what white paint to use on rubber tire white letters

[rpmracing18]

I'm wondering what others use on the rubber tire white letters. I used testors gloss white and after 2 weeks of inside room temperature the paint still came off the rubber letters. Anyone care to chime in?

Rich

[Don Sikora II]

Try using an acrylic paint. I've recently used an old bottle of Gunze-Sangyo white paint to letter a rubber tire with good results, but I'd think Tamiya acrylic would work fine too. Testors acrylic will probably be OK as well, but I have no experience with that paint. If you use an enamel paint, it probably won't dry on a rubber or vinyl kit tire.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Enamel will basically never dry!

I have tires laying around that I painted probably 30 years ago that the white enamel is still sticky on.

Use acrylic flat white.

Testors acrylic works fine.

 

Steve

[CapSat 6]

Art store white gouache works really well, too...I did tires with this stuff starting about 20 years ago, and it's held up well, nice and dry.

[Ace-Garageguy]

A few months ago, a member here posted that he'd had good results doing tire lettering with white gel-pens. 

I had the post flagged, but it appears to have been removed for some reason.

Anyway, I've used the gel-pens for years. They're easily controllable for the larger lettering and usually work fine, seem to dry thoroughly on flexible "rubber" tires, and don't flake off.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Art store white gouache works really well, too...I did tires with this stuff starting about 20 years ago, and it's held up well, nice and dry.

White acrylic gesso also works well.

Also an "art store" product, it's used as a primer for canvas (among other things).

[Dodge Driver]

Whatever method you choose, give your tires a good soap and water wash beforehand. I'm convinced there's a great deal of mold release on tires out of the box.

Treat 'em like any other kit part you're going to paint.

[Miatatom]

Acrylic covered with Dullcoat.

[pharoah]

I use artist's acrylic white gesso. It dies flat and quick.It usually takes 2 coats.

[Kit Basher]

Strange as it sounds, try a silver Sharpie. It looks white on tires to me.

[Deathgoblin]

Try Citadel Miniatures Ceramite white paint for gaming minis.  It has better adhesion than craft acryilics and the colors are very opaque.  It has no issues drying on rubber/vinyl. They have a wide color selection including metallics and specialized texture paints.

[Dave Van]

Tamiya white primer spray can.  For white walls I just mask and spray.

For white letters spray a piece of glass and stick the tire onto it....takes a few times and practice. 

Edited January 22, 2017 by Dave Van

[Junkman]

I have used Humbrol flat white for whitewalls and white letters for 40 years now and never had a problem.
Even on my first ones it's like on the day I applied it and even washing the models with soap and water doesn't affect it.
The easiest way to apply it to the raised letters is with the tip of one's finger.

[Belugawrx]

Acrylic covered with Dullcoat.

This is what I have used in the past ,..and it works great

[58 Impala]

I've used a white acrylic gel pen. 

 

[BigTallDad]

Acrylic covered with Dullcoat.

My bottle of Testor's Dullcote indicates it's a lacquer, and you might experience the same problem with the paint never quite drying.

Krylon has a rattle can flat acrylic, but make sure the tire is mounted on the rim before you apply it. If you flex the tire after spraying the Krylon, you'll see cracks and stress marks in the clear (ask me how I know this).

Edited January 22, 2017 by BigTallDad

[D. Battista]

I have used Humbrol flat white for whitewalls and white letters for 40 years now and never had a problem.
Even on my first ones it's like on the day I applied it and even washing the models with soap and water doesn't affect it.
The easiest way to apply it to the raised letters is with the tip of one's finger.

Interesting tip.... no pun intended    I'll check it out... i still use a very small paint brush

[smhardesty]

OK. I've read this thread twice now. This happens to be one of the subjects that I have on my mind as I begin to get back in the hobby. I've imagined all sorts of ways to paint the raised white letters. I don't think I'll be hijacking this thread if I ask you guys for more specifics on how you are painting the RWLs. I noticed that there were a couple mentions of "gel pens" and also noticed that Hugh uses a silver Sharpie.

I have a very slight problem with loss of feeling in the fingers of my right hand so I'm not nearly as confident and skilled in doing tedious tasks with my hand any more. So, of all the techniques you guys use to paint RWLs, which would be best for me to try? Also, if it's a gel pen or Sharpie, where is a good place to order them online? I live in Podunk, IL and have no access to hobby shops within about an hour and a half's drive. I'll most likely order online form some reputable place.

And if I'm out of line for asking these questions here, please just let me know. I don't intend to hijack a thread.

[Kit Basher]

 

I have a very slight problem with loss of feeling in the fingers of my right hand so I'm not nearly as confident and skilled in doing tedious tasks with my hand any more. So, of all the techniques you guys use to paint RWLs, which would be best for me to try? Also, if it's a gel pen or Sharpie, where is a good place to order them online? I live in Podunk, IL and have no access to hobby shops within about an hour and a half's drive. I'll most likely order online form some reputable place.

 

Steve, it's hard to say what method will work best for you, perhaps Christian's suggestion using the tip of your finger. I use the Sharpie and gel pens by lightly touching the letter. There should be lots of places online that have them, but one is dickblick.com. Look for "Gelly Roller" pens, and metallic Sharpies. They also have the Molotow chrome pens everyone has been raving about.

I don't know how far "Podunk" is from a craft store (Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc.), but they should have the Sharpies and gel pens as well.

[crazyjim]

I use a Uni-Ball UM153 pen for RWL.  Works good for me.

[BigTallDad]

I have a very slight problem with loss of feeling in the fingers of my right hand so I'm not nearly as confident and skilled in doing tedious tasks with my hand any more. So, of all the techniques you guys use to paint RWLs, which would be best for me to try? Also, if it's a gel pen or Sharpie, where is a good place to order them online?

 

Although I've not tried it myself, I've read about using a flat piece of plastic. Using a brush, apply a thin layer of paint on the plastic and then (don't let the paint get tacky) lay the tire on the paint. The raised letters will pick up the paint. Any blotches can be cleaned up using an ammonia-based product, such as Windex, but should be addressed while the paint is still fairly fresh.

Most of the products I've seen on this thread can be ordered online through craft stores, such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

[TarheelRick]

The Sharpies are usually available at WalMart or other such fine stores. 

[smhardesty]

OK, I’ve just been introduced to the Molotow chrome pens in a different thread. I found them for sale on a few different sites. Great to see that those are available at Dick Blick. I have an account there that I set up to purchase items for my photography hobby (which I have neglected terribly).

Goofy62 has already mentioned the “Sharpies” to me elsewhere, but I haven’t purchased any yet. I’m just now scribing panel lines and sanding out imperfections on my first two builds in about 50 years. Sounds like I need to just visit dickblick.com and put together a small order of various pens.

Jim, I’ll probably include the Uni-Ball UM153 pen you mentioned too. I figure it’s best to try at least 3 or 4 different techniques to discover what works best for me. One of the ways that I dreamed up in my head before I started asking for advice was to touch the eraser on a pencil to the white paint, then very carefully “stamp” the letters on the tire. I guess that would be a little similar to putting a coat of paint on a piece of plastic or glass and then laying the tire on it. I might visit eBay and buy a few “lots” of tires to practice on. The majority of my kits are muscle cars from the 60s and 70s so I’m going to have a lot of opportunity to bring out those great RWLs.

I probably should check the local Walmarts to see what kind of Sharpies and gel pens they have before ordering from Dick Blick. Can’t be positive, but I figure Wally would be a little cheaper than Dick Blick. Oh, and Hugh, “Podunk” is actually Olney, IL. Olney is known as the home of the white squirrel. The town is absolutely LOADED with squirrels and a decent percentage are white. There is a hefty fine for killing one, even if you happened to run over it with your car. The things are almost sacred! As to how far from a decent hobby store – about an hour and a half. I have to travel to either Evansville or Terre Haute, IN.

Thanks to every one of you guys for your replies. I just can’t say enough about how danged helpful it is to have a forum like this. Yeah, I built kits as a kid, but I never really “built” a kit, if that makes sense. I mostly just globbed some glue on parts and stuck them together. As an old fart, I’m hoping for slightly better results than what I did as a kid. Thanks, again.

[smhardesty]

Hey, Rich. I didn't mean to hijack your thread quite this much. Maybe something the guys posted to my question helped you a little. Sorry. I should have just started a new thread.

[426-Hemi]

Myself? I don't use paint at all for raised lettering tires. I use a white Gel Pen that I buy at Michaels called a "Gelly Roll" Gel Pen, goes on nice, and fully dries, in 24 hours can be sealed to tire with ACRYLIC clear coat.....