Drying time for Tamiya TS30 silver leaf

The Sheene Machine · #1 02-26-2006, 02:42 PM

After some trail and tribulation I have finally got some paint on my 206 WRC project. After airbrushing on three coats of TS30 I wasn't happy with the results. A little too rough. I wet sanded this down with 1500 and recoated from the can with much better results. How long do you guys wait before clearcoating?
I ask as last year my #24 Pepsi Nascar project was stalled when TS13 lacquer cracked over some Tamiya Mica silver - I think I waited a week before applying the lacquer but it cracked about one month later - after polishing and decal application.....

I have successfully cleared TS paints before (TS51) but I am determined not make a hash of this one.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks

Paul

RallyRaider · #2 02-26-2006, 04:47 PM

I usually apply the clear coat almost straight away, waiting maybe overnight or if everything is perfect (which is hardly ever) hit it straight after. I usually start with a few misted airbrush coats of either decanted TS13 or similar laquer clear. Never had the problem of cracking over time, but perhaps I've just been lucky?

I recall seeing a Tamiya page where they recomended that for TS13 you should either spray it 15 minutes after the colour coat or wait a month. Sounds like it is a slightly different formulation than their other paints and dries at dries at a dfferent rate. That could expalin the cracking some people experience.

drunken monkey · #3 02-26-2006, 07:18 PM

i tend to spray my first coat of clear right on top of my last coat of colour
i.e wet clear on wet colour.

to be more exact, i spray just enough colour to coat the car evenly and get the best colour (in the case of mica colour) and then i instantly spray my first coat of clear.
then i build up clear just as you would do colour so i end up only having to sand/polish the clear.

mikemechanic · #4 02-26-2006, 07:58 PM

The rule of thumb I go by is 1 hour or 1 month. Otherwise you end up with problems. Have also heard that 24 hours in a dehydrator equals 1 month.

Vric · #5 02-26-2006, 10:36 PM

I always wait 1 to 3 days before adding clear coat...

You see. no real answer. you will have to try and see what's working for you.

Scale-Master · #6 02-27-2006, 11:03 AM

Gloss Aluminum TS17, or Mica Silver would work better.
The Silver Leaf is a finer silver, but it separates when over coated with clear often.
The Mica Silver was formulated not to do that.
The Silver Leaf also does not lay down as smooth as the the other two colors.
I would suggest that you spray a couple light uniform coats of the Mica over what you have, (the Silver Leaf), and clear it about a half hour later and let it all dry for a week... - Mark

The Sheene Machine · #7 02-27-2006, 01:26 PM

Ok - thanks for all of your advice guys. I'm confused more now than before??!!!

I have heard/read of the 1 hour/1 month rule before, and I was going for the month rule, but I think I'll do a test piece and clearcoat at the same time and wait to see what happens.

Scale-master - I chose TS30 as it didn't have the flake in it that the Mica has - works Pugs were'nt metallic as far as I know - TS17 would have been an option though..

Vric - you're right NO clear (geddit?!) answer

Scale-Master · #8 02-27-2006, 03:14 PM

I used the TS-17 on this one, as called out in the instructions. I had no problem with the clear separating the silver.
I didn't know the Mica Silver was that much coarser, my samples between the two looked about the same.
If you don't have a problem with the Silver Leaf separating and going dark after it gets cleared, use it, it's about as fine a silver color they have.

Another option is the AS-12 Bare Metal Silver. Almost as bright as Silver Leaf, but not as glossy, which isn't an issue if you are gloss coating it. Test first, but it might work better. It looks "cleaner" than the Leaf to me. Good luck... - Mark

The Sheene Machine · #9 02-27-2006, 04:30 PM

Thanks Mark - I'll have a look at AS-12....nice 206.

91p10nizmo · #10 02-28-2006, 02:37 AM

Hi
Not to get off the subject to much but i just had a question. You guys say clear within a few hours, how do i go about clear coating decals? I mean I wait a week for the paint to gas out throughy then apply decals wait a couple of days for them to dry, then do I have to wait for a month to clear over the decals? Or do i do the final wet colour coat, decal then clear all within a few hours?
Thanks for the help.
Nathan

RallyRaider · #11 02-28-2006, 05:51 PM

Decals definitely need a lot of time to fully dry out, a good week as a guideline. Any moisture trapped underneath is going to be locked in by a clear coat and could cause bubbles or other trouble further down the track. Clearing over decals is always a risky business so care must be taken to use lots of thin mist coats before wet coating so any solvents in the paint can't attack the decals.

91p10nizmo · #12 03-01-2006, 09:32 PM

Hi
Thanks RallyRaider. Do you clear over your decals? Do I still have to wait for a couple of weeks after that to do clear or just a week after the decals have been applied?

Thanks and sorry for asking questions in your topic.
Nathan

RallyRaider · #13 03-01-2006, 10:47 PM

I usually clear before and after decals. I think doing so makes the carrier film less visible. On most occasions I'm a little impatient to get things moving so probably leave it less than a week, certainly not a month. However in my experience I think results are better when more drying time is allowed, so being patient pays off in the long run.

91p10nizmo · #14 03-02-2006, 03:01 AM

Hi
Thanks RallyRaider I might try your way. Ive got the aoshima d1 skyline to do and want to protect all the decals.

Thanks Nathan

RallyRaider · #15 03-02-2006, 04:05 PM

Just be careful Nathan when it comes to your initial coats of clear over the decals. Very thin mist coats, anything too thick and wet could spell trouble. I'd recommed laying the first two or three coats over the decals with an airbrush if you can, or be very, very lighthanded with a can.

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