Sometimes I surprise myself... (TS-13)

[Captain Mark]

After many attempts, failures, problems, and a few successes, I'm finally starting to come to grips with using Tamiya TS lacquers straight from the can.
This morning I shot TS-13 clear over my build (base colours all TS lacquers), firstly from an airbrush for mist coats, then the heavy coats straight from the can. And I must say it's by far the best clear coat I've ever done by a long shot!

I managed to get a few pics of the job in the sun and it was just stunning - luckily the camera managed to get the effect reasonably well!
I was so happy with it I thought I'd share a few shots...









And just so I don't use up too much bandwidth with similar stuff, here's a few links...

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...RB1/RB1069.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...RB1/RB1070.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...RB1/RB1071.jpg


Hopefully the clear will fully dry with the same mirror-like finish over most of the body. Next up comes the decals!
(Atlhough this is not a progress thread.)

Cheers all.
M

[MPWR]

Looks good- but you're asking for trouble applying heavy coats. Sometimes you'll get lucky, but TS-13 is nearly always happy to oblige with trouble when asked....

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Looks good- but you're asking for trouble applying heavy coats. Sometimes you'll get lucky, but TS-13 is nearly always happy to oblige with trouble when asked....

The way he describes the process is exactly how I'm getting great results with it lately. Sneak up on it w/the airbrush in thin mist coats, and one last wet coat straight from the spray can. Works great for me. I love TS-13. Love it even more now that I'm airbrushing it; a can goes a lot further now.

[davesans]

Looks real good. I am going to be spraying TS-13 through my airbrush here soon on my current build I hope I can achieve as good a result you did.

[white97ex]

looks good. however I swear by ppg/omni bases and clear now

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by white97ex

looks good. however I swear by ppg/omni bases and clear now

I tried them and the base goes on great. If you apply the final coat "wet," unpolished PPG or Dupont clear has an amazing gloss; you really can't tell whether it's wet or dry. But it fills up detail and thickens edges, like those along panel gaps. It also builds up next to masked details. (I understand thinning is not a solution because it causes pops. I have not tested that.) And TS-13 is easier to polish. For my older prototypes, I prefer the "hand-waxed" look of polished lacquer to the outrageously high gloss you get with automotive urethane.

Of course, it depends on the effect you want. Maybe those are only problems if you work with older prototypes in 1:43 like I build.

I'm perfectly happy putting TS-13 over one-part Dupont Chromabase touch-up paint purchased at the local automotive paint store. But the ChromaBase is expensive. I only use it when I want a special color and don't want to mix ModelMaster Custom Lacquer System paints.

I have yet to run into a compatibility problem with any of these bases and clears. The Dupont, the MM and the TS13 can be thinned with regular lacquer thinner. (I'm glad of that because UR40, the "official" thinner for Dupont, makes me sick. Dunno why.)

Diddy