Another paint question.

[JE123]

Do you substitute paints? What I mean is if the kit asks for steel and you don't have steel do you use a similar color. I am asking this because where I live there is only one real hobby shop and they don't have a big selection of paint.

[primera man]

I try and paint as close as i can to the colour that is needed. It really depends on how much you want to get the model as close to the real thing.
A lot of the cars only use different shades of silver and a lot of semi-gloss black etc.
With silver for an example i would buy a 3-4 different shades or brands.
When it comes to doing only a small piece of silver on a part i would take a small bit and add a drop or 2 of black to darken it up.
On brake shoes is an example. They would ask you to paint the hub in Tamiya X11, and the disc in X56. Now there is not much difference so i would paint the whole part in X11, then add a little black to it and then paint the disc.

[Guiddy]

That's interesting! I work completely differently from Warren!
I usually have photos of the real car to work from, and so match the colours to what I see in the pictures. But I rarely brush paint, and use automotive spray cans instead, so I will buy colours to match what I am working on.
If the part is in carbon fibre, I will use say 'Rover Charcoal metallic black' to achieve that effect, or Vauxhall champagne Gold for brake hubs, a nice dull gold colour etc. etc.

[Jay!]

For Tamiya kits, I use Tamiya paints and rarely substitute. For every other brand of kit, I use Tamiya paints. I used some Gunze Sangyo sprays once, and they were good, probably better than Tamiya, but not enough to pay $3 extra.

I usually buy one spray can per model for the body color, and use the bottled acrylics with either a brush or airbrush for the rest.

For the Tamiya paints, I keep buying the 23 ml bottles, and most colors last forever. The one that I always have to go get more of is X-18, Semi-Gloss Black. I go through that stuff like water. Otherwise, I'm getting to the point where my paint box has most everything a kit would ask for, barring any "special" colors.

I hated working with enamels, and have mostly stayed away from lacquers.

[Guiddy]

Just bought some new Tamiya paint today and noticed they have halved the size of the bottles!!! Cool!
Mine always used to dry rather than run out!

[Jay!]

I think they've always sold two sizes. The 23 ml are the big ones. How big are yours?

[Guiddy]

10ml!

[Jay!]

My 23 ml bottles cost in the neighborhood of $3. I looked at the price of the little ones before, but I don't remember the price; only that it didn't seem cost-effective to but the smaller ones.

What's the price difference for you?

And for reference, how big are the little square Testors bottles? ( I seem to remember them costing $0.99.)

[Moppie]

Digging in bottom of draw filled with old model planes, cars, tanks, etc, keeps digging, AAAAHHHHHhhhhhhhhh, loses footing and falls in.......







Several days later starved thirsty and in need of a shave Moppie re-emerges from the draw with:

Testors Bottles 7ml. (the paint will last FOREVER. I have some from the early 70s that after a good stir and shake is still good.)

Humbrol Enamal, No size on little mini can but about 10ml. Also lasts forever, but the tops need a good strong screw driver to pry off, just like a real paint can.

Humbrol, Decal Cote, Gloss/matt/semi-gloss varnises and some basic paint colours like black, 28ml, some come with small in lid brushs.

Aqueous Hobby Colour from Gunze Sangyo (they also make real cars ) I think its a 20ml. (but its limited in whats printed in english on the pot)

Tamiya, small pots 10ml.

[nhughes47]

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum, and joined mainly for the model
forums. Since you've been talking about paint, do you know where I
could get some paint that is the paint that the kits refers to (i.e. H2, H8,
X-11...)?

I know of this place in Japan, but I don't want to have to get a money
order in Yen and send it all the way there. I was hoping someone knew
of a place that sold paint by their numbers. If you could help me out,
I'd really appriciate it.

Thanks
Nick

[Jay!]

Originally posted by nhughes47
Hi guys. I'm new to this forum, and joined mainly for the model
forums. Since you've been talking about paint, do you know where I
could get some paint that is the paint that the kits refers to (i.e. H2, H8,
X-11...)?

I know of this place in Japan, but I don't want to have to get a money
order in Yen and send it all the way there. I was hoping someone knew
of a place that sold paint by their numbers. If you could help me out,
I'd really appriciate it.

Welcome to the group. Make sure you check out your yellow pages for hobby shops near you. Check them out, even if they don't carry a lot of model cars, they still may be good for supplies. What kind of kits do you have? Fujimi and Hasegawa?

[nhughes47]

Right now I have 5 kits.

Fujimi Skyline GTR R33
Fujimi Fairlady Z
Fujimi Evo 7 GSR
Fujimi Mines Evo 7
Tamiya S2000

That's what I have for now. I want to get an R34, and some others, but I'll have to work on these for now. I've only had them for a couple weeks, and none of them built yet.

Thanks for the info and welcome. I look forward to spending time talking with everyone.

Nick