Automotive finishes

Like Keavdog I've always gone with the LEA order (think of it as a woman's name and it's easier to remember). 
The mcw has been a rare exception to this rule, and it is pretty accurat. Messed up an F-4E not following it. I spayed thin coats of laquer over enamel and almost a year later still no problem. Insert the stock quote here, past performance does not predict future performance and such lol

Yes.  I found this helpful

Just saw this and thought I'd add one more thing to what good buddy Mongoose said.

When using enamels and lacquers together......

REMEMBER THIS: Enamels will work fine when sprayed over lacquers...NOT the other way around. Lacquers will make a mess of any enamel paint laid down prior. Ask me how I know. 

TheMongoose

 

 

Greg

A question about MCW paints....

So I perused their website, noticed they offer both enamels and lacquers. I neither understand why, nor do I understand enough about paint to know the pros and cons of one vs the other.

Sure appreciate any and all insight.

 

 

 

 

i can offer my experience here as well Based on using MCW for the last couple years..........

Great lacquer vs enamel basics rundown! I really appreciate your taking the time, very helpful.

Thanks!!

BigJim

Greg,

Look for Gulf Blue #2064 and Gulf Orange #2065.

 

Found them both, thank you, Jim!

Greg

A question about MCW paints....

So I perused their website, noticed they offer both enamels and lacquers. I neither understand why, nor do I understand enough about paint to know the pros and cons of one vs the other.

Sure appreciate any and all insight.

 

i can offer my experience here as well Based on using MCW for the last couple years.
lacquer -

dries super fast. I can tape it, including burnishing edges down in as little as 15 minutes.

MCW & MRP  spray right out of the bottle. I tend to use some mr color leveling thinner with MCW if ikm going for a gloss finish, or f the air is real dry and the paint is spider webbing on me even after adjusting the air pressure down a bit.

can be applied super thin

can be applied right over kit plastic with no primer

stinks like crazy. Use ventilation

dries to a gloss finish if you apply it with a "wet" look to it. decal right over this without any other product needed. Microsol beads on it so almost useless lol

my favorite primer is Citadel but have used tamiya fine, mcw, Duplicolor decanted with no issues.

Enamels - 

Dry SLOW.

MCW enamel needs a thinner (i use hardware store lacquer thinner), and a hardener if you want to do anything in less than a day. 4hrs dry to touch and 8hrs dry and can tape it.

Superb gloss without using a clear. Show car gloss if you use their clear.

Applying it thin tends to take away the gloss.

I don't have enough experience with it to speak to not using a primer. I've used mr surfacer, mcw, citadel and  duplicolor auto primer decanted from spray can all with good success. Have only used lacquer primers under my enamels whether it was mcw or Model Master.

this is Citadel primers with MCW Enamels for the vibrant colors and mcw lacquers for the dark blue(yep it's blue, just painted on a black primer fading  to bone white primer from back to front).

edit-forgot to mention there was a noticeable increase in shine using the enamel gloss clear vs the lacquer gloss clear! In the end my final coat was the enamel clear over everything.

Greg,

Look for Gulf Blue #2064 and Gulf Orange #2065.

BigJim

This is the MPC 1/20 M8d kit from around 1981 I think it is. No, you have never seen a real McLaren painted this way. This was my own design.

I wondered if that was the case. I think it looks GREAT in the Gulf colors. And that leads me to ask which MCW colors did you use and how did you find them? I see Gulf Orange, but I don't think that's right, and no idea about the baby blue.

A side note, I have those two colors on order from Zero, for Meng GT, starting to wonder if I'll ever see them.

Oh, and now you've made me nostaglic for an MPC kit. I see Roundupmodels.com has one in stock, I'm tempted.....

BigJim

Just a warning about lacquers!
You first need to use some type of primer that protects the plastic from the lacquer. MCW has a gray primer that does that. In the past when I used Floquil paints, they made what they called "Barrier". It was a fine clear coating that protected the plastic. Scalecoat also made a product called "Shieldcoat" that was clear.

One little story to tell about the above. On one of my models years ago I was using Floquil paint. It was the original lacquer at that time. I had first coated the main body with "Barrier"...at least the outside was coated well. The inside not quite as good. As luck would have it, I somehow messed up on the paint job and the paint needed to be removed. Suffice it to say that where I had coated the model with "Barrier", the paint came off easily. On the inside, in the places that didn't get a coating of "Barrier" the paint was adheared to the plastic and would not come off.

One other thing I would add is, if you are one of these people that just has to use spray paint from your local hardware store (heaven forbid), I would first use MCW's primer for lacquers!

BTW, MCW lacquers come "Ready To Paint", no thinning needed. So, figure this into how much paint you will need to order.

 

Just ordered some of their Guards Red lacquer to try alongside their Guards Red enamel that I got last week...gonna see which one works better for me.  I didn't even know they also had lacquer versions of their enamels until I read your posts, and I prefer lacquers for the same reasons you listed.  Interestingly...I found that Tamiya's new lacquer paints don't appear to have that advantage...paint thinner still damages those for some reason.  Sure does make a nice, glossy black base coat for Alclad though.  It'll be interesting to see what kind of gloss I get with the MCW lacquers.  That McLaren is gorgeous!

No worries about needing primer.  I prime everything as a matter of course anyway with decanted Tamiya Grey Surface Primer.

Thanks for the info!

Greg

Awesome McLaren. May I ask what kit is that? I'd never seen a McLaren in this paint scheme, only on the GT40 II. So very cool.

Just a warning about lacquers!
You first need to use some type of primer that protects the plastic from the lacquer. MCW has a gray primer that does that. In the past when I used Floquil paints, they made what they called "Barrier". It was a fine clear coating that protected the plastic. Scalecoat also made a product called "Shieldcoat" that was clear.

One little story to tell about the above. On one of my models years ago I was using Floquil paint. It was the original lacquer at that time. I had first coated the main body with "Barrier"...at least the outside was coated well. The inside not quite as good. As luck would have it, I somehow messed up on the paint job and the paint needed to be removed. Suffice it to say that where I had coated the model with "Barrier", the paint came off easily. On the inside, in the places that didn't get a coating of "Barrier" the paint was adheared to the plastic and would not come off.

One other thing I would add is, if you are one of these people that just has to use spray paint from your local hardware store (heaven forbid), I would first use MCW's primer for lacquers!

BTW, MCW lacquers come "Ready To Paint", no thinning needed. So, figure this into how much paint you will need to order.

A question about MCW paints....

So I perused their website, noticed they offer both enamels and lacquers. I neither understand why, nor do I understand enough about paint to know the pros and cons of one vs the other.

Sure appreciate any and all insight.

BigJim

 

 

Tanker-Builder

Real G:

        Hey, don't let the gloss fool ya. I never have in my life clearcoated and I only "Futured" one car, It turned yellowish(This was in the seventies). I paint let dry(Gas Out_ both Enamel and Lacquer at least two weeks.) Then Polish gently and Wax and leave alone. No car, even My show Studebakers ever glossed up like some of the models you see. Many of my real Cars had expensive restorative paint jobs too! 

        I have judged in I.P.M.S.Venues and that was very off-putting to me. Too Glossy Cars and way to many noticeable Panel lines Is to me a no-No. Model cars for the most part do not have the Doors , Trunks, Hoods(If closed) or Vents and Scoops outlined so you can see them a foot away! But, sometimes they are unrealistically to shiny!

 

 

I don't mean to create a thread drift here, but...

I am glad to see someone here that thinks like I do! To me that glassy gloss coat shine interferes with looking at the model and for the most part makes the model look more...like a model. With the exception of maybe a custom "show car", real cars are not that glossy. I had much rather see a nice satin finish where you can see the details of the car without all of that glare. The same goes for too much chrome. Boy, is that an eyesore trying to see the details!

Now, back to the question at hand...

After 60+ years of modeling, I am getting tired of having to find a new paint line time after time. First Floquil, then Floquil formula change, then No Floquil, now no Model Master!!!
Thank goodness for MCW! I find this paint easy to work with and I like using their primer and lacquer. Why I like using a lacquer for the main color is that if there are details that need to be painted, I will use an enamel to do that work. Then, any small slips of the wrist can be removed with a little bit of regular paint thinner" without harming the main color.

My latest project using MCW paint.

 

Awesome McLaren.

May I ask what kit is that? I'd never seen a McLaren in this paint scheme, only on the GT40 II. So very cool.

Yes!

 I agree, okay? But. when a certain type of car looks like it's poured out of Resin or Glass and has no Flaws or Scratch marks or Polish Swirls I gotta wonder!

Beautiful McLaren! I'm an MCW fan myself, lacquers and enamels rock

Tanker-Builder

Real G:

        Hey, don't let the gloss fool ya. I never have in my life clearcoated and I only "Futured" one car, It turned yellowish(This was in the seventies). I paint let dry(Gas Out_ both Enamel and Lacquer at least two weeks.) Then Polish gently and Wax and leave alone. No car, even My show Studebakers ever glossed up like some of the models you see. Many of my real Cars had expensive restorative paint jobs too! 

        I have judged in I.P.M.S.Venues and that was very off-putting to me. Too Glossy Cars and way to many noticeable Panel lines Is to me a no-No. Model cars for the most part do not have the Doors , Trunks, Hoods(If closed) or Vents and Scoops outlined so you can see them a foot away! But, sometimes they are unrealistically to shiny!

I don't mean to create a thread drift here, but...

I am glad to see someone here that thinks like I do! To me that glassy gloss coat shine interferes with looking at the model and for the most part makes the model look more...like a model. With the exception of maybe a custom "show car", real cars are not that glossy. I had much rather see a nice satin finish where you can see the details of the car without all of that glare. The same goes for too much chrome. Boy, is that an eyesore trying to see the details!

Now, back to the question at hand...

After 60+ years of modeling, I am getting tired of having to find a new paint line time after time. First Floquil, then Floquil formula change, then No Floquil, now no Model Master!!!
Thank goodness for MCW! I find this paint easy to work with and I like using their primer and lacquer. Why I like using a lacquer for the main color is that if there are details that need to be painted, I will use an enamel to do that work. Then, any small slips of the wrist can be removed with a little bit of regular paint thinner" without harming the main color.

My latest project using MCW paint.

Yep a real beauty!

i'd go 1 step farther and say anything that has a modern paint job on it, be it single stage or base/clear can have a super glossy finish to it. They can all be polished out to a mirror like shine. 

700?!    Yup...that's a monster alright.  

The newer Durango R/Ts definitely aren't off-road vehicles anymore.  Does better than most in the snow, but that's about it as far as that goes.  Really good at flying up those steep mountain highways and roads in Colorado though...doesn't even break a sweat and corners like its on rails.  I wish I could take it over to Germany and see what I could do on the Nurburgring.  The little Suzuki Swift GTI I drove on it a few years ago was kinda "meh".

I had a 98 Durango and loved it.  Put it through some serious off road action.  Actually had it up on two wheels once lol.  Great rig.  Not so good at towing though.

BTW that Charger is a 700 RWHP monster.

keavdog

Well after having a few iconic performance cars, clay baring, polishing and applying company XYZs stuff I'd say that super shiney is a thing.  I had my Charger to a literal mirror finish.  Maybe like Don says - the older cars didn't have that super shine but I will say a high gloss mirror finish is legitimate for our modern hotrods.  This is my 09 Charger when she was dirty lol

 

 

Nice looking Charger!  I'm a Mopar man myself...have a black 2019 Durango R/T.  Yup...modern hot rods often have a really deep, mirror-like shine to them.  I have also seen a few of the old muscle cars with that kind of shine at shows.  They were always the center of attention because they really stood out from the other cars...always made me wonder how much work that must have taken to get it to that point.  The black ones were always especially impressive, almost had an "invisible car" quality to them because they reflected their surroundings so well.  They were rare, but they did exist.

Well after having a few iconic performance cars, clay baring, polishing and applying company XYZs stuff I'd say that super shiney is a thing.  I had my Charger to a literal mirror finish.  Maybe like Don says - the older cars didn't have that super shine but I will say a high gloss mirror finish is legitimate for our modern hotrods.  This is my 09 Charger when she was dirty lol

 Very unfortunate typo in the first sentence of your question.  I'll try these MCW paints too.

Real G:

        Hey, don't let the gloss fool ya. I never have in my life clearcoated and I only "Futured" one car, It turned yellowish(This was in the seventies). I paint, let dry(Gas Out--both Enamel and Lacquer at least two weeks.) Then Polish gently and Wax and leave alone. No car, even My show Studebakers ever glossed up like some of the models you see. Many of my real Cars had expensive restorative paint jobs too! 

        I have judged in I.P.M.S.Venues and that was very off-putting to me. Too Glossy Cars and way to many noticeable Panel lines Is to me a no-No. Model cars for the most part do not have the Doors , Trunks, Hoods(If closed) or Vents and Scoops outlined so you can see them a foot away! But, sometimes they are unrealistically too shiny! Show Rod Trailer Queens, Little Driven show cars, Yes, (Driven less than one thousand miles a year!).The Every day Great looking performance or luxury car NO!

      Unless it's a newer Car (From the seventies, Late) all the way to today, (with the newer paints) In Real Life now! In models, C'mon on now, lets get back to realistic! The 'Yellowed Car" was one I built for a Review in our club News-Paper. Model supplied by our club sponser(Jack's Hobby Shop, Jacksonville, Arkansas) Now, (Rail and Sprue)-Same City!

There is so much glossy goodness here!  You guys are amazing!  I think I'll have to give MCW paints a try.

Full disclaimer:  I am most certainly NOT a car modeler, but I have a LOT of car kits in the stash that would get built if I could master the super shiny finsih.

In the last year, thanks to Testors and my lack of a Hobby Shop to get Tamiya, I have switched to Brush painting using Vallejo acrylics and Createx also . They are available at my local HobLob . You can make the brush paint look as good as the Rattle can or airbrush if you thin the paint enough and use some retarder so the brush strokes can lay flat after applied. Then you wet sand with 6000,8000, 12000 polishing pads and finally polish it with some novus and you can get a mirror finish actually better then any spray job I ever did. Then after decalling I brush paint some Pledge/future to seal the decals and get that final gloss finish on the model. Takes a little work but I can paint where I build and dont have to go outside to spray anymore. I will never go back to spraying.

I often use auto lacquer for model cars, but I also spray with gloss enamel from my airbrush if it is a complex model (early brass era or classics with complex fenders).  In either case the paint must be applied in a wet coat.  I call it a game of brinksmanship.  You have to keep spraying until just before it starts running.  How do you know just before it runs?  Like getting to Carnegie hall.

I am still using floor polish . I throw a few coats on over any kind of paint (even flat). I use a harbor freight AB for my gloss and dull coats so I don't gunk up my good sprayers. I have tried the testors acrylic and laquers with good outcomes as well. 

Holy cow guys!!    Well...I'm sold.  MCW it is. 

Beautiful BK! From the reflection I'd say you need a shave lol