Help with clear coat Ferrari California.

Hello i´m very green at clear coating model kts. I just finished one model and was a DTM Car with semi-gloss black.

Now i´m doing the Ferrari California, i´m using for the first time Zero Paints and i never clear coated anything.
So my doubt is i have painted the car in this order:

1-I painted with Dupli-Color Grey Primer
2-Then i used Zero Paint Ferrari Color "F1 2007" , that have a groundcoat and a basecoat. I sprayed the silver as groundcoat
3-then sprayed the red as basecoat

It looks something like this:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7526/31102011237.jpg

It looks matt like it says in the Zero paints manual, what i want to know is if i can use one of this products to give the model a good shine.

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/811/11092011218.jpg

I know that Zero paints have clears but i would like to use one of these is possible. I also have Micromesh and polishing compounds (coarse/medium/fine).

I hope someone can help me, i never did this and i would like to achieve somthing like this. I know it would be difficult for a first time but i would appreciate some tips.
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/9691/ferraricalifornia6.jpg

Thanks and sorry for my bad english :)

From what I can see here, you have done a good job with the base coat. Before applying clear coat, it is critical to make sure the surface of base coat is smooth. This means that you may need lightly sand the surface with P2000 sand paper. Remember to clean the surface to avoid dirt or grease afterward.

Since you decide to use lacquer instead of 2K, you must apply light coat rather than heavy coat. The solvent in lacquer is pretty strong and can potentially melt the base coat. You should definitely apply multiple light coats and allow brief drying (~10 min) between each application. Build up the clear coat little by little and layer by layer.

If this is your first time polishing a paint surface, I would recommend you aim for a slightly thicker clear coat. Therefore, you don't need to worry about over-sanding or over-polishing through the clear coat and ruining the paint.

Good luck!

I think the Alclad Acqua Gloss is water based, right? So you shouldn't have a problem spraying over the base coat. Just follow what Helico said.

DONT sand basecoat, its automotive paint and it is sprayed in thin layers so u can burn trough, its perfect for clearing as it is

I can´t sand the basecoat like turbo said because is very thin, in the bottle they say "2 thin coats" of red. Since my airbrush/compressor are very limited i had to put 4 thin coats or else i wouldnt manage to get a even coverage.

So based on your replies i´m going to spray thin coats of Aqua Gloss waiting 10 min between coats.
I´m worried that i wouldn´t get the result i want, i searched on the internet and i couldn´t find a single car clear coated with ALclad 2 Klear/Aqua Gloss. I just see planes and tanks, things that doesn´t have great shine or reflections.

Thanks for the replies guys!

If your primer surface is smooth enough and you spray color coat that were thinned to appropriate consistency, chances are you don't need to sand the color coats. Lacquer clears tend to be a bit hot, and they smooth some of the paint texture with the first coat, second makes the paint gloss. With 2K clears, they are usually shiny enough to make paint glossy no matter how textured the surface is. Just don't over do it - its easy to with 2K.

The panel lines is before or after the clear? Should i make the panel lines with a very thin brush and black matt acrylic paint or is best a very thin black marker?

Thanks!

I do the panel line before clear coat because clear coat will somewhat fill up the panel line. I use fine brush and diluted matt black or clear smoke acrylic paint. When the paint is diluted, capillary effect will suck the paint from the brush into the panel line.

Most of the time, I find Revell kits to have deep enough panel lines that you don't need to highlight them further with paint. But if you do, I'd use a darkened red. Mix red with a few drops of black.

use regular alclad, it is not as hot as their mettalics, it is safe even for enamels... it is my favorite clear for my aircraft models and I've used it many times over humbrol and model master enamels... but, it is not as shiny as others. maybe you can buff it with micromesh, but I've never tried it. it is good for decalling and commercial airplane models for scale shine, but not for a nice deep shine of a sport car. I do not have any idea about water based one, and I do not like watebased clears for ages..

use regular alclad, it is not as hot as their mettalics, it is safe even for enamels... it is my favorite clear for my aircraft models and I've used it many times over humbrol and model master enamels... but, it is not as shiny as others. maybe you can buff it with micromesh, but I've never tried it. it is good for decalling and commercial airplane models for scale shine, but not for a nice deep shine of a sport car. I do not have any idea about water based one, and I do not like watebased clears for ages..

You are right, i tried in a spoon that i have painted with the Zero Paint and then used the Alclad 2 Aqua Gloss the gloss was good for airplane like you said, but that big shine that cars have couldnt do it with Alclad.

I have asthma so i was trying to avoid the clears from Hiroboy, is this the one you guys are talking?

http://www.zero-paints.com/photo-gallery/var/resizes/Product-Photos/zp-3002-100ml.jpg?m=1305459059

Thanks!

always use a airmask when spraying with zero! If you don't, you risk inhaling the paint particles, which crystallize in your lungs.

always use a airmask when spraying with zero! If you don't, you risk inhaling the paint particles, which crystallize in your lungs.

I use this one, i know that this doesn´t protect 100% so i try to do quick paint sessions.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSothBW5Io9oG9ME7OgaXQB8eLXrIf-hFpL1_8-QUuXdUjFRtINPitaSRMz

you already use automotive paint which is diluted with same thinner as 2k clear so no worries mate. 3or 4 kits per year shoudlnt kill u :)

I don´t want to turn this into a WIP thread, but since i asked how do you do the panel lines i´m going to post how i did.

Since is the first time i do this, i decided to buy a marker with 005 point instead of painting with a brush.

Its not perfect because there is spots that the pen can´t reach too well, next time i know i have to pay more attention to the panel lines. But overall i liked very much the result especially if we compare to the first pic of this thread.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8661/04112011244.jpg

Help! The paint came off when i masked the hood, can i remove the zero paint from the hood with the "Alclad 2 airbrush cleaner".

I use this product to clean the airbrush when i use the zero paints but i dont know if this will damage the plastic of the hood.

:runaround:

Help! The paint came off when i masked the hood, can i remove the zero paint from the hood with the "Alclad 2 airbrush cleaner".

I use this product to clean the airbrush when i use the zero paints but i dont know if this will damage the plastic of the hood.

:runaround:

No, don't use that to take the paint off, you run the risk of damaging the plastic. Get some isopropyl alcohol and use that. It's available at most chemist shops or diy/hardware stores. Get a large plastic tub with a lid (an old ice cream container is ideal) fill it up and immerse the body in it and place the lid on. Leave it for 1-2 hrs and scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. It works a treat on all Zero paints and most important does no damage to the plastic at all..

No, don't use that to take the paint off, you run the risk of damaging the plastic. Get some isopropyl alcohol and use that. It's available at most chemist shops or diy/hardware stores. Get a large plastic tub with a lid (an old ice cream container is ideal) fill it up and immerse the body in it and place the lid on. Leave it for 1-2 hrs and scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. It works a treat on all Zero paints and most important does no damage to the plastic at all..

Thank you Steve you are allways a big help :) I spend all my afternoon trying to find this isopropyl alcohol but with no luck.

I can only find ethyl alcohol :frown: i will keep searching...

great job with the panel lines although I must ask, have you tested the Clearview over the marker ink? It might run if you apply the clear cost and the ink happens to be lacquer Soluble

You can get isopropyl alcohol, also known as isopropanol and rubbing alcohol, at drug store. It is sold as first aid antiseptic. Get 91-99% if you can.

I am surprised that you managed to find ethyl alcohol, aka ethanol. You don't waste that stuff on stripping paint. It is great for making cocktail! :naughty:

I see here, you did a good job in the masses. Before the clear coat, it is essential to ensure that the surface is smooth terrain. This means that you may need to sand the surface lightly with sandpaper P2000. Remember to clean the surface so that dirt or grease after. Good effort appreciate with your work.

I have sanded the primer till he was smooth, then applied light coats of Silver (groundcoat) and Red (basecoat) and the paint is still smooth. Since i don´t have a lot of experience and the paint in very thin i´m not going to risk it.


great job with the panel lines although I must ask, have you tested the Clearview over the marker ink? It might run if you apply the clear cost and the ink happens to be lacquer Soluble

No, lets just hope that doesnt happen :frown:



You can get isopropyl alcohol, also known as isopropanol and rubbing alcohol, at drug store. It is sold as first aid antiseptic. Get 91-99% if you can.

I am surprised that you managed to find ethyl alcohol, aka ethanol. You don't waste that stuff on stripping paint. It is great for making cocktail! :naughty:

Yes i found it in a drug store, i had to order because they didn´t had at the moment it came in the same day :smile:

Then i put the hood with the alcohol for about 2 hours. The paint came of but only the part that had the primer below the zero paint. The part where the Zero paint reached the plastic it didn´t came off, i had to sand it.

Use automotive brake fluid in a tub and this will strip off all the paint and primer. Use laytex gloves and an toothbrush. Bodyshell will be like new to start again. Make sure you wash it thoroughly before priming again.

I just did this with an old Celica kit I built 18 yrs ago and it was like starting a new model! Now I'm going to do the same with some others as its cheaper than buying another Kit and some are obviously hard to get now.

It has arrived the clear coat, its not 2k its the Clearcoat Lacquer Pre-Thinned (1k??). I know that the 2k is better and more glossy, but since i never clear coated anything i will start with the pre-thinned.

I just want to know if i clear coat and then put the PE or i put the PE and then clear coat.

I would do the clear coat first and then put the PE, but i´m thinking if it wouldnt look like the PE are floatting or looking like they are on air.

Do the clear first and then fix the photo etch after it has dried and been polished. Otherwise you might snag the polishing cloth on the photo etch and pull it off..

Use automotive brake fluid in a tub and this will strip off all the paint and primer.

I am not keen on the brake fluid method. It does strip well, however I find it makes the plastic very brittle and prone to snapping. Did it on an old Hasegawa Lancer kit and ended up with snapped roof pillars. That's why I use the Iso alcohol now..

I used the Isopropyl alcohol like Steve said and worked 100% :wink:

I also had bad luck with brake fluid

This car is taking forever to be completed, now i wanted to prime some parts with Zero paints Grey Primer. The problem is that the primer looks like its dry in the bottom.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6008/24112011258.jpghttp://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4026/24112011259.jpghttp://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3105/24112011260.jpg
I just want to know what happened here so that i dont make the same mistake? I bought the grey/white primers in 30/08/11 and i let them in a box in a dry place. What should i do to avoid this, i know that they tell us to not bulk this paint but it was only 3 months.

Should i stir everyday the paint to prevent this?

Hi!

Shake it like crazy until you hear the steel balls rattling inside.

If that doesn´t solve it, use a stirrer, bamboo-stick or similar to stir up the sediment at the bottom. Should it be that the primer is all gooey and thick. You can thin it with cellulose thinners back to a good consistency. The Zero primers are quite thick so I always thin mine quite a bit.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!

Emil

I allready shake it like crazy with no luck. I stirred the primer with a spoon and its still gooey and thick like you said.

The bottle is full of thinner i don´t think that if i add more thinner will do anything :frown:

I will order another one and this time i have to use it right away. I bought some paint at the same day of the white/grey primer and that paint is fine.

Hey!

Don´t feel bad about it.
I use a Zero primer bottle that I bought 1.5 years ago.

After it has sat for a while all of the pigment settle at the bottom and you get a semi-translucent thinner mix floating on top of it.

I have been able to dig the goo out with a wooden stirrer like the ones you get at McDonalds for your coffee. Then you will have sort of lumps floating around that start dispersing in the thinner. Then shake it for like 2 minutes and it will be perfectly mixed.

Cheers!

Emil

I had a bottle of primer and it went the same as yours. No amount of stirring could 'bring it back' from the dead. If you build a lot and use it quickly it's fine, but leave it for any length of time and it does go off. As I don't build many models now I stick to aerosol primers as they seem to keep forever without going off...

Steve if you still have that bottle of primer give it a second try. Inspired by what das_auto said and since my bottle only have 3 months i tried again and voila...look who is back :grinno:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8502/57413673.jpghttp://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2756/90314174t.jpghttp://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1841/22043300.jpg

With a metal spoon i stirred very well till the gooey stuff separated from the jar, then closed the jar and shake it like mad. Then repeated the process two more times and looks like its ready to go again :wink:

Glad it worked out! :thumbsup:

Now go work on that California! :smile:

Cheers!

Emil