Acrylics vs. Laquers?

[StephenDeli]

Ok... I have just painted my ferrari F189 X-7 and it turned out a little with very fine orange peel. I figured regular polishing would take it out. Sure enough it didn't. Also I was using 3M Compound which is pretty strong. I have noticed in the past that Laquers polish out fine taking out fine orange peel. Then I wetsanded with 2000 grit and it left my finish dull and scratched, to the point where compound wont get it out... Is that the way acrylics are or am I doing something wrong?

BTW This is my first time using tamiya acrylics for painting a body. I have always previously used laquers.

[360spider]

I think your problem is in the polishing compound - 3m is silica based, and it is incompatible with acrylics - it softens them, which results in dullness and deep scratches.

Second, acrylics take longer to dry to full strength - maybe up to 10 days (depends on the thinner too). Maybe your paint was just not fully cured. Tamiya polish (fine) works great on their paints, though for some reason I cant achieve the same glossiness with acrylics as possible with lacquers - maybe just me...

[geofroley]

In my opinion, acrylics are too weak for painting bodies because of the polishing. I always get primer spots when I try and polish them.

[StephenDeli]

[quote=360spider] - it softens them, which results in dullness and deep scratches. QUOTE]

Could not have explained my problem any better!

I actually bought the 3M Compound because I was looking for an automotive compound(more volume) and it seemed to work so well on your models I figured why not get it.

[360spider]

I paint my bodies mostly with lacquers, 3M works very well on lacquers.

[StephenDeli]

Problem was I wanted to airbrush a paint job but I tried emptying a can into an airbrush bottle and it expoded out of jar. Not too pretty. But from now on it looks like all my bodies will be painted with spray cans.

[Martbee]

Have you try the Tamiya Compound... work well on their acrylics so... well at least, I never experience such problems.

[360spider]

http://briansmodelcars.com/tutorials...ID=3&CurPage=1
http://www.escalemodels.com/Features/rattle_cans.htm

Hope this helps a bit.
Alex

[StephenDeli]

Martbee-I do have some I will try it later. I was kinda experimenting with the 3M

360-I did do the brians model cars one and when I opened the jar it got every(further detail go to F189 thread)where.

[minniebanister]

I've just about given up trying to get Tamiya acrylics to come out nicely on my car bodies. They never seem to dry hard enough - even after a couple of months. I have trouble during assembly: finger prints and other accidental indentations. I've even had dust specs embed themselves in supposedly dry and hard paint.

I've been reasonably pleased with the polishing results. I use 3M Rubbing Compound, 3M Finish Restorer and Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish Step 2. I never get a deep mirror-like finish but then that never seems realistic to me.

I just switched to Dupli-color lacquer rattle cans. The paint is wonderfully hard after just a few days but I sure don't like the lack of fine control while spraying. I will try decanting into my airbrush next time around but I will miss the easy cleanup that acrylics give you - a quick dip in Windex and you're done.