opinions on painting PLEASE

hey, i have done about 15 tamiya models always using tamiya spray cans. I have been doing it this way for the whole time without sanding, primer, cutting, waxing or anything. This is how i do it:
1. spray on a light coat of color, let dry for an hour
2. spray another heavier coat of color, let dry for an hour
3. spray on last coat, let dry for a few hours.
4. put on decals, let dry for an hour.
5. spray on tamiyas clear coat, let dry for 30 minutes
6 spray on another clearcoat, let dry for a few hours.
7. done!

I just joined this forum and i stayed up till 3 last night reading everything about painting process and i almost fainted. Do i really need to do all of this of would it be okay if i just did the following:

1. wet sanded body with 800 and 1200 grit.
2. let body dry for an hour
3. put on a coat of white primer and let dry for an hour
4 put on last coat of primer and let dry overnight
5. put on light color coat, wait 10 minutes
6. put on another light coat, wait 15 minutes
7. 3rd coat, covering the whole body and primer, let dry 10 minutes
8. last coat, a bit heavier, let dry overnight
9. clearcoat lightly, let dry 10 minutes, clearcoat heavier let dry 3 hours
10. use compound to make it smooth
11. apply decals
12. apply tamiya clearcoat again.
13. use wax to polish.

please let me know if this process would work, and if not please tell me the simplest way of doing the process including DRYING TIMES. I got so confused when reading them because i have never had cracking problems or anything.
Thank you very much

The simplest and best way of doing things is the one explained in the Car Modelling FAQ, if you find that the methods there don't suit you, then experiment and find a method that does suit you.

BTW, your 'suggested' method is a formula for disaster.

Here is what I was told about using Tamiya paint:
- Prime it, wait an hour or so for it to dry. Tamiya primer is thin and doesn't need sanding.
- Spray on 3-4 'mist' coats about 15 to 20 minutes apart.
- Spray 3+ 'wet' coats, also 15-20 minutes apart.
- If you want to clear-coat it, do it either right after the last wet coat or wait weeks (As much as a month) for the paint to gas out: Otherwise the different cure rates can cause the clear to crack.

I told a complete novice this method, and he got some great finishes using Tamiya spray paints, and he didn't even use the primer. No sanding, cutting, waxing, polishings, etc: He just cleaned the body and sprayed the paint on.

in most case, clear coat isn't even needed with no-metalic Tamiya paint

so after i put the final glodd coat on, how long should i wait to put on the decals?

can i wax right after the decals or should i do it before?

is cutting compound something that i should look into doing? i would really like to, but i odnt have any hoby shops near me that seel it so are there alternatives?if so can i have some product names ?
thnak you

so after i put the final glodd coat on, how long should i wait to put on the decals?

can i wax right after the decals or should i do it before?


With tamiya paint, you should wait 3 day before decals and 2 weeks or more for polishing (you can do it after 1 week, but if it's don't work, don't bash on me :grinno:)

as for compound, you can try the Auto Wax Called Meguiar's Deep Crystal wax. it act like a compound and a wax.
http://www.revving.co.uk/images/cleaner%203.jpg

I guess whatever works for you is the right way for you! Personally, I'd leave much more drying time between coats for a start.

If you are happy with your way then stick with it

I agree with Phil and Primera man, if you are happy with resoult don't bother, but if it is not good enough for you try to stick to mentioned, every one of us has some diferent method, it is all try and mistake proces untill you get what you realy want. So if you have read all of the mentioned you shold have the right picture.
Edit: and by the way dryeing time is very complex thing and it is not so simple to say how many minutes. Thing is it should be dry enough before any polish, sand (colour), primer is not so delicate. So it should be minimum a week, depends on how much paint is on model.

hey, after reading all of this i have decided to go along with the correct wat of doing it. I just ordered the tamiya white primer, tamiya fine wet/dry paper, tamiya wax, and the only thing i didnt find was the compound. If anyone has a good compound that i can pick up at a local auto shop since there arent any hobby shops that would be excellent. The first model i am doing it with is this http://www.etamiya.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2177 . Thank you for all of your help

Good luck wiht that bike Sportsfreik. Be sure to show us how it goes in the Motorsports section. :) Regards compounds, there's Meguiar's Deep Crystal wax Vric recommended, as well as Meguiar's Scratch X. Never tried it myself but it is used by several people on this board. CADguy wrote a how to use it here (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=332711).

If that fails then just find some pure Carnauba wax - it's what I use for final polishing.

If that fails then just find some pure Carnauba wax - it's what I use for final polishing.


But pure Carnauba is not abrasive. If hes already got Tamiya wax then why does he need more wax? ;)

Meguiars do loads of different compounds, but Scratch X really is top stuff. Its quite fine though so you may want something stonger. Although you if you use the finest Tamiya Wet/Dry paper first, Scratch X should be fine.

Cheers

Farrokh