Enamel, Lacquer, or Acrylic?

I have read about the paints and everything, but I was just wondering what the majority of you guys use to paint the bodies with, with an airbrush? Do you run enamel paint? lacquer? or acrylic?

I haven't tried enamel as I have heard that the paint is very difficult to clean and must be done right after you paint with thinner. I have used acrylic and lacquer and find the lacquer to be easier to airbrush...? What do you find easier to airbrush?

Acrylic paint is soo cheap for the little bottles that easily cover cars, I just have to learn how to paint with it I guess? Just wondering what you guys use to paint bodies with, and what you find is the easiest to spray? Thanks for any help....

If you read through the first 10-15 threads in the WIP forums. you will have a pretty good overview of what is used for painting by members.

Generally speaking:

Bodies are painted with laquers (Tamiya TS series, Gunze, Automotive base coats)
Interiors and chassis are painted with acrylics (Tamiya X and WF range, Gunze, Model Master)
Metal looking parts are painted with metalizers (Alclad, Model Master)Enamels are rarely used for bodies but are often used for interiors and detail painting.

The above is not intended to be exhaustive but just give you some samples. I still think reading the WIPS and using the search function will be your best bet.

simple question, hard answer.

The majority use laquer for the body, acrylic for all the rest but enamel for detailpainting and brushpainting.

But you have to experiment. I even have used Enamels for my car body's and they come out really wel. You can polish them really good if they have cured. For my next model, the body will be acrylic (I'll do the entire car with acrylics)

Don't worry about enamels, they are easily cleaned with whitespirit and because it takes long to cure, you don't have to be quick. Even days after use, you can easily clean you're brushes with whitespirit, altough I wouldn't recomend it. Always clean you're brushes straight after painintg.

Lacquer or acrylic for bodies (I only use acrylics when that's the only way I can get the color)
Acrylic for everything that's not metalic colored.
Lacquer for everything metalic unless I can't find the color, that is when I use enamel.

Lacquers and enamels cost more (compared to acrylics) to clean but if done correctly IMO there's no difference.
Arcylics are most popular for a few reasons:
1.Fast drying speed.
2.Cheap.
3.Give more realistic color.
4.Easiest and cheapest to clean.

I tend to use enamels as least as possible due to the long long loooong curing time. But, on the otherhand, enamels give the best results when detailing.

HTH,
Steve

Thanks for the answers.. I have a paasche vl, will lacquer paint ruin the airbrush? I have heard that it does? I have used lacquer through the airbrush 3 times, it is harder to clean then acrylic, but wanted to know if it ruins the internals...

And my last question is, I have been using acrylics thinned with water.. I know not the greatest idea, but it beads up on the plastic. Is this just because it is being thinned with water or does acrylic paint do this anyway? Thanks for all the help.

The water you are using takes too long to evaporate. You should be using acrylic thinner or 95% IPA(isypropl alchohol)+5%water. It's most likely that the water is causing the paint to bead up, but there is also the likelyhood that the plastic isn't prepared properly. Always wash the parts before you paint to get rid of mold releases, oil, dust and everything else that could get on there. On larger parts, especially the body, sand the surface with 800~1500 grit to 'key' the surface. This gives the paint something to hold on to.

HTH,
Steve

Thanks alot man. I have christmas break coming up after this week, I will let you know my results.