Question on spraying enamels

[Smike]

So getting to the point on my SD70ace rebuild to lay down some paint. I'm going to be doing an NS unit so it will be all black. I normally spray acrylics for my weathering projects, but this is the first time spraying for a solid base color. I picked up some Floquil gloss black enamel and have a few questions.

1. The shell is stripped down to the factory plastic, do I need to prep beyond just cleaning it before spraying it? Is there any reason to lay down a primer?
2. What % formula works best for thinning it down to spray? (75% paint to 25% thinner?) Also assuming enamel thinner unless there is something else.
3. Anything else I should be aware of went spraying enamels? Is there a way to get out of trouble, such as stripping the shell again with 90% Alcohol if things get screwed up?

My reasoning in using enamel is as I understand for a base coast they laid down real nice and even vs. acrylics (I want as close to factory paint results as possible)

Thanks in advance!

[tankcar]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53243414@N00/

All I use is enamel. You don't need a base coat painting black. Check on the thinner bottle, it should have the mixing % , if not call RPM and they'll tell you. Enamel will not come off with alcohol, you'll have to use a paint remover. Spray with less than 15 psi, and apply two med coats with black. You can see some examples of my painting on my scratch built tank cars at the above addy.

Regards, Bobby

[peteski]

Smike: I don't recall Floquil (enamels or whatever they are) glossy paints.  You have a glossy Floquil paint?

If you are talking about standard Floquil model RR colors then I often spray them through airbrush.  I do thin them (using either Diosol or hardware store lacquer thinner) but I don't have a specific ratio but I would say that it is probably 20-25% thinner.  I also like to add some Floquil Glaze to the paints I spray. That way they aren't dead flat when dry. They also spray better with some glaze in the mix. I probably add about 10-15% Glaze.

There should be no need to paint the shell with the primer. Black paint is quite opaque. Just make sure that the shell is very clean.  The less coats of paint, the better as every layer adds to the thickness of the paint coat.

[Smike]

Tankcar, that is some really nice looking custom rolling stock. Those custom trucks look great! I will make sure I spray at a low PSI (such as 15)

Peter, it's Floquil and it says "gloss". Is it really gloss? I hope so, but have no experence with Enamels.

http://www.testors.com/products/145618

They recomend  3 to 1 paint to thinner, and use enamel thinner http://www.testors.com/product/137225/8824/_/Universal_Enamel_Thinner_12_Pint_%288_oz%29

Maybe you are thinking of Floquil Acrylic colors?

[Kisatchie]

Peter, it's Floquil and it says "gloss". Is it really gloss? I hope so, but have no experence with Enamels.

Maybe you are thinking of Floquil Acrylic colors?

No, Floquil made a couple or three gloss colors. I think one is CNW green (?)


Hmm... I prefer glossy
banana yellow...

[peteski]

No, Floquil made a couple or three gloss colors. I think one is CNW green (?)


Hmm... I prefer glossy
banana yellow...

One of the maroons was also glossy. But Smike was describing the paint as black. 

[Smike]

Hey well I know its gloss, cuz when I looked at the sample color swatch online, I could see my refection in it 

[peteski]

Hey well I know its gloss, cuz when I looked at the sample color swatch online, I could see my refection in it 

Out of curiosity, can you give more info about the paint?  What Floquil line is it in?  The online Model RR colors? 

[Smike]

Here is the link http://www.testors.com/products/145618

Floquil  RR colors CSX Gloss Black Enamel.

[tankcar]

Thank you Smike.  After Testors bought Floquil they changed the formula to get rid of the original nasty paint that required their
Very toxic thinner. I use the original Floquil thinner as my go to heavy duty glue. It melts styrene like crazy and gives a great bond.
RPM, the name that covers several brands of paint, all come in flat and gloss. Model Master is one example, as is Boyd.

Regards, Bobby

Tankcar, that is some really nice looking custom rolling stock. Those custom trucks look great! I will make sure I spray at a low PSI (such as 15)

Peter, it's Floquil and it says "gloss". Is it really gloss? I hope so, but have no experence with Enamels.

http://www.testors.com/products/145618

They recomend  3 to 1 paint to thinner, and use enamel thinner http://www.testors.com/product/137225/8824/_/Universal_Enamel_Thinner_12_Pint_%288_oz%29

Maybe you are thinking of Floquil Acrylic colors?

edit: fixed quote tag -gfh

[peteski]

Here is the link http://www.testors.com/products/145618

Floquil  RR colors CSX Gloss Black Enamel.

Interesting. Funny thing is that nowhere on that website they describe the model RR colors having a flat finish.  I guess I haven't been paying attention to some of the newer colors they released. Ever since Model RR colors were made, black was only available as a flat finish Engine Black. All the other colors (except for one or two) were also all flat finish.

While I have been airbrushing Floquil model RR colors for decades, I have never used their glossy colors.  So I don't have any experience on thinning them.

[Smike]

So I blasted the shell tonight. The mix was 75/25 paint to thinner. It sprayed real nice. The gloss came out near factory spec, very little orange peel. The issue I have is the paint did not cover very well in the detail area's. The shell was clean prior to spaying. I suspect I might have needed a primer with the gloss paint.

I have two options:

Burn it down and start over with a primer first (i.e. strip it)
Wait until the first coat is 100% dry and lay down another coat and hope that fills in the details. (but worried that the paint will start to get too thick)

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[peteski]

I would say that the paint is too thin and it acts like a wash (in the louvers, etc.).  You might want to apply few dryer coats (hold your brush farther away or close the nozzle for less paint).  Then, once the paint fully covers the body, spray a wetter coat for that glossy look.  Primer will help a bit but I suspect that if you use the same technique as you did originally, you'll see similar results, even with the primer.

[tankcar]

I would say that the paint is too thin and it acts like a wash (in the louvers, etc.).  You might want to apply few dryer coats (hold your brush farther away or close the nozzle for less paint).  Then, once the paint fully covers the body, spray a wetter coat for that glossy look.  Primer will help a bit but I suspect that if you use the same technique as you did originally, you'll see similar results, even with the primer.

Nope, to thick. The mix should have been 3 paint, 2 thinner. Lay on a coat with the correct mix and you should be alright. BTW, I got the mix off the thinner bottle, and always use it.

Regards, Bobby

[Smike]

It might not have been a perfect 3 to 1, but it should have been in the ball park. Maybe it wasn't. 

It did seem to lay down thick, I'll try a new batch and lean on the thin side. I was focused on not getting an ugly orange peel. Sounds like I should have done light coats to start, dry, then lay it down heavy to get the nice gloss smooth surface. Its all a learning curve, but learning on a non replacable Kato shell makes it real...

Thanks guys!