can? I would love to redo a dash 65 GTO I have but I don't want to loose the door handles and hood scoop. I know if I heat up the can that helps atomize the paint but will it thin the paint out enough to keep small details visible?


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## SplitPoster (May 16, 2006)

No painting expert am I, but a model builder I know recommended Tamiya model paint. Relatively expensive, yes, though I still think you could get a matching fleet of "ho" bodies out of one can. Doesn't seem like you'd lose any detail working with it.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

440 said:


> I was thinking of shooting over to Wal-Mart, they just put the Kustom Kolors Model Paint on clearance. They apparently don't sell much models so they are going to stop carrying it.
> 
> I always liked the colors but it was expensive. But now that its on clearance I'm going to go buy a bunch of it. They even have an airbrush kit and cool stencils for flames.
> 
> Is there anything I need to do to the body to "prep" it for paint? I was never good at painting model cars but I want to take time with this.


 Goodbye cool paint...goodbye...Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! My favorite paint to use is gone, gone, gone...whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah 

*whipping tears from my eyes snif-snif* Luckily I stocked up on Kustom Kolor paint but, only have about a 5 year supply ...oh dang!

Just take liquid soap and a toothbrush...then scrub...then dry and mount on a long stick. I use Poster Putty to hold my bodies on (oh sure some others will chime in here ....lol Silly Putty man soon...har)

Figure out how you are going to set it down after painting. I use a large box with holes the same size as my paint sticks so nothing gets messed up after a good paint job has been sprayed.

Also temperature is important....the perfect temperature is 72 degrees with colder being more sucky and hotter being better than colder.

Don't paint in area with lots of dust....like sawdust, ashes from a cigarette etc. Ooooooh and if you get paint on your hands...be careful because that combination likes to attract hairs and dust which could get on your next paint job if you choose to do multiple painting....clean hands well after each painting. A long stick helps keep your hands clean also...

I always start painting from the underside up all the way around then work to the sides and top. Even coatings of paint will keep you from guessing which spots have more paint and keep paint from running....one light coat...two...light coats...etc.....don't try and paint it all in one coat.

Good luck and don't worry because I mess up all the time. That is what my Pine Sol jars are for. If you don't make mistakes you aren't doing anything. Just don't get stressed out when a paint job goes bad. I like to have about 6 bodies on sticks ready to go each painting session.

Sorry for the long drawn out explanation...I take paint way to serious.

Bob...zilla


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

440 said:


> Is there anything I need to do to the body to "prep" it for paint? I was never good at painting model cars but I want to take time with this.


 
Grab all you can if you have alot of bods waiting for your touch.

When I was doing customs, prep was the most important. After stripping the color and giving the bod the wash and dry, primer was the first step. When I graduated to the cans from my airbrush, Krylon gray primer and flat white were my base coats of choice. Had various chassis cores mounted on rods so i could attach a body. One for screw ons, snap ons of various types and one of a couple of bent coat hangers for the odd balls. This way I could mount the body and never have to worry about touching it.

Priming the body, treat it like it's like putting on the final coat. Would take the primer and warm in hot water just like paint. A couple of light coats, drying between. Warmed cans dry faster than general room temp cans. Once primed, would let them set overnight then drag out the color. I have used model spray paints, automotive touch up cans and anything inbetween. Flat or gloss, didn't matter. 

Hitting the color, nice and easy. Light coats after you've warmed the can. Do your painting and wait between coats 15 -20 minutes. Less if flat paints. Once you get your paint job finished and dried, you can add your details, no decals yet. Once details are finished, hit it with your clearcoat. Warm the clearcoat as well. You should only need a couple of light coats to get your desired gloss and paint protection. Let it sit overnight, now you can and the decals if you have some to add. Once decals have set, put on a couple of coats of Future Floor wax to protect them and let it dry overnight. Will give you the gloss and protection you need. 

Hope this helps.  rr


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## gear buster (Dec 1, 2005)

*rattle cans*

Scott,

I have never lost any detail on slots from rattle cans..
Only exatco knives..

If you lay it on to heavy you will lose the details on the body.
Fine misting the body you won't lose the detail.
Fine layers of paint work better than a heavy shot of your favorite color.:thumbsup:

As Bill said, in a great way, Always practice shot something that don't matter. Your wifes tupperware bowls, the favorite drinkin cup, tooth brush, ect. :woohoo:
JK.... I practiced on junk model car bodies. If you lose the emblems on a model fender you will lose the detail on a slotcar. (Practice ,Practice and warm the can first) 
As said before, warm the can, spray pattern is better, fans out nicer, and dries quicker due to warmer paint.
Give it a shot...:thumbsup:


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

Gear buster has the answer...warm up the can. As I mainly use an Airbrush I stll have a way to warm things up.

I turn my "garage use only" hair dryer on high and warm up my airbrush and paint first, that way when it is cold everything comes out smooth. Yeah, yeah hairdryer = dust...I got that covered. lol

Ooooh I warm up the paint in the bottle...har...and it is less messy if you warm up your airbrush before you put the thinner and paint in. :lol:

Bob...zilla


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## krazcustoms (Nov 20, 2003)

I'm surprised nobody is mentioning anything about scuffing the body. I scuff every square millimeter of the body with either a red or gray (depending on how soft the plastic is) scotchbrite pad that I cut into tiny 1" x 1/2" pieces. And for the areas that I can't get with that, I use a fiberglass pencil that you can get at any auto body supply store. To me, adhesion is the most important part of any paint job. You can always make something shine better later, but you can't make paint stick better later.

Also, grab yourself a box of latex surgical gloves (they're cheap!) to keep the paint off of your hands.


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

Absolutely correct,cant build a house on sand,cant paint over a surface and expect it to stick with nothing to tooth in to.just ask Maaco!LOL!
DRAGjet


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

I usually prep my stuff with greasy Taco fingers and cat hair! 

Touche' Kraz! A fundamental overlooked.

Takes hours to get a body perfect...only takes a minute to screw one up!


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Question for William or Robert....*

How other about brands? Can we use Glidden or Benjamin Moore? Maybe even Behr? I have a ton left over from remodeling last year. :wave: nd


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

tjd241 said:


> How other about brands? Can we use Glidden or Benjamin Moore? Maybe even Behr? I have a ton left over from remodeling last year. :wave: nd


Make sure to use the fine roller when painting with those!lol!
DRAGjet


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## ScottD961 (Jan 31, 2008)

Hey everybody, thanks for the info. I used to be heavy into car model building and did some of the things you mentioned. I just didn't think it would work too well on a slot body But I am gonna give it a try. If it doesn't work , well then I guess I'll brake out the pinesol !! Thanks everybody !


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Also, thanks for the replies. 

I've got three coats of grey primer and 5 coats of Trublue Metalic paint from Kustom Kolors. 

Tonight I'm going to lay down some flames with another Kustom Kolor purplish\white colorchange paint. I'm going to brush it on because I don't have an airbrusher, they were sold out. I'm going to take some pics and the next time I am over my sister's house (my computer died on me) I'll see about posting them up.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Pics?? Absolutely 440....*

Looking forward to them. We love to watch ! !  nd


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

PICS!!!!gimme !!!!!
DRAGjet


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## gear buster (Dec 1, 2005)

*overlook*

Good eye there Kraz.. Almost forgot about scuff due to I use the good old Plastic Adhesive for automotive bumpers and plastic molding. I always scuffed before that..:thumbsup:

Drag,

I use the texture rollers.. Then sand with 80 grit..:woohoo:


Bill,

I heard about the cat hair.. Helps bond the paint to the body better don't it.
And the Taco fingers.. Less polishing at the end..:roll: 

bobhch,

No.. Leave the thinner in.. Heats the brush up better and faster.:thumbsup::freak:


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Well, I scrapped the idea of flames. Couldn't get them right....or to my liking. In fact, the stencil I was using was not the correct type of stencil I guess. It was for full size model cars. 

I went with some silver SS stipes instead. Which, quickly faded when I sprayed a coat of clear on it. But, it gives it that look it needed. At least in my opinion. 

As soon as I put the chrome on I'll see what I can do about getting pics up.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

440 said:


> As soon as I put the chrome on I'll see what I can do about getting pics up.


Remember, we are a visual group here and pix are mandatory.  rr


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

I took some pics but don't have anywhere to host them. Anybody got any ideas? 

Also, keep in mind, this is my first body and I've never really done any model car work. So...the paint job probably isn't any good; especially when compared to some of the cars you guys run.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Any reason ya cant just load them from here?

If you look just below your "quick posting" window and select "advanced" ya get the fancy posting "winder". Scroll down a ways and you'll see "Manage Attachments"..click there and you'll get the 'lil doohickey window to pop up for loading your pics. 

I like to select then upload each pic individually so they stay in order. If you select all your pics first and then upload as a group they may not be in the same order as selected on your preview.

Should be no problemo. Hurry up! & Good luck!


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Heh, I always just "Quick Reply" 

At any rate, I just tried to upload them. I have dial-up and it hates me right now. I'll try again this weekend.


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