Yet another newbie Duplicolor question

[Stryker3285]

Greetings oh exalted experts of the model car world;

I've been looking around the internet and really haven't found solid answers, so I thought I would ask the experts here.

I normally do armor, aircraft, and some sci-fi and ships,  but lately have been bitten by the Muscle Car bug.  I've got a Revell 70 Challenger ready to paint.  Wanting it to look good and not being a fan of normal (Testors/Krylon) rattle can paints, I decided to go with Dupli-color to paint the body and get a more accurate color (especially after Krylon went on terribly and I had to strip it and sand away the marring it did to the body).  So I've put on several thin coats and am very happy with the results; it went on thinly and didn't hide or distort any detail.  It also went on flat, which I figure isn't a problem.  I think I know the answers to the following questions/observations, but want to be sure:

1.  Does Dupli-color go on flat and need a clear/gloss coat to bring out the shine? (with some wet sanding to smooth it out prior to application; I've started rubbing it down with a paper towel as a very fine grit sander and it is already bringing out a shine)

2.  Can I use Pledge/Future to clear coat the body or am I better off hitting my local auto parts store (or maybe Wally World) and get Dupli-color clear to seal and gloss the body?

3.  I plan on hand brushing details (like turn signals, the battery, and other items in the engine bay) before clear coating.  So far, so good? 

4.  I also want to use Bare-Metal foil for the chrome trim and think this should go on last after clear coating?

I  really like Dupli-color so far, very easy to use.  I'm also getting into airbrushing and looking forward to using it as well to see if I can get my skills to a higher level.  I've started collecting car kits and am looking forward to having a small fleet of cars down the road.

And in advance, thanks for taking the time to read this and answer my questions!

Doug

Edited September 12, 2015 by Stryker3285

[Longbox55]

1; Yes, Duplicolor automotive lacquers do need a clear coat. You do not mention what color you're using or if it is a metallic or not. If it is a metallic, I would advise against sanding, as that can mar the metallic effect. If you do need to sand it to smooth it out, you will need to go back and lay down a coat or 2 to bring the color back. If it blushes, however (Duplicolor is known for this in high humidity), buffing the finish out with rubbing compound will not hurt anything.

2; I would strongly suggest using one of Duplicolors own clears over it. While I have seen excellent results fro builders using future, I have heard of problems with it cracking. In my own experience, I was not really impressed with the finish Future left.

3; Do the detail panting after the clear. That will prevent any potential paint incompatibilities. In addition, some of the tiems you mention, such as the battery, do not have a gloss finish.

4; Lots of discussion both ways on this one. Personally, I do any foiling after the clear.

Now, if you're looking into getting into airbrushing, a line I can suggest is the Paint Shop line from Duplicolor. Usually found at the FLAPS, it comes in a premixed 1 quart can, ready to spray. That's what I use primarily for clearcoating, much cheaper than getting rattle can clear, especially if you can catch a sale. They also have a matte and satin clear, plus 2 different intercoat clears. They lay down very thin.

Everything on this Hudson except for the top and side secondary color is Duplicolor.

This van is also mostly Duplicolor. The maroon stripe between the top and bottom colors is Tamiya, the rest is Duplicolor, with applictations of Prismatic and Metallic intercoat, and topcoated with the Paint Shop clear.

 

[Chillyb1]

Most Dupli-Color paints go on flat and require some gloss clear. I never bother with sanding the color coat with Dupli-Color because the clear always seems to bring out a beautiful and uniform finish. The Dupli-Color clear should do the job but I have no experience with it so no advice to give; same with Pledge with Future Shine. I do have lots of experience using Rust-Oleum lacquer clear over Dupli-Color and highly recommend it if easily available. Most modelers use the BMF after clear. As far as detail painting goes, you'll have to decide whether you want the details to have the same gloss finish as the body color. 

And, finally, welcome to the wonderful world of scale automobile modeling: the coolest by far segment of the scale-modeling community!

These models are painted with Dupli-Color paints and cleared with Rust-Oleum:

[jeffbrad]

Agree. Always a good idea to use the same brand of paint if possible. I always BMF after the paint is done. Cleared over the foil once years ago and just did not like the look. Another option if you're airbrushing is the water based polyurethanes. Been using it for years, either Carver Tripp or Minwax. I thin it with windshield washer solvent. Usually goes on dead smooth but will color sand beautifully if needed. Best thing is a quart is around 11 bucks at Lowes and will last for years with proper care

[StevenGuthmiller]

I started using Duplicolor clear about 6-8 months ago after having issues with several of the Testors clears.

I never looked back!

The thing I really love about the Duplicolor clear is the fact that it goes on so smooth & thin with virtually no covering of detail. 

The last couple of builds I've done, I've used 5-6 coats of clear with no problems.

You do have to be careful about spraying it over other paints though.

It's pretty much incompatible with anything other than automotive lacquers.

 

Steve

[fseva]

You do have to be careful about spraying it over other paints though.

It's pretty much incompatible with anything other than automotive lacquers.

They do make an acrylic enamel clear, that should work well over automotive enamels...

http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DA1692-Crystal-General-Purpose/dp/B001DKPL14/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1442072689&sr=1-2&keywords=duplicolor+clear+coat

[Ace-Garageguy]

They do make an acrylic enamel clear, that should work well over automotive enamels...

http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-DA1692-Crystal-General-Purpose/dp/B001DKPL14/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1442072689&sr=1-2&keywords=duplicolor+clear+coat

The operative word here is "should". Unless you have specific experience using things over specific products, you should refrain from recommending them.

I know for a fact that Testors Wet-look clear works very well over Duplicolor lacquers, and only takes 3 coats to give plenty of material to colorsand and polish (assuming you shoot it with little to no orange peel). 

This is Duplicolor as-shot out of the rattlecan, with one coat of clear.

Duplicolor colors labeled as "metallic" MAY have metallic flakes that appear too large for scale work. Products labeled "mica" or "pearl" typically have smaller flakes, for a more-correct scale appearance.

Of course, if the metallic particles in paint were REALLY scale-correct for, say 1/25, they would be almost invisible.

For some probably very interesting reason, the human brain seems to accept metallic particles in paint as scale-acceptable once they get below a certain diameter.

This Testors One Coat Lacquer flake is huge, and comes off looking rather like a bass-boat or really gaudy kustom kar finish.

 

Edited May 30, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Stryker3285]

Thanks!  Awesome tips, making me more than motivated to get back to work on the Challenger!

Thanks

Doug

[Custom Mike]

Good information from everyone, but the one thing that I can add is to use Dupli-Color Primer/Sealer. Dupli-Color automotive paints are too "hot" for styrene, if you don't have a barrier like their Primer/Sealer, you're gonna make a mess of the body!

Here's one I did recently using Dupli-Color Toreador Red with no clear coat or polishing, just to show how it looks straight from the rattle-can with just a nice coat of wax.

 

Edited September 12, 2015 by Custom Mike

[Chillyb1]

Good information from everyone, but the one thing that I can add is to use Dupli-Color Primer/Sealer. Dupli-Color automotive paints are too "hot" for styrene, if you don't have a barrier like their Primer/Sealer, you're gonna make a mess of the body!

 

 

I have not found this to be the case; however, it is probably good to be aware of this potential problem. 

[fseva]

Good information from everyone, but the one thing that I can add is to use Dupli-Color Primer/Sealer. Dupli-Color automotive paints are too "hot" for styrene, if you don't have a barrier like their Primer/Sealer, you're gonna make a mess of the body!

Hmmm... I thought the main purpose of primer was to provide a surface that would be able to handle "hot" paints... Sealer has always been recommended as something that would prevent "bleed-through" of a bad color of plastic (red, etc.) showing through the primer. No?

[Custom Mike]

Any time I use any laqcuer paints I use Primer/Sealer to prevent the hot solvents from damaging the plastic. I had to learn that the hard way a few dozen times....

Standard Primers are to give the paint something to "bite" into, the Sealer creates a barrier between the paint and underlying surface, whether it be a color like Red or a plastic you're trying to protect from damage.

[Longbox55]

I haven't tested the acrylic clear over hobby paints yet, but the Paint Shop clear works fine over Tamiya and Testors lacquers, and I have had good results using it over Testors enamels, Tamiya acrylics, and even over some of the old Kustom Kolor paints, which I believe are a modified enamel.

Testors Inca Gold lacquer

Tamiya Lavender lacquer

Testors Magnesium Brown enamel

Tamiya Clear Blue acrylic, shot over Duplicolor silver

Valspar JD Green enamel

The roof and side color on the Hudson in my other post is Kustom Kolor enamel, Gamma Gold.