TS-13 (Tamiya Clear)

[daggerlee]

I noticed that a lot of the recent models have had clear coats applied to them. I was just wondering how long you wait between the color coat and the clear coat.

Pat Covert who wrote an article for Scale Auto recommends a month between color and clear coat for Tamiya clears, but that seems prohibitively long, and I think that he may just have been experiencing the bubbling paint that all Tamiya sprays are sometimes prone to. So do any of you have any experiences to relate on this subject? Thanks a bunch.

*EDIT* Specifically, I would be asking about Tamiya clear over Tamiya color sprays.

[djmr2]

a month sounds good!!

better safe than sorry, i guess..

i haven't tried the Tamiya stuff either, why not get some Mr. Super Clear Gloss? it comes in a big can!

[935k3]

I have clear coated(TS13) the day after without any problems. Does Tamiya reccomend what Pat Covert said about the clear or is it just his own experience?

[Veyron]

Go to Tamiya's site and read up on their tips, they cover this very subject.

[turbos86]

I have a can of TS-13, it's clear coat right? I don't want to ruin my models.

[Jay!]

Originally posted by Veyron
Go to Tamiya's site and read up on their tips, they cover this very subject.

For the lazy:

from Painting with Tamiya Synthetic Lacquers - By Peter Johnson
...
POLISH OR CLEAR COAT

Once you have the opaque paint built up to the desired level, you need to decide if you are going to polish the finish as is or put a clear coat over the top. Clear coating is most desirable if you have decals that need to be protected such as on racing cars or cars with graphic exteriors such as police or delivery vehicles.

If you decide to clear coat, keep in mind that if opaque paint hides nothing, then clear paint really hides nothing. For that reason, before you clear coat, the opaque paint underneath needs to be as smooth as possible. The best way to think of clear coat is like a piece of glass. If the glass is over a piece of sandpaper, the gloss will not look as deep as if you place it over a piece of highly polished metal. Light reflection is what show stopping finishes are all about.



Since finish polishing and sanding is the same for clear and opaque paints, lets move on to that subject now.
...

Just watch out for that scary flying eyeball!!

[daggerlee]

i haven't tried the Tamiya stuff either, why not get some Mr. Super Clear Gloss? it comes in a big can!

Would if I could! I'd tell my local hobby shop guy to order some for me, but the last time I did that he sold me Mr. Surfacer 1000 for $10 for a small 100 ml can!

I have clear coated(TS13) the day after without any problems. Does Tamiya reccomend what Pat Covert said about the clear or is it just his own experience?

Seems to me like experience, but after hearing your own experiences I am willing to bet that he is just experiencing the tendency of Tamiya paint to bubble, regardless of type.

Go to Tamiya's site and read up on their tips, they cover this very subject.

I've read the article before, didn't recall them mentioning anything on cure length!

Just watch out for that scary flying eyeball!!

[COZMO6476]

i just re-read that whole thing and i dont think they mention how long you have to wait. (unless im tripping and missed it) i think it only says to wait 24 hours for the primer to dry.. nothing on waiting between the opaque and clear coats. hmmm...

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

According to Tamiya, the clear and the colors are different formulas, and dry at different rates. It is highly recommended to spray the clear over the last color coat either w/in one hour, or after 2-4 weeks of drying time. Otherwise you run a very real risk of the clearcoat cracking on you, and this is something that may not appear for months, then all of a sudden...

This has happened to one or two people I know, so it is a real concern. I've always applied the clear immediately-as in spray the color coat, take about 5 minutes to put the color away and break out the can of clear, and then mist on a few coats, and then a heavier coat to smooth everything out. I've had the clear attack silver when I applied too much clear at once, you must mist it on a bit slowly. Be patient! But it does work, and since I'm too impatient to wait 2-4 weeks, it's the only way to go. If you accelerate drying, you can be safe waiting a week or so to apply clear. If the clear needs any polishing/recoating, that's not a problem-go ahead and polish out the imperfections, and re-shoot the clear if necessary.

This is not the same condition as the paint bubbling, which happens when the propellant hasn't completely evaporated before it hits the surface...basically meaning you've held the can too close to the surface. The paint levels out nicely, so try holding the can a bit further back.

[daggerlee]

Ah, so Zoom Zoom, what do you do when you have a two-color paint job that needs to be separately masked?

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

And it's a very simple solution-apply the first color and a layer of clear over it immediately. It doesn't have to be much more than a few mist coats, just get a good thin layer of clear on the first color. Then let dry, mask, and apply the second color. If you're quick, you have time to carefully remove the masking and clearcoat the entire body after it's been painted the second color. If you're apprehensive, apply some clear over the second color before you remove the masking. Then once it's removed, you can apply clear over the entire model. This may be the best bet for masking because once you've removed the masking and let the body dry you can carefully polish the surface and sand/polish the paint edge from masking. Be careful not to go through the clear, and then you can apply another couple coats of clear for a really nice finish.

Another hint-to prevent color bleed/overspray from getting under potential small gaps in your tape masks, apply a coat of clear to the area around the masking. If any bleeds under the masking tape, it's clear...and basically invisible. This technique is easier when using an airbrush, but valid for TS paints as well.

[rcmaxx]

since we are all here, talking about clear. has anyone tried tamiya Ts-13 clear over a acrylic paint?

[daggerlee]

Wow - such a simple solution. Thanks a lot Zoom Zoom :sun:

rcmaxx - I haven't done it before but most people will recommend this:
1.) Let acrylic dry thoroughly over the course of a week or two.
2.) When applying the clear, the first 4-5 coats should be VERY light mist coats. The lacquer thinner in the TS-13 will attack the acrylic, which is why you must mist the first coats on. The solvent won't have as much time to attack the acrylic before it evaporates. After a couple of mist coats you will have built a nice "barrier" between the acrylic, and the subsequent "wet" coats you will be applying for that deep shine. Hope this helps

[primera man]

I think this could go on for ever with people having there own ideas about clears. I've never been a fan of it, but if what you are saying Bob is the ticket...it may will be worth having a go at doing it.

Certainly a good idea when using two different colours.

[Jay!]

Originally posted by rcmaxx
since we are all here, talking about clear. has anyone tried tamiya Ts-13 clear over a acrylic paint?

My S2000 body is Tamiya TS-13 over a mix of Tamiya acrylics. I went pretty much by the letter of daggerlee's post. It polished out very nicely. (click pic in sig to see )