whats the best clear coat method?

Hey everyone....i'm new to the forums, looked thru them n really liked the way its set up n how nice everyone is...i've built 4 models so far (cougar XR-7, Supra from 2Fast2Furious, Orange supra from fast and the furious as well as the green eclipse) i'm currently workin on a ferrari enzo and a 69 dodge charger

now the the question i have is the clear coat...to make it shiny...right now all the cars have been fully painted by hand due to me preferring not to have to spray anything....is there a type of bottled gloss paint that is really good to buy? or should i just buy a clear coat spray from a hobby store? cuz i figured a gloss paint from Michael's craft store would probably work good right?

Before your ass gets flamed around here, let me advise you to use the search function. Have a look in the how-to archive or go to ScaleWiki, these types of questions are asked frequently.
You don´t always need a clearcoat to make a car shiny, is the color is SOLID, you can polish it out. But if it´s a metallic paint you´ll need a clearcoat to make it shiny (don´t even bother polishing metallics).
I´d recommend you to buy some spraycans, the results does´nt even compare to a brush-painted paintjob.

Good luck!

Well, I'm sure you'll get told to do a search as I think clear coating has been covered many many times before, however seeing as you have brush painted your bodies I'd have to say the only option is now either an arcylic or enamel clear. Tamiya do a good line of clear paints. If you brush them on well, with some thinner mixed in you might get a decent - ish job.

Mostly clear sprays are hot paints, such as synth lacquer or lacquer etc. I'd have to agree though, brush painted bodies etc aren't as good as a decent job laid down with a can or Airbrush.

You can get away with brush painting seats etc as even though it might leave brush marks, these are not as easily seen as say a body. I sometimes brush paint seats if it means an almost impossible masking job required, such as two tone seats etc, but I never brush paint a body.

Sorry to say that, but even the best clear paint won't make a brush painted body look good.

This is the worst mistake you can make on a model. :(

Heed the warnings here, bud!

In 30 years of modeling, I've only seen two maybe three "Hand Painted" cars that looked half way decent . . .

Even if it's your first time spraying, the results will be far better than anything you can do by hand!

Just remember, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. . .

Good luck!!!

Sorry to say that, but even the best clear paint won't make a brush painted body look good.

This is the worst mistake you can make on a model. :(

alrite kool...well i mean can i spray inside or does it have to be a ventilated room or outside...? like i'd like to switch to airbrush, but i just can't afford a compressor n all that right now...but even some say the hand painting looks like shit, i did enuf coats that there aren't any brush marks anywhere...guess i'll use the search tool n find out how to post my pics n show u wut i'm talkin bout lol

alrite...here are some pics of the models i've done that have no gloss or clear coat on them


http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/407731Image001.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/407731Image002-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3455/407731Image004-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3455/407731Image005-med.jpg
the wires you see hangin out the side are for my neons under the car, inside the car, and in the front grill

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3455/407731Image008-med.jpg

Picture quality is bad, but I must say it doesn't look too bad. You have the skill, buy yourself spraycan. Airbrush isn't needed.

Yes you can spray inside. Just take case to not over spray on something your mom / wife / girlfriend could piss you off :D

here's a little theoritical question.
if you can keep bubbles and dust out and work out a good enough consistency in your paint to minimaise brush strokes showing up, couldn't you just sand/polish up a shine anyway?

guys! guys! c'mon. I've done a few airplanes and army trucks with brush on paints and never came out bad at all. The only fact that I do spray in car bodies it's b'cos I have an airbrush and can mix colors better.
Brushing has a lot to do with 1) The brush and 2) Paint consistency. If you have a very good brush (like the one I paid 35 bucks for) and can handle paint thinning... your on your way to a great finish. It also helps to have a good steady hand....

Better pictures would be nice, but overall I’d say that looks pretty decent. There was a guy on this forum who brush painted X22 clear, and it looked superb. It can be done, and look very cool.

Spraycan though is easier and lays down thinner coats, and smoother. You can spray on the house, but it will create dust, so your TV etc would be covered in a finely coloured vapour dust. Old wife etc wouldn’t be too chuffed.

And I didn’t say all brush painting was bad. I brush paint parts of my models, most of the time you wouldn’t be able to tell. But I do airbrush and use spray cans a lot.

the new fashion will be brush painting the body... lamest idea of the year. :p

Brush painting body is bad, that's all. Don't tell me you will have as good result as Pman (rookie look How to) with brush.. Even if you tell us it make great result, then maybe we don't have the same standard for "looking great" :rolleyes:

the new fashion will be brush painting the body... lamest idea of the year. :p



:evillol:

And next it will be stick on decals, that can also be used as go faster stripes. :LOL:

No really, I didn't mean to say brush painting a body is a good idea, it's just that it can be done, but I wouldn't recommend it.

oh yea for sure, i'm gonna switch to doin spray cans for the body n stick to brush for the smaller things and interior n engine work...n no i can't polish the paint away for a shine...tried it n didn't work too well...i'm usin Testors lacquer gloss to spray for the finish, i'll post pics to show how it goes later...where i am...its kinda cold, but can i just spray it in the garage, does the temp. really matter that much? i mean the can says do it at room temp...n yea the pics are bad quality cuz i'm usin a shitty webcam, gonna buy a digital camera soon so it'll be much better...n thanks for the comments also guys...