Airbrushing with automotive paints

[Sixx]

i'm a 25 year modeler who never quite got my painting right and i need some help.
i have a testors airbrush that i'm shooting from. i was using the now defunct cobra colors paint, now i'm switching to mcw paints. i see alot of builders using two stage automotive paints. can anyone give me hints on where to buy this kind of paint, how to mix it right and how to keep it from eating through plastics. can i use a food dehydrator to speed the drying time with this kind of paint?
any painting tips would help me out alot
i just found this site and i'm really diggin' it, theres alot of great info!

[cyberkid]

Hi and welcome.
I'm not sure about the testors AB so I can't give you any advice there. One of the most popular brands here on AF is 'Zero' which is made by Hiroboy AKA Steve who is a mod here as well. He can match most colors you need, but just email him before hand if you don't see the color you want already posted at his site.
Hiroboy's homepage: Click me
Zero Paints line: Click me
Custom colors: Click me
Zero base paint guide: Click me
Zero 2k guide: Click me
I use a dehydrator but not really to speed things up... I use it just to keep everything dust free as possible. The base coat is touch dry within 1/2 hour and clear-coat-able within 2-3 hours. The clear coat is polish able within 12 hours. One note though: these are times that work for me... they may differ due to humidity, air temp etc etc....
I personally have used Tamiya's gray/white fine primer with out any problems as well as all the Mr. Surfacer products.
As stated in his base paint guide... its best to use a nozzle that is 0.5mm, if you use a 0.3... you have to thin it more for it to work well. I use a Tamiya Spray-Work HG Wide Airbrush - Trigger Type for most of my paint work now. I used to use a Tamiya Spray-Work HG Airbrush which has a 0.3mm nozzle, I had to add about double the recommended thinner amount for the Zero paints to work well.

HTH,
Steve

[klutz_100]

Zero paints are super - full stop. Try and you will see

They dry so fast - 10-15 mins - that using a dehydrator is pointless. By the time you have set it up, the paint will be dry anyway

99,9% of Zero paints are base coats i.e. the dry to a matte/satin finish and REQUIRE a clear coat.
Since I can't work with 2-pack clears, I use Gunze and Tamiya clears on them and they work perfectly.

Tamiya primers work just fine with them.

I use a Iwata HP C+ 0,3mm airbrush and Zero paints almost don't need thinning but I do anyway as that is my technique.
I thin with Gunze Mr Levelling thinner.
2-4 thin coats has given me great coverage so far.
Zero paints DO NOT need/like wet-coats.

HTH

[cyberkid]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

I use a Iwata HP C+ 0,3mm airbrush and Zero paints almost don't need thinnning but I do anyway as that is my technique. I thin with Gunze Mr Levelling thinner. 2-4 thin coats has given me great coverage so far. Zero paints DO NOT need/like wet-coats.

I must add that the Base coats don't need wet coats but the 2k clear does.
@Klutz You make me want to break out the bank even more for a Iwata

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by cyberkid

@Klutz You make me want to break out the bank even more for a Iwata

What can I say? It'd be a $100 you would never regret spending

An absolutely beautiful piece of machinery for the equivalent of 2-4 kits in your stash that you would probably never build anyway

[cyberkid]

Lol if it were only 100...I like 2 of thier AB's ..totaling up to around 500 ... I know of their quality... just hard for me to break out that much bank at one time (looks sideways at his stash and starts to sigh and shake his head)

[Sixx]

thanks for the great information and the big welcome!!!! this forum has been so helpful so far that my mind is on information overload. the zero paints are impressive and it will probably take me a while getting the mix just right, but with some patience and alot of practice i'm gonna get there. you guys take it easy, i'll post some pictures when i get it together.

[klutz_100]

72 GBP and you can negotiate

103 USD

low bidding auction

79 USD

Some of these look good

[cyberkid]

ouch+eek+shipping (a lot of the cheap ones won't even ship to Taiwan)= Too much for me to handle right now..
The total would be a tad over half of my monthly paycheck..

[quadzero]

Hey there, Sixx. About the automotive paints, I use them all the time and I havent had a problem yet with them attacking the plastic. Althou I order them in bulk, I can get them at my local automotive bodyshop in small amounts if I wish. One thing you will have to think about if you are considering 2 part automotive paints is that you will need a well ventilatied area to paint and a proper mask. I use automotive clear coats for my final finish and it produces isocyanates, pretty nasty stuff to breath thats for sure. Try out the paints suggested by Cyberkid and the other Steve if you want a much more user friendly paint. They would also probably alot easier on your airbrush too, I'm guessing.