RE: More Advice...paint types
 

What do you guys think of Floquil's Poly-S and Poly Scale (acrylic) paints for airbrush use?

I used to use Poly S paints almost exclusively with a brush when I was a kid. For Father's Day I received the Tamiya Spraywork Compressor and the 74514 Airbrush. Never used one before, bought a book and looking for thoughtful advice before I paint my Pershing.

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Buy a Henglong pershing tank, practice on it first. sell it if you are satisfied with result. burn it if not. :D
seriously, prime the tank before paint.
thin the paint before puring into the airbrush.
wear a mouth cover.
do it in garage and on top of your best car.j/k:D

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

IMO the most important part. I wish sombody told me this before I started spray painting models [&o]

Practicing on Henlong tank is also very good idea imo. I don't know about burning it, but the cheap cost makes Henlong tanks a good practice platform imo.

Oh and thanks for link Calvinwill :)

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

My, my, can we have a little cease fire here?

I am just trying to assist the original poster in regard to paints. What does it matter what you put the paint on? Why does every question and answer session here always have to degrade into a tank quality issue (Tamiya against the world)? Tamiya is not the best hobby supply manufacturer in the world and they certainly don't dominate the market in paint quality. Until Tamiya makes a better hobby knife, I'll stick with my X-acto.

The word often, Tom, comes from my long and varied experience with all kinds of modeling, not just tanks. I have built and painted all kinds of models in almost every scale. Many times I have made do with paint and coatings that are not manufactured solely for the hobby industry. I therefore have a lot of experience with different paints. The paint you would call cheap because it is not of the vaunted Tamiya brand is more accurately termed cost-effective because you're less likely to run out of the stuff while you're in the middle of painting a large scale model, like a 1/16 scale tank.
Apparently it is your opinion that painting experience is only worthwhile if it pertains to 1/16 scale tanks. And you are totally against experimentation of any kind.

For the record, I own or have owned 5 Tamiya tanks. I retain 2 at this time (Sherman "bookends" in a deactivated status). I have three if you count the unopened Panther. So can I join your little Tam-Tam club? :D I guess if I'm not a certified member, I cannot possibly know what I'm talking about in regard to paint.

A spray paint primer I commonly use has an adjustable nozzle that offers either a narrow or wide fan pattern and the paint atomizes to a much finer degree, approximating an airbrush. The button is also redesigned and is easier to push. It will not obscure any fine detail in 1/35 scale and certainly is not detrimental to the detail on a scale model as large as 1/16. For that you can even use the typical spray button found on 99% of all spray paints. Like the one below. In fact, a little slight "orange peel" or minute spattering from this common type of nozzle can actually help improve your tank's look because the tanks had rough textures on the hull. Perfect mirror-smooth paint finishes belong on show cars.

-Harq

EDIT: I do have one Heng Long Pershing tank that I seem to dote on. Mentioning such a monstrosity is this forum certainly elicits a lot of animosity from you Tamiya bigots. I find it amusing to say the least. Anyway, it's a good value for the money and it just keeps on going. So get one just to test paint on. That's what I'm using mine for so far...

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Well said!

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

The Spanish paint their vehicles using single a color, like this Leopard 2E http://espanol.geocities.com/espiritucarrista/Leo2E.htm don't know the color but from the photos it looks similar to NATO Green.

calvinwill

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Thanks for all the replies here guys. I didnt expect so many.

I am by no means a "Tamiya only" person. I usually build 1/32 (and sometimes 1/48) scale aircraft. I have many Tamiya planes, but also many other models from other companies. I have always liked the way Tamiya engineers their kits, and have always like the fit (the less putty I have to use, the better). That being said, there are other manufacturers out there that are either up to the level of Tamiya, or are catching up quickly...and for less money.

The reasons that I chose the Tamiya Leopard are that it was the only modern tank that Tamiya offer right now, and I didnt hear about HL until I started using this forum, which was after I had already made the purchase. Plus, I love to build models, and this looked like a nice summer project. In other words, I didnt want a model that was already put together that you just take out of the box and turn on...I wanted to build it myself. Building all of the gear boxes and such is a blast, and I have learned a lot about how this thing will run. Im not sure if you are able to do that with HL or not.

Anyway, I went to the hobby shop here to get some primer. I knew I would eventually need metal primer, so I picked up a couple cans of Tamiya metal primer. I have an extra set of wheels that came in the kit, so I decided to test the metal primer on those first. I had heard somewhere before that this stuff was also safe for plastics. It sprayed beautifully, and as it dried, it layed down perfectly. And it didnt harm the plastic at all. So far, all of the road wheels are primed, and I am very pleased with the results. Hopefully I will be able to put some color on them this weekend, and start building the suspension.

So far, I am very pleased with the model, and Im having a blast building it. This hobby seems like it will be a ton of fun...and I can already see myself spending money on another tank when this one is done :( . I dont think it matter which manufacturer you buy from, just as long as you are having fun, and are happy with what you bought. Isnt that what matters? :D

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

I'd also like to thank you fellas for the advice. For the record, all of my 1/16th tanks are Heng Longs! So for some of you elitists, they will all be test platforms as I hone my painting skills to perfection once again, this time with modern equipment.

Like I said in the earlier post, I'm leaning towards Poly-S/Poly Scale paints. Anyone with postive or negative things to say about them for airbrushing?

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Harq, this is not a personal attack. it is about to lead beginner into right path.


Weather tamiya is the best paint for hobby, i do not know. but i am sure it is not the worst and designed for hobby use. but you recommend the person who bought $800 tamiya leopard to use cheap paint from walmart which was designed not for hobby use. it is not about quality issue here, it is about price. you do not want to experienment or practice on $800 tank, on the other hand, you can practice whatever on HL because it can be cheaply replaced.


if you painted different scale or kind of models, you must know painting different scale or kind, you have to use different paint and skill, even the method to paint. painted 1000 rc car body or 1/72 scale tank does not qualify you a tank master, but of course you can give your opinion. but think before you give recommendation to a guy who spend $800 on his tank. especially he is new to this hobby, why would you recommend him to use cheap paint risking his $800 tank, rather be safe, recommend to use hobby paint.

i thought you said u only have one henglong tank and help friend fix couple of them. but now even you own 5 tamiya tanks, how many did you paint yourself? or even Henglong tanks? how many did you paint? why do not you share some photo of your tanks with us to prove that cheap paint can get great result.

Again, this is not personal attack, just trying to help a begginer who spent $800 to get right stuff.

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Kinda along the lines of what to paint with what, I have a paint color Question. I am getting ready to paint My Tiger 1, I am going for early Afrika Korps. I see Tamiya recomends Dark Yellow in there color chart for an overal color. Fine so i Buy a Can of there Dark Yellow and Spray a Test Piece to see the color. I see That it has a Green Tint to it. But when you look at there Pictures as well as Others there Desert colors have no Green tint. Does anyone know if this is a factual color, Were the Afrika Korps Tanks Painted with an overall dark yellow That has a green tint? The only Information i have to back up this color are a few Artist renditions actually showing the green tint. Kinda Stumped on this one.

Semper Fi!

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

The original poster had the right idea. He knew about Tamiya paints and would have been happy with them but was wondering about alternatives so I gave him my experiences with the plain, old, "cheap" 12 oz. gray primer spray paint we all see when we're in Wal-Mart or K-Mart. I would stick with a well-known brand, Krylon. They even have a new series of paint meant totally for plastics: polyethlene, styrene, ABS... [>:]

Tom, you are sometimes confusing me with SS Totenkopf PzDiv. And you are also claiming that I said or did things that I actually didn't. No problem with the confusion between me and Mr. SS Totenkopf as he and I seem to see things the same way in this respect at least.
I don't think there's a decent paint made anywhere that will harm the metal chassis and metal parts of the Tamiya tanks and as long as the primer is compatible with the plastic parts, you can put any kind of paint on top of the primer.

In essence: Don't mix brands of paint and you should be fine. If Tamiya brand paint is not in your local hobby shop or inconvenient, it doesn't have to be Tamiya paint on a Tamiya model. Read the hobby magazines like FineScale Modeler. The contributors and editors do not abide by this rule either.

swathdiver: I haven't used Poly Scale paints in a long time but I know they have recently improved their product lineup and they offer a lot of true-to-scale colors. They are interchangeable with ModelMaster and Humbrol/Tamiya, etc. in my opinion. Haven't heard anything bad about them regarding airbrush use.

-Harq

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Harq.
You hit all that right on the Ole Head of the nail. Well Said.
Now if i can only decide on a paint and color scheme, I have Two Tanks ready to go. ( Still Pondering)


Semper Fi!

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Did someone named Heng Long steal your wife or kill your dog?

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Poly S works very well in my airbrush. I have not tried the Tamiya paints. I have even used the 4 oz paints from walmart to good effect in my airbrush. Whatever you use, try it out on something of little value - say an old model or one of Tom's posts.

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Man I mentioned this somewhere else, maybe even here, but that spray can of desert/mustard yellow from gamesworkshop is very near desert sand if you ask me. That paint also goes on very well - I don't even think you need to prime it as it adheres very well without primer - just another option.

RE: More Advice...paint types
 

Templars83 Yes I cought the other post and replied to it. Thanks for the Info.


Semper Fi!