Problems with Testors One Coat Lacquer paint

dirkpitt77

   Wow, old thread is old. 

 

   Just to bump this, I bought a can of this just tonight.  The directions say to lay it on until  you get a wet look.  Their definition of "wet look" must be different than mine.  I, too, got pretty bad runs.  The color I got was "White Lightning" for a Star Trek model.  I had primed and it seems not to make any difference.  I'm gonna have to strip mine and redo it too.   The "one coat" appears to be a gimmick, to me at least.  Just thought you'd like to know you're not the only one.

 

edit- Testors' directions also state this stuff is supposed to be dry in 20 minutes.  Just checked mine at 1/2 an hour and it's not even close.  It's tacky at best.

A good gloss finish is an exercise in brinkmanship.  You must get it wet enough that it is a couple of seconds away from running.  How do you know it is on the brink of running?  Experience and practice.  Never finish a good model with a new brand or type of paint- practice first on scrap.  Someone else mentioned primer. I always prime surfaces for gloss paints, then sand the primer with #400 or #600 before applying the gloss paint.

 

   Wow, old thread is old. 

 

   Just to bump this, I bought a can of this just tonight.  The directions say to lay it on until  you get a wet look.  Their definition of "wet look" must be different than mine.  I, too, got pretty bad runs.  The color I got was "White Lightning" for a Star Trek model.  I had primed and it seems not to make any difference.  I'm gonna have to strip mine and redo it too.   The "one coat" appears to be a gimmick, to me at least.  Just thought you'd like to know you're not the only one.

 

edit- Testors' directions also state this stuff is supposed to be dry in 20 minutes.  Just checked mine at 1/2 an hour and it's not even close.  It's tacky at best.

Pick up a can of Easy Off Over Cleaner. Get a ziplock bag. Put the car body inside, don some rubber gloves, and spray Easy Off into the bag (outside!!! FUMES!!!). Close up the bag and wait. After that rinse off and scrub with a toothbrush. That should get you back to an acceptable level of plastic that you can prime over.

It's a nice thought to have a can of paint be "One Coat". I picked up a can when they first came out to give it a try. For you to get a true one coat with sufficient coverage, the paint will need to be laid down relatively heavy. Doing this on bare plastic with lacquer can spell problems. If your going to use a rattle can coats should be laid down in several light coats. They should also go over a primer for better adhesion. And while the can says one coat I don't belive the marketing hype.

It seems there are several well written articles here on stripping paint. I would give them a read first before thrashing the models.

If it's as thin as it seems, the only thing I can suggest is to:

• use a primer
• Your paint is "creeping" from the high points and "pulling" into the low points and crevices. Build up the colour depth using multiple thin coats instead of a single heavy coat. Spray light mist coats and allow to dry in between. Once the colour depth is more or less uniform, then go at it with heavier "wet" coats.
• Check that the paint you're using isn't a "candy" or transparent type which is meant to be used as a 2-part system (usually with a metallic undercoat).

maybe I am holding it too close.  I'm ususally used to the bigger size cans (what I normally use is 12 oz, and about 10 in tall, these are 3 oz and about 3 in tall) so I think part of my mind is like its smaller so hold it closer. 

Though one thing that I think can't be really my fault is how it kinda seems too thin.  some of the spots where it runs it'll be along an edge, so like on the hood of the Firebird the kinda sharp point that runs up the center of the hood was completely devoid of paint, and I dunno whether or not it would do that just from being too close to the model.

I haven't used these paints, but from what you've said here;

The paint ran terribly in some spots, and in others ended up looking like a honeycomb of airbubbles.

it sounds as if you've applied the paint too heavily and/or from too close a distance.  

How far from the model are you holding your can? If I was using a spray can I wouldn't go any closer than about 8 inches.

Another possibility is that the ambient temperature may be too high, or humidity too low, causing the paint to skin before the propellant can outgas from the paint, trapping it as bubbles.