NASCAR Paint Question

[steelhead26]

Hello, Finally made it out to the local hobby shop today to purchase a bunch of primer, spray enamels and little jars to begin building again for the first time since 98 when I was 16. Noticed when I got home that two of the sprays that I bought (1 primer and 1 aluminum) have lacquer in the label. All but these 2 are spray enamels. Just wanted to see if I can use these on my NASCAR models. Have been a fan for years and accumulated a bunch of kits to build. Just wanted to ask the knowledgeable builders with experience on this board before I try and use one and ruin the model or melt the plastic. Thank you for your help.

 

Thanks

Joe

[bbowser]

You can put enamel over lacquer, but not the other way around.  Test the primer on spare trees first, it may or may not craze the bare styrene.

[steelhead26]

Thanks for the reply bbowser! I just plan on using it to do the roll cage parts. I know I am going to make mistakes but I am just trying to avoid as many as possible.

[bbowser]

Happy to help a NASCAR modeler.  Not many of us on here that are into roundy-round racin' 

[steelhead26]

Much appreciated. I am happy that their are others and a board like this to learn. After I get the hang of it again I would like to try a car of tomorrow build but don't see many kits for sale.

[Miatatom]

I've used the metalizer without primer and it works great.

[steelhead26]

Thanks Miatatom, That's what I plan on doing. Glad it will work. Thanks for the reply

[chitownbri]

and the metalizer can be buffed till you get to a sheen you're happy with

[steelhead26]

Nice, Sounds like my carelessness may work out for me this time.

 

Thanks

[Old Coyote]

Lacquers can be used on Nascar models as long as a suitable primer is laid down beforehand. I use Duplicolor primer, have never used the Testors primer you purchased. The metalizers can be used without primer.

Here are a few examples of what can be done with lacquers ........ metalizers work great on engine parts

 

[steelhead26]

Thanks Old Coyote, I appreciate the reply and pics. These are the things that are kind of confusing as what can be used with or over what. I guess when I was a kid i just slobbed whatever I could find on them. Those pics are great! I love the Yellow Mike Skinner car, Can't even imagine how hard that must have been to paint. I painted my first model in a long time the other night (Testors dark blue gloss spray can) and had to completely sand it down because it looked like crinkle paint. Thanks again for taking the time to respond and sharing those awesome pics. Hopefully I will be able to build one of that quality at some point.

 

Joe

[horsepower]

That Testors primer is very close in quality to the Tamiya primers, I used some during the time Tamiya primers weren't available, and was very happy with it, it's between the standard Tamiya primers and the fine grain primers, but laid down really good and after getting a smooth base coat done, one good wet coat was smooth enough to paint over without having to do anything except knock down any dust specks you may have picked up.

[Old Coyote]

Just take your time Joe, and don't get overly frustrated when things don't go as planned. The reaction between paints , primers, and plastic don't always follow specific guidelines. As I said, I mainly use Duplicolor primer. But not all lacquers react well with Duplicolor. And sometimes different paints from the same brand react differently to the same primer. It's like a mini-crapshoot at times. But, hang in there and work things out. It's a good idea to test the paint and primer first on a scrap body or scrap plastic before shooting that newly purchased kit body. Above all, have fun.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2016 by Old Coyote