I have been doing a little experimenting over recent months. Krylon Fusion works well but needs a good clear coat to really make it pop. Createx Airbrush Paints work even better as do the duplicolor paints and the auto spray paints (great metallics there). I have so far had the best results with the Createx airbrush paints (esp the Auto Air Series) as I tend to bee too heavy handed with aerosol spray paints and often have drip problems. I know this is totally my fault but old habits are hard to break.

The Creaxtex Auto Air Series has an excellent color selection including shifters and flairs. They spray very well, give good coverage with light coats, and the need to be "heat set" has not posed much of a problem.

What can I say....I like building funky colored rods.

Must be some kind of disease.



Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

What are you using to spray the createx with? I've been thinking HARD about this.

Bill in WV

Pretty sure that Derek uses an airbrush. The Iwata is about the best out there; Badger is pretty good, too. Createx can be found with a Google search, I'm reasonably sure!!

Putter
Williston, ND

Thanks Putter!!!

Bill in WV

I've had great luck with a paint for Lexan R/C car bodies called "Pactra" that's available at hobby Stores. It's got a great flex agent in it, comes in aerosol cans as well as bottled for air brush use and best of all comes in a VERY wide variety of colors including "electric's" and "candy's". I shoot it from a Paasche model "H" airbrush (about $55), then coat it with Perma Gloss to keep it from scratching. As far as prep, i simply knock the gloss off the blank with a maroon (medium grit) Scotchbrite pad before spraying.

Something to note is that some of the colors are transparent and require a base cote of a different color to make them "pop". The hobby shop should be able to direct you on this. The range of effects that you can get with this stuff is huge and I've never had a problem with fading or checking.

Heck if you are spraying with an airbrush, why not just go with the auto two part urethains paints.
Can be thined for a blank for less weight, and I have never seen a car color fade
Rig a paint booth to vent it out side, even into a water bucket so it does not fly around the neighborhood.

You could also pick up custom car mags and do blanks the same way they do. Just with less and thinner materials.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/2005 08:14AM by bill boettcher.

No Two Part Finishes for me I HATE THEM.....Putter is tying to ease me into them slow but it is a painful process. I use an entry level Badger 250 Airbrush hooked up to a Coleman 2-Gallon Compressor I got for less than $50 from Pep Boys.

Thanks for the recommendation Mark. I will have to give that paint a look!





Derek L. McMaster
Rohnert Park, CA

Born to Fish, FORCED to Work

Mark...are you spraying the permagloss also or what? Everytime I've tried to apply permagloss to a painted surface it always tends to lift the paint I guess due impart to brush strokes.

Thanks,
Steve

As far as the perma Gloss lifting paint, I think it has to do with the paint (epoxy VS. lacquer, etc) more so than the application. I suppose it (Perma Gloss) could be sprayed, however I don't have a large enough needle & seat for my airbrush to do it. It would have to be thinned quite a bit to work with my set-up. It could be thinned some I'm sure, but I didn't want to run the risk of altering the make-up of the finish, making it brittle, etc.... I'm sure you can get a better answer from Trondak (U-40) on thinning it than I could give you.

I actually apply it with my HAND, which is pretty messy and may even prevent me from having more Children in the future. Kidding... I've tried it with a brush, but never seem to be able to get rid of the brush marks and from the smell of the solvents in it, I sure wouldn't want to try flame leveling it. A friend turned me on to just rubbing it on THIN with a bare hand. I tried doing it with a surgical glove at first, but just couldn't get it as even as he did bare handed. This too you might want to check with Trondak (as far as safety) before you wind up out of the Baby business too!

Do a search for PermaGloss here on this site - the best way to apply it has been covered many times.

..............