Secret to a "mirror" finish?

The secret is how you mix your paints. That applies to any paint. I haven't used acrylics much, mostly lacquers and some enamels but the Tamiya acrlyics I have used sprayed very well.

I pretty much stick with 20-25psi and adjust my paints but that's what I'm used to with my brush and compressor/regulator. If it wants to run it's too thin, if it's rough it's too thick. I'll mix the paint and spray a bit to see how it looks and adjust if needed. With the small amounts of paint we're using it's something you just have to get a feel for, there aren't any set ratios. I mix paint in a bottle and drag a little up the side as I'm mixing it. If it's runs back easily and leaves little color behind I know I'm close.

Start out with some light coats just to get color on the model and then go back with heavier medium coats for coverage. I over reduce final coats right up to the point that it runs so it will level as much as possible. Any time you notice dust or dirt in the paint stop right then. Wait until it's sandable, clean it up and recoat. If you've sprayed your first light coats and shoot a heavier coat and discover it's too dry/rough then sometimes you can go right back over that area with a heavier spray and smooth it out. I always try that. Then go add some thinner. I don't have enough experience with acrylics to say what kind of dry/cure times you need between coats.

The smoother you get your color coats the better the model will look overall. Solids are easy, just sand/polish them smooth and then clear. If it's a metallic or pearl and you think you can lay down a smoother coat then sand/polish and recoat. With just reshooting a coat or two you stand a pretty good chance of ending up with a smoother finish. You have to decide.

For clear, I guess Future's ok but it's pretty thin. If I were going to have to do much polishing I'd use Tamiya clear but that's just me. If you use Future and are going to polish then take the time to build up some extra coats. If you do polish then go lightly on edges and peaks. You may even want to protect them (edges/peaks) with tape. If you're familiar with Swanny's website, he says that you can add Simple Green to Future for a higher gloss but I haven't tried it. I'm not certain about the ratio but am thinking it one 1/4th  Simple Green. I would think that would give too much of a tint to the Future.

With that said, I hate to polish. I do everything I can to get the finish smooth by thinning. It takes practice and familiarity with the paints you're using. You might want to experiment on another body first.

Tony

For maximum gloss with Tamiya acrylics, only use Tamiya thinner. It may be a little more expensive, but it's worth it for the results.

I've found that Tamiya gloss colours can take many days to fully harden - avoid handling during this time.

Also, if you're going to clear coat with Tamiya clear gloss (X-22), allow the base colour to fully harden (I've seen some suggestions of a month ) before you do it otherwise it may cause the underlying paint to crack/craze. In my case, I left it about 3 days before clear coating and it cracked on me.. not immediately, but it became noticeable about a week later .

I very rarley use my AB for autos, instead I stick to Tamiya sprays. They are very forgiving, easy to use, and cover very well out of the can, with no polishing. Of course, they look even better after being polished.

Two main pieces of advice I can give you are: 1) Multiple thin coats yield much better results than only a couple of thick coats, and 2) Practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, please let us see the results, even if they don't meet your expectations.

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Check out this site by a very well known and respected Automotive Modeler. Go into the tutorial section and you will see lots of advice on everything related to car modelling!!!

Brian,
Something to think about for the future....you might try using real Automotive Acrylics for your cars.
I've been using them for years with great success...matter of fact, they're the only thing I ever use on cars or airliners.
The paint dries very quickly, dries very thin, dries hard, and can be polished to a mirror shine using real automotive polishes (I recommend Meguiars - bloody expensive, but the best quality for the money).
You can get laquer paint in any color you want, from the little spray touch-up cans to a 500ml  can that's custom mixed to whatever color you need.
I decant the paint into my a/b jar (squirt through a short length of drinking straw), and thin at least 50/50 using acrylic laquer thinners.  I usually shoot at about 15 psi.
Remember, these paints are "hot" and will etch styrene, so use an auto laquer primer.
People say that the paint will kill your models, but I've never had a problem - sometimes a previously sanded mold parting line might ghost up when the paint is drying, but it usually lays down or can be polished out easily.
Remember, the fumes from these paints can't be good for you - they stink big time - so use a spray booth that evacuates all fumes from the room you're in, and a decent respirator mask using an organic vapor cartridge isn't a bad idea.
It's the only paint I'd ever use on car models....especially those monster 1/12 Tamiya Porsche models in my stash.
If you want any further info about the best way to use these paints, just ask.