Hello -and help!

Hi folks,

I'm JC. New around these parts. I've been a longtime (20 yrs off and on) military modeler but I've recently gotten into motorcycle kits. Not surprising considering I've been riding for 10 years, not sure why I never got into them before now.

Anyhoo, I'm a stickler for realistic finishes and weathering. I'm quite accomplished when it comes to military stuff... but for building a relatively clean bike I'm often stumped. So I come to you, the experts, for advice:

The one thing that drives me nuts the most is Tamiya Smoke. I love the effect it gives... when it works. 9 times out 10 I end up with a sticky morass and have to strip and restart, no matter what combo of paint/solvent/basecoat I use. I'm wondering how the hell everyone gets such nice clean washes and shading with the stuff?! Particularly to give depth to an alloy frame and the various welds, I've seen some that were spectacularly done and I can't figure out how the hell it was accomplished.

Hi and welcome aboard.

What type of TAMIYA Smoke are you using, Acrylic or Enamel?

I use the Acrylic and just mix it with a small amount of their Acrylic thinners until I get a nice watery solution, and then let it flow into the nooks and crannies.

Don't overdo it as too much can look terrible, so take your time and build it up gradually until you get the desired effect.



gpz900ra7.

I think I need to experiment with my solvents more. I tried 99% isopropyl last night and it did an excellent job of thinning the mix and went on well, but still came out patchy when it dried. It was also strong enough to melt the lacquer (!) underneath. Normally I use windshield washer fluid to thin Tamiya acrylics but it doesn't work with smoke.

I'll look into getting some Tamiya thinner... Problem is supply in Canada is limited, I don't think my local shop stocks it.

I would appreciate if someone had a step-by-step on painting realistic alloy frames. I'm learning by trial and error... a tutorial would be helpful

Unfortunately, a lot of getting effective use out of washes is trial and error.

There are some great tips here:
http://www.scale-racing.com/4,0,tips-tricks,index,0.html
and here:
http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=133

Anything stronger than 70% alcohol will visibly dissolve lacquers, as you witnessed. I've heard of folks using cheap vodka to thin paints but the most ideal solution would be the Tamiya acrylic thinner.

Aha, did not know that. I thought I was going crazy, witnessing laquer getting dissolved by alcohol.

I'll look into the Tamiya thinner. Or more diluted iso alcohol.