Tamiya v. MM

I prefer Floquil Reefer White as do many other modelers on this forum but it is an enamel.

Mike

boy i tell ya, Tamiya paints are the bomb as far as performance through an airbrush, but i did have some adhesion problems associated with acrylics. never had a problem with tamiya flat white's coverage. later.

Through an airbrush or by hand? I've never had a complaint with Tamiya in my airbrush, but I do have coverage/brush mark issues from time to time when I use the same paint by hand. I've found that you have to keep stirring the Tamiya, and even then it'll still give you grief sometimes.

as far as coverage I think it is the color not the brand that determines coverage... white is notorious for requiring several light coats

using a white primer under white helps a lot... you can even use the Krylon stuff from wall mart, just don't try to cover it too thick with primer... I've heard of people using white, light grey or silver under their yellow as well.. personally for yellow I just use thin coats and repeat until covered...

QUOTE: but i did have some adhesion problems associated with acrylics.

Typical acrylic problem, but you know that. Acrylics don't adhere like enamel or laquer. Make absolutely certain the mold release oil/grease is gone and that helps immensely. Prime the parts first and the problem goes away completely.

QUOTE: I am very unhappy with MM flat white. Is Tamiya flat whgite any better?

What are you unhappy about? Like the others, I've had good luck with Tamiya white but in general white doesn't cover that well.

well, with MM enamel white (both handbrushing and airbrushing) its coverage is completely horrible. I thought maybe the Tamiya whight had slightly better covering for both ABing and handbrushing...

The Tamiya white is going to be acrylic. I don't think they export any enamel bottle paint to the states although I have heard of people finding it in other places.

What I normally do for white, when possible, is to use Tamiya Fine Surface Primer. It's a rattle can laquer, and covers very well. You might also try the Floquil Reefer White that Mike and some others recommend. I haven't tried it but from their recommendations I'd sure be willing to give it a try.

White and yellow are just generally hard to get to cover. I usually just recognize that fact, do what I have to do to get decent coverage, and live with it.

I know the Tamiya is going to be acrylic, but I can live with that. I use both anyway.

Tanky, if you are brushing it... make sure you thin it adequately otherise you end up with ridges and such in the pain, then put a light coat... let it sit till well dry then another light coat etc... make sure your paint is not too thick each coat... otherwise it looks messy...

also primering for hand brushing works as well as for airbrushing... MM sells a jar of airbrushable primer I swear by, so do other paint companies... as well as spray cans of the stuff...

I've always had great results using MM flat white and Tamiya acrylics......I never have adhesion problems cuz I always sand the surface of whatever I'm painting (careful to not destroy surface detail) to give "tooth" for the paint to adhere to.
I often use automotive acrylic as a primer - it slightly etches the plastic so I go light on the coats...then I find that any paint sticks to it like flies on stink.

MikeV mentioned Floquil Reefer White...MikeV, you talking about the Floquil "Railroad Colors" ? I thought those were lacquers...I had to use Dio-Sol and lacquer thinner to thin them and clean them.

I used to use those, they airbrushed like a dream! But then I found out just how noxious they really are, how much damage they do to your respiratory system.

I used to buy Testor Model Master enamels just for the color reference...I would mix the Floquils until I got a very close match. I had all the U.S. colors, Luftwaffe colors, etc.

I can't even find Dio-Sol any more, I used to also thin Model Master enamels with that stuff.

hmmm, polly scale and floquil, aren't they the same? If so polly scale is an acrylic. water based.

QUOTE: Originally posted by MA Cooke MikeV mentioned Floquil Reefer White...MikeV, you talking about the Floquil "Railroad Colors" ? I thought those were lacquers...I had to use Dio-Sol and lacquer thinner to thin them and clean them.

They used to be lacquer several years back, they are enamel based now.

Mike