Painting model car bodies! Full instructions! (Yes, you have to use primer!)

[XenoKryst]

Hey,

Just wondering, do you really HAVE to prime the body?

Even if it's uhhh....lets say....Subaru Impreza WRX STi from Tamiya. The body is already blue, and i want it to be the same blue, TS-50 (Subaru blue). Can't I just spray even coats to give it a nice shine? Since its already that color, I want to just give it a few coats to give it the shiny smooth look.

Of course following up with a few coats of Tamiya Rubbing Wax. Will this give a different effect? Such as fading the color or smudging?

Can I/Do I use Tamiya Rubbing Compound too??

Please let me know anyone!

Thanks.:smoker2:

[parkcaka]

"do i really use primer even if the color matches blah blah bah?"

i just asked the same question and Dan primed me first and sanded off all the little details on me with 150 grit paper.

(im still looking for some good quality putty for my d**k)

[Guiddy]

Originally posted by XenoKryst
Hey,

Just wondering, do you really HAVE to prime the body?

Warren, could you please insert the 'bitch slap' gif somewhere at this point!!!

[XenoKryst]

Whoa!

Settle down, why is everyone going crazy? I just asked a simple question and all I needed was a simple yes or no and a small explanation.

I was just thinking logical, - Blue + Blue =Blue!!

Plus, Tamiya Primer is sold out in 5 major Tamiya retailers around my city. I never bothered to try automotive primer since they sell it in huge cans that are EXTREMEly toxic. I know for a fact that you must wear all these protection items to use it when I sanded and primed my a Subaru WRC style spoiler.

Why does everyone freak at a simple question? Remember that everyone isn't as skilled, and be sympathetic to those lower leveled. It's just common to gentlemen like behaviour, or more like human nature.

I thank you anyway for scolding me, for your words have helped answer that simple question.

Cheers, have a good week...

[hiro]

It's 'cos this has been asked many times (even since I started reading this board not so long ago ) and that's why, the answer for your question is in the title of this thread The reason is that paint stick to primer better than to bare plastic, makes it more even, it's the texture too not just color. (... I think! Bitch slap me if I'm wrong )

[parkcaka]

im really sorry if i upset you. i really didnt mean that. it was just the humor we use in this forum. if you knew that you would know that just using this kind of humor is the proof that we(and I) would like to help in any way we can. in this forum i sometimes say,
"dan your models are so good i want to hit you with a tennis racket and hurt you so bad"
infact this means a good thing





im really sorry for the misunderstanding. dont be upset feel free to ask whatever you like and i will be happy to answer.

PS.im non-english speaker so my grammer sucks

[XenoKryst]

Okaay,

I understand. It is hard to recognize sarcastic remarks from words. It proves people out their are still young at heart.

Also, another question regarding preparation of priming. What exactly does removing mold lines mean? I saw in Hiro's RX-7 string that the first picture was a pic of the RX-7 body all sanded and wrecked. What exactly is mold lines? The lines of door panels for example is mold lines?

Thanks, I will remember to lighten up, it's been a long week...:o :smoker:

[daggerlee]

Mold lines are raised lines on your model body that are not present on the real life. They are a result of the complex molding method that plastic model companies must use to form a one piece body. While Tamiya has had great leaps forward in kit quality, mold lines, ejector pin holes, etc. are still facts of model building. You will have to get rid of them (by sanding them off or filling in with putty) if you want to achieve total realism.

In my experience the most common place to find mold lines on a car body are on the front lip, near or underneath the headlights. Consult reference pictures of the model you're building (images.google.com is a great source) and you will see that they are most likely not on the real thing. Anything that you can't see on the real counterpart that is present on the model is most likely "flash" (excess plastic) that you will need to sand off.

edit: Check hirofkd's post in "tamiya quality" for a more detailed description!

[Mikke]

Since you seem to SO love the questions about primering :finger:

I can't find white plastic primer anywhere! So, is this ok:

I spray a couple of layers of grey primer, then a couple of layers of Tamiya flat white, and then the actual color. Does the flat white cover the primer well enough, so that the grey primer doesn't affect the paint color??

[daggerlee]

If you can't see the grey, then yes

Flat white flat white....is it acrylic flat white? If so then you may encounter problems spraying with TS-50, as TS are lacquer based...the lacquer solvents may dissolve the underlying flat white paint, causing major damage..

to avoid this your first 2-4 coats should be VERY light mist coats, that dry within seconds of touching the surface of the model, so that the solvents dont have a chance of dissolving the flat white...after a couple of mist coats have been built up you can go ahead with thicker coats

[Mikke]

Originally posted by daggerlee
If you can't see the grey, then yes

Flat white flat white....is it acrylic flat white? If so then you may encounter problems spraying with TS-50, as TS are lacquer based...the lacquer solvents may dissolve the underlying flat white paint, causing major damage..

to avoid this your first 2-4 coats should be VERY light mist coats, that dry within seconds of touching the surface of the model, so that the solvents dont have a chance of dissolving the flat white...after a couple of mist coats have been built up you can go ahead with thicker coats

I don't (can't) use TS paints, since they aren't sold in Finland. I'm using Tamiya acrylics through my airbrush, so no problem there.

[daggerlee]

Hmm, I thought you were the previous poster in here, XenoCryst! My bad, sorry for the confusion

And yes, you should be fine

[Sob]

Man this is GOLD! Thanks for all the tips man!

[ukemaxxer]

Hi all,
First of all, can I say your models look fantastic. If I can even get close to your results I will be happy.

In the first post of this thread, Guiddy speaks of using needle nose pliers to get rid of mold lines.

Would that be a non serated pair as I dont fancy attacking one of my kits with anything which is going to ruin them.

First on my list of builds is a fleet of Tamiya Skylines.:ylsuper

Skyline's RULE.

[935k3]

One more important reason to primer all your models is so they look like like a real,solid car made of what cars are made of metal,fiberglass or as in racecars carbon fibre. If you don't they just look like a nicely painted plastic model. Don't put light colored non-primered car next to a bright light or it will be see through. Think solid.