I have a question for those of you who have worked with Tamiya paints extensively. The problem I am running into is that I can't get the paint to cover well. I brush paint and my previous paint knowledge comes from the Polly S/Polly Scale paints. When I am using white, especially on black, when I try to brush paint it, the coverage is spotty at best. Some areas completely cover in one coat and other areas, the black shows through like it was painted with water. This problem also occurs when I use the black paint as well.I never remember having this problem with the Polly S/Polly Scale paints.
Any ideas/thoughts/solutions would be welcomed.
If you can put up with it being a spray can, Tamiya's primer may help with this. It goes on super thin and is obviously generally compatible with other Tamiya colors. The gray is the general purpose primer, while the white is for priming fine details.
I often don't prime at all, but when I have a difficult job that I know needs priming, they're what I use now. Not cheap, but goes a long way.
Maybe Tamiya makes them in bottles, too, I just don't recall?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I use their flat colors all of the time. It is good paint. You have to make sure that you stir it up before using because it separates in the bottle. Don't use a paintbrush full of water. Just make it barely damp or dry. Also clean off the model before using. Sometimes the mold release oil is left behind and doesn’t mix with the paint.
First off...Tamiya paint is very hard to brush...one stroke is about all You can get, without prior paint lifting, even with primer.When I can, I will use a ultra fine scuff pad on the surface before brushing, that also will help alot, but you can't always get at some area's. I use it alot, on Military/railroad and always air-brush, if need be, I will use a brush to do it, but paint thinned with nothing but Denatured Alcohol, the kind that is used for Marine stove fuel, not ISO. It is great paint....but in My experience....it does not brush on well for large area's....perfect in a air-brush, with Denatured Alcohol, for thinner. Been using it since the 80's.
This kit bash building, I am working on is with Tamiya paint, except for the wall paneling which is Createfx Stain by Tester's, (new product) the blue walls of the plastic kit and real pine wood bracing on the walls, did not need any priming, just two coats of XF-56 Tamiya Metallic Grey, also blocks any light bleed through. The wood bracing and trusses are now also painted with 24 SMD's for lights now, along with roof, which is also removable, that's how I designed it, hence the wood for bracing. There is a learning curve for brush use....less strokes/proper brush/soft bristle is necessary.
Brush will dry very quickly, with too much paint on it....keep a container of DNA nearby, to keep Your brush moist with it.....takes practice, with a brush.
The trucks and cars in second pic', are almost all Tamiya paint, air-brushed. Some are colors I made, with the paint.
Take Care!
Frank
"When I am using white, especially on black..." Few paints cover that well. That's why we have primers. Primer is opaque enough to cover anything, it has the best stick-ro-it chemistry. and they dry dead flat, the perfect surface for paint to stick to. Prime your black with light gray auto primer in a rattle can, Krylon or Rustoleum. Use light gray under light colors, use dark gray under dark colors, and red under red.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
dstarr "When I am using white, especially on black..." Few paints cover that well.
"When I am using white, especially on black..." Few paints cover that well.
As I mentioned in my original post, I have the same coverage problem even when I used the black (flat on all as already mentioned) on an already black car. As I recall, I didn't have this sort of problem with the Polly paints.