Tamiya TS65 Pearl Clear questions

[bh1701]

I am building a kit and will be using Tamiya's TS3 Dark Yellow as the body color. I was wondering what the difference is between Tamiya's TS13 Clear and TS65 Pearl Clear? What would the Pearl Clear look like over the body color? I've painted cars with Tamiya's Pearl Blue and Pearl Green before - and to my eyes, they have a slightly metallic feel to them. Would the Pearl Clear provide some of this slight metallic feel to it? 

It's may be hard to describe in words what the Pearl Clear would look like, but I'd appreciate everyone's opinions.

A real bonus would be if someone had some photos that show models with Pearl Clear over Dark Yellow!

Thanks,

Bart

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by bh1701
Correct typing

[robertw]

No photos but I have used the Tamiya Pearl over several colours, white yellow and orange come immediately to mind. I was very satisfied with the results. Over light colours the effect is subtle. I would say that the effect is not unlike metallics but softer and if you want a colour that does not have a metallic equalent then TS-65 is the way to go. I've never used TS-3 but isn't that a matte colour? If it is you may end up using TS-13 Clear as well.

[jaymcminn]

No photos of pearl clear over TS3, but I did this Tamiya Karmann Ghia in TS13 over TS3. The flat TS colors make a great base color under clear coats. 

[Steve H]

Hi Bart, I have used pearl clear over several colours including grey primer. The effect is great, and as mentioned above more subtle than metallic. Your best bet is to paint the back of a plastic spoon with your intended colour combo and play with it to get your desired result. Spoon tests are always a good idea. I look forward to seeing your results!

Cheers, Steve

[Plowboy]

The TS-65 is the best clear pearl there is IMO. It's very subtle in inside lighting or in the shade. Out in the sun, it really pops! It doesn't show really well in photos. But, in person, it looks great. All you need is one good coat, then follow with TS-13. All of these models have the TS-65 on them.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Plowboy

[kymdlr]

The pearl clear adds a slight pearl effect if you are close up on the model , I wouldn’t equal it to an actual color based metallic paint color. Here is tamiya pearl over yellow and a turquoise.

[bh1701]

Thanks to everyone who responded!

As most people indicated, it's hard to capture the effect accurately in photos. I picked up a can of Pearl Clear yesterday and will be doing some spoon tests to see what it looks like in real life!

Bart

[Steve H]

Here it is over primer grey and purple. As mentioned, photos don’t really capture it well. 

[ZTony8]

On 12/1/2021 at 11:59 PM, Plowboy said:

The TS-65 is the best clear pearl there is IMO. It's very subtle in inside lighting or in the shade. Out in the sun, it really pops! It doesn't show really well in photos. But, in person, it looks great. All you need is one good coat, then follow with TS-13. All of these models have the TS-65 on them.

 

 

 

Since TS-65 is a gloss coat, you really don't need TS-!3 over it. As a bonus TS-65 doesn't seem to cause the cracking problem that TS-13 can cause.

 

[peteski]

35 minutes ago, ZTony8 said:

 

Since TS-65 is a gloss coat, you really don't need TS-!3 over it. As a bonus TS-65 doesn't seem to cause the cracking problem that TS-13 can cause.

 

One would have assumed that TS-65 is simply TS-13 with some pearl powder mixed in, but from what you mentioned it seems that TS-65 uses different clear base?  That is odd.

[ZTony8]

3 minutes ago, peteski said:

One would have assumed that TS-65 is simply TS-13 with some pearl powder mixed in, but from what you mentioned it seems that TS-65 uses different clear base?  That is odd.

Whatever it is, it's to our benefit. I used TS-65 over TS-55 blue once on a '61 Ranchero and it came out great. It's still one of my favorite paint jobs.

 

[Plowboy]

1 hour ago, ZTony8 said:

 

Since TS-65 is a gloss coat, you really don't need TS-!3 over it. As a bonus TS-65 doesn't seem to cause the cracking problem that TS-13 can cause.

 

You do if you want to polish it. I only spray one coat of TS 65. Any more is too much IMO. I've never had a cracking problem with TS 13. Even when spraying it over other paints like Dupli Color and Krylon. 

[Steve H]

On 12/5/2021 at 12:57 PM, Plowboy said:

You do if you want to polish it. I only spray one coat of TS 65. Any more is too much IMO. I've never had a cracking problem with TS 13. Even when spraying it over other paints like Dupli Color and Krylon. 

I agree with Roger.  Also I think it gives a bit more depth if TS 13 is applied over it. Just my opinion though.

[ZTony8]

You've been lucky re the cracking. It's a known occurrence with TS-13. Semi odd thing is that TS-13 won't cause TS-65 to crack, and TS-65 won't cause the base color to crack.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by ZTony8

[Zippi]

I have a 56 Ford truck I'm painting flat white and was thinking of using the TS65 Pearl Clear.  Anybody have a pic of this Pearl Clear over flat white?

[espo]

I would try it out on a plastic spoon, and you will be able to see what it will actually look like to your eye. 

[Plowboy]

4 hours ago, Zippi said:

I have a 56 Ford truck I'm painting flat white and was thinking of using the TS65 Pearl Clear.  Anybody have a pic of this Pearl Clear over flat white?

When I was building my '49 Mercury, a couple guys mentioned that option and had sprayed TS 13 over white primer with good results. I would think the pearl would work as well. The tricky thing about a pearl white paint job is getting it to match. I learned that lesson the hard way.

[swede70]

If it helps, it was semi-standard practice back in the day for 1:25th scale plastic promotional models to be molded all in one color, although often the body received a thin layer of clear (sometimes with a light color tint besides) with a touch of metallic in it to convey quality and of course to match up to a hue afforded that year.  The contrast being the interior and body was often subtle (not quite so as-witnessed below!), but in the main the effect was appealing.  

Here I've tried to work up a more or less 'missing' promo offering to fill out my Jo-Han Javelin promo collection, and for applying TS-20 Metallic Green followed up with TS-65 Pearl Clear, the results were really all I could have hoped for.  MPC small Goodyear Polyglas GT hard vinyl tires and AMT 'Volcano' wheels round things out to yield a 'would be' '73 full promo vs. just the snap together option.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited December 13, 2021 by swede70

[swede70]

Another use was to tape off the tampo-printed tape stripes on my 1:18th scale diecast '70 Rebel Machine to suggest that the colored sections of the stripes had a reflective quality sort of like '69-'70 Mustang BOSS 302 side stripes if this makes sense.  Tedious to do, but the effect was achieved...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited December 13, 2021 by swede70

[Dave Van]

Tamiya Peral clear over Tamiya Pure White....

 

[Zippi]

Here's my 56 pickup painted with Rust-Oleum flat white primer and cleared with Tamiya TS-65 Peal clear.