Flat or Gloss Paints?

Hey,

This question is mainly aimed at the members here who use airbrushes to paint their models... After reading through the "how to paint your model" thread(among others), i noticed that once you get the orange peel effect, you guys say to sand it down with a high grit till it becomes dull(flat). Isn't this mainly aimed at those who spray paint their models and use gloss finishes? I find it much easier to use flats and i get a much "smoother"(no gloss though) surface when i airbrush with flatpaints then with gloss paints. So i was wondering if i should just stay away from airbrushing glosses and stick with flats and then just smooth it out(if it needs to be) and then spray a clear gloss over it and polish that?

Oh, before i forget to ask, before you guys add your clear gloss coat, do you guys smooth out the paint with just sand paper, or do you use a cutting compound on it? Because i was thinking, don't these compounds also give the paint a slight polish and won't that repel(not allow it to stick) the gloss when sprayed on it?

Nika

Isn't this mainly aimed at those who spray paint their models and use gloss finishes?

Yes, yes, some will say to use high grit paper, some will say to use compound

I find it much easier to use flats and i get a much "smoother"(no gloss though) surface when i airbrush with flatpaints then with gloss paints. So i was wondering if i should just stay away from airbrushing glosses and stick with flats and then just smooth it out(if it needs to be) and then spray a clear gloss over it and polish that?



If you can get the right shade, sure, it'll work. It doesn't matter what the underlying coat is, it all depends on the varnish. Some of the cooler colors are only available in gloss, though.

Oh, before i forget to ask, before you guys add your clear gloss coat, do you guys smooth out the paint with just sand paper, or do you use a cutting compound on it? Because i was thinking, don't these compounds also give the paint a slight polish and won't that repel(not allow it to stick) the gloss when sprayed on it?

I just smooth with a 2000 grit sandpaper until uniformly dull and spray the clear coat on it. I wouldn't recommend using a cutting compound until after the varnish has been sprayed.

Misc: Gloss paints need to be thinned more than flat paints, and Tamiya gloss must be thinned with Tamiya thinner.

Now, if you don't mind, can I ask you some questions? What kinda LEDs did you use for the headlights? I've heard white LEDs are expensive. Was it hard to do or easy to do? Thanks :)

Thanks for the reply...:)

About the LED's i'm using, as of right now, i'm still trying to find some nice bright white ones (so bright, they almost look blue), if you go to radioshack, they do have a couple, but the white ones are pretty pricey :(. For the tail lights, though i'm using some cheapos that i got out of the older halloween burgerking simpsons toys my friend had:)

Here are some pics of the red LED's i'm using right now...
http://firepro.netfirms.com/led.jpg
And here is where i'm going to place the batteries and the switch to turn them on and off, I picked the engine bay because i wasn't going to include the engine in the first place due to a compilication when i lowered the front end of the car(the piece that the engine mounted to is now several mm's higher and now the engine wont fit under the hood:)) as well as it's the only place where they would fit and still be hidden.

http://firepro.netfirms.com/engine.jpg
Here is a link to page that you may find very helpful, though it doesn't not have any instructions:)
http://home.ipoline.com/~sunnym/white.htm
it's a white STi with some nice looking LED's in it and he has a shot of the car so you can see where they are and how it is wired.

Hope this helps, if you have any other questions or comments, just ask:)

Nika

are you having luck with the working lights??????

i have tried that many times ( once on a 2000 corvette and once on a Porsche Boxster) and i didn't have much luck with them...

good luck



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kyle

nikanora post pics of your supra the lights turn on