Paint Question

[ruffman]

I have found guiddy's guide very helpful. But i need some more specific question. I just painted the first two top coats of my LS400. i painted it with TS-30 Silver leaf from Tamiya. Very good color I think, However I want to achieve a real good shine like Guiddy subie! After i put the last two top coats on and the grey for the bottom trim (TS-04) German Grey, should I lacquer it? I can't find Tamiya clear coat, but I can find high-gloss model master spray, should I use it? Or will rubbing compound and some wax be enough?

[TURBO_EK4]

I've been wondering the same thing, I dont know wether to use rubbing compound or high-gloss clear coat to get a good shine.

[935k3]

That color is not really a body paint persay. You should use TS17 Gloss Aluminum for a silver bodied car. You could put it over the TS30. I think you will like the look allot better. Use Tamiya's TS13 Clear Gloss over the silver as it is better to rub out clear coat than metallic colrors because they tend to get irregular after rubbing them out. I hate to post this car again but it does show how nice TS17 looks.

[Jay!]

It's generally accepted as a good idea to clear coat over metallic paints. The particles in metallics don't polish well, and can discolor. It's better to have a decent layer of clear, and then polish that. Make sure when you're polishing the clear coat to check your cloth often and stop id the body color starts cominf off onto the cloth: you've gone too far!

[daggerlee]

I second that, metallic paints do become irregular after rubbing out, don't know about micas however.

[935k3]

Originally posted by TURBO_EK4
I've been wondering the same thing, I dont know wether to use rubbing compound or high-gloss clear coat to get a good shine.

Do not try to rub out TS30 silver leaf it will only dull and rub through.
It is better to clear coat all metallic colors to rub them out with any polish. The finish gets irregular because only some of the metallic pigments get polished. Tamiya always recommends TS17 for silver cars. TS30 looks like bare metal not a silver car.

[ruffman]

Thanks for the help, so will it look ok if I paint Gloss Aluminum over the two coats of Silver leaf I have already done? I would hate to have to CSC it

[935k3]

Originally posted by ruffman
Thanks for the help, so will it look ok if I paint Gloss Aluminum over the two coats of Silver leaf I have already done? I would hate to have to CSC it

There shouldn't be any problem putting the Gloss Aluminum over the Silver Leaf, I used the TS50 Mica Blue over it for my Subaru. You will like it allot better than the TS30 for a body.