showroom finish

Ok, just me but if you want a factory 1955 showroom finish you don't want Future on it or any other clear coat. MM enamel is perfectly capable of producing that finish on it's own. The formula isn't much different than what the manufacturers were using back in 55 and earlier, basically alkyd enamel or so called synthetic enamel. Some manufacturers used Nitrocelulos lacquer though. But MM can give you the finish you want. If you were shooting acrylic or craft paints you might want some clear on there. MM shouldn't need it. The only sanding you may need is to get some dust specs out. And of course a light scuff of the primer before you put down the finish.

I'm going to see if I can find a video of how one guy uses Testors enamel, it's much the same as I shoot it myself. It sucks up a bunch of extra paint but worth it imo. And by the way, rattle cans can produce a nice finish too, it's more a matter of limited color selection. I'll be back after I see if can dig up that video, I think you will see what I mean after you watch it .

I'm with oldermodelguy.

I don't like overcoats on cars of that vintage.  MM gloss enamel is, as he says, capable of a showroom finish.  The steps you intend should do it okay.  I sometimes thin my final color coats a bit more than usual, but even with regular mix I get a reasonable finish.  I find polish and wax is better for that early paint look than a thick glosscoat.

Here is either the video or a link to it. My method is similar but I do it either with the Paasche H or Badger 200. And I mix my paint about 60/40 or 65/45. And I blend my thinner 50/50 lacquer thinner and hardware store paint thinner/mineral spirits. But shoot the same. Obviously the lacquer thinner is fine on it's own though. And I prime because I have found scratch resistance and color uniformity is better with primer on there. You do need to scuff the primer smooth. Anyway the video, just want to say you don't need the exact setup and jars and such and I'd get an extra bottle of paint you use and practice on something:

https://youtu.be/lCKZ_fo4eW0

Thanks for the input fellas. That's an interesting video, a different approach than what I have learned so far. I'll take your advice and forego the Future in favor of a polished finish. A couple more q's if you don't mind...

If not using Future what would you do for a protectant coat, or would you?

 Novus or the Tamiya Polish System? If the end product is better for somebody inexperienced I certainly don't mind paying a little extra for the Tamiya. Would you still sand? Just not as aggresive? Start with a 6 or 8k grit and work through the 3 part Tamiya?

Not sure of the relevance here....I didn't tell you that I'm going with a metallic. I've read that you won't get great results if you try to sand a single-stage metallic as it messes with the flake and the structure of the paint. So, another argument for the Tamiya System? Or is that possibly because they are using an automotive paint? Would that even apply to model paints?

Thanks again, your experience and advice is invaluable.

Depends on the metallic , Scale sized flakes are pretty tiny, shouldn't be a problem if small. You need to put it down real even though. Metallic will pool if the paint wants to run. Don't over thin metallics, the flakes will settle too much too fast.

Wax is your sealer lol, wait a month to wax it. If you need to scuff some dust and polish, Novus should be fine. I just use Formula 1 scratch out myself, done deal. So you will use something a notch above.

I just want to say that if this 55 finish and the kit itself actually is important to you and you haven't shot the enamels and in particular metallic enamels, then you really should practice on something first. Be that a car body you don't care about or something. I generally do a mock up spray before I shoot a car body by doing it on the larger prescription bottles I have collected. I have a bag of them. But I do the work up from primer to color and if using candy or clear coats include that as well. And I've been painting for more than 60 years. But some products have changed and I'd rather be fooled on a throw away item than a model that matters to me. Just sayin.

Try placing the can in warm, not hot, water for a minute or so prior to spraying. I have found that this provides a better finish than using a room temperature can. 

JohnnyK

Try placing the can in warm, not hot, water for a minute or so prior to spraying. I have found that this provides a better finish than using a room temperature can. 

 

When I've used rattle cans, which prior to 45 years ago was pretty exclusively, I heated the cans till when you shake the can it was uniformly warm to the touch after shaking. But heating has merit for those using rattle cans for their finish. It evens out how the paint lays down and produces a better stronger spray pattern. But I believe the OP is airbrushing, if not I've and others wasted a bunch of posting time lol !

Good stuff guys, thanks a bunch!

JohnnyK

Try placing the can in warm, not hot, water for a minute or so prior to spraying. I have found that this provides a better finish than using a room temperature can. 

Always.

Hi; I had to pipe in here.

     Years ago my first successful business was a real Body Shop. I mean we hired Real , Metal Doctors not Putty Appliers! The lacquers from G.M were of the type that dried hard and somewhat dull. After being glossed with a mist coat of color,retarder and thinner, They were then Baked at 200 for two hours.This glossed them up more, then they were Buffed to a new car shine. 

      Nothing in the Automotive world looks like molded glass, really. Now Trailer Queens may. I wouldn't clear-coat a real car unless the Mfgr. Required it as part of the paint process! They just don't look right to me and especially in model form.

 I used to love the " rattle Can" Lacquers that A.M.T used to market. They could be buffed up with the same super-fine compound you used to finish the real thing! Then Turtle Waxed for that final gloss!        T.B.      P.S. We would try very hard to NOT buff Enamel Paint jobs .Remember they gassed out from the outside in.

I've heard that Tamiya has come out with a lacquer line of paints in bottle for airbrushing but it may not have hit the US yet. You can also get lacquer ( or enamel) in actual scale colors for vehicles by year and make from scalefinishes.com. Might be a wait with scalefinishes because he runs his batches every couple of weeks they say. But if you want a true scale color for say 1950 Ford teal blue/green or 1940 manderin red or what ever, he supposedly can do it. Off topic I know but just sayin.

I have often used auto spray paint cans, like Duplicolor.  Works fine as long as you use the right primer.

I think now most of them are acrylic lacquer.  Have not tried those, but I'll try it one of these days.

Hi Again,Don;

   I like to use them too. What I like is the bottles. A little retarde,r a little more thinner and it Airbrushes great!

Last year I was doing my first car in however many years, going for a 'showroom' finish applied a coat of "Future" over the top of Alclad gloss black lacquer. Micro cracks happened and I ruined the model.

As someone mentioned above, I only use that infamous floor polish on rare occasion and for specific purposes, never for an overall protective gloss coat. What made me try it with the nice little car model I had going...well, it's called laziness and impatience.

Sure glad you asked. The advice you are getting here hopefully will help you avoid what I did.

A lot of people like the Duplicolor. To me they're fine in non metallic. Every model I've ever seen duplicolor metallic on looks like a lousy metalflake job from the 1960's which is probably dimming my vision of how it could look..

Greg

Last year I was doing my first car in however many years, going for a 'showroom' finish applied a coat of "Future" over the top of Alclad gloss black lacquer. Micro cracks happened and I ruined the model.

As someone mentioned above, I only use that infamous floor polish on rare occasion and for specific purposes, never for an overall protective gloss coat. What made me try it with the nice little car model I had going...well, it's called laziness and impatience.

Sure glad you asked. The advice you are getting here hopefully will help you avoid what I did.

 

Interesting outcome. Was the lacquer fully dried before the Future went on ? You could always stick it in the purple pond, strip the paint and start over using another method. I recently did that with a 69 Mustang body I wasn't pleased with the paint on, mostly due to color.

I've tried the Future/Pledge clear coat idea and didn't have any trouble but to me it's not a natural looking finish, so abandoned that idea as a top coat.