Painting with cans of Spray Bombs ..

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[Dave Schneider]

It think that the spray quality can be improved by heating up the cans to make the paint flow better. I use hot tap water and submerge the cans for 10 minutes or so. I would never use a heat source that is any hotter.

Best wishes, Dave

[Nato]

          Military modeling colors in Spray cans from Testors,also Testors colors like Primer Gray,some of the regular Testors standard colors,Testors Model Master Colors.Tamiya paint in spray cans if you can find them. I don't know if Pactra as a brand is around anymore,I use to also use their colors. I have never tried KRYLON for painting models, only used paints designed for model use.                                                Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[Iain]

If you're careful and apply it in light coats, spray bombs work well.  I painted much of my brass that way, for instance.  I'll try to dig up photos since I don't have any of that collection any longer.

[davefoxx]

It think that the spray quality can be improved by heating up the cans to make the paint flow better. I use hot tap water and submerge the cans for 10 minutes or so. I would never use a heat source that is any hotter.

Best wishes, Dave

This is a GREAT tip.  In fact (I may be dating myself here), I worked in a hobby shop part-time in college, and we used to recommend that people soak the cans of compressed air (used in lieu of a compressor) in hot water to keep the cans from losing pressure during use.  Apparently, a steady discharge causes the temperature of the can to decrease causing further loss of pressure (or at least inconsistent spraying at a minimum).

DFF

[MichaelWinicki]

If you can find any colors that are appropriate in the Tamiya product line, I would give their spray cans a go... I'm very impressed on how nice their paints go on.

[DKS]

If you can find any colors that are appropriate in the Tamiya product line, I would give their spray cans a go... I'm very impressed on how nice their paints go on.

+1, although it's expensive and better suited for smaller models. For large projects, get the cheapest spray bombs you can find (as in WalMart 99-cent variety). These will have lower volumes of pigment, which makes for paint that goes on lighter and smoother. "Quality" paint like Krylon is so pigment-heavy that it goes on thicker and causes loss of detail. With a tip of the hat to Lee Weldon.

[MrKLUKE]

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[Rich Reinhart]

I paint all my structures with spray cans. Model Master most of the time..I too use the warm the can in water for ten minutes method and then spray. Finish is smooth and just a wee bit heavier then an airbrush.

[Iain]

IAN!

 I agree that Krylon is a good bulk paint for plastic models. You usually get 12
ounces for a price very close to the little 3 ounce hobby size cans. I've only
used the Krylon "Fusion" (for plastics) line and have no experience with their
"regular" paints. I also like Testors, Tamiya, and Floquil rattle cans although
the Fusion paint cans have a nicer tip. Heating the cans (carefully) is very
important as others have said. Also, I shake them rigorously for a full two
minutes in every possible direction after heating. If the color isn't perfect for
the project, I tweak it with paint washes or weathering powders + Dullcote.

Jeff (MrKLUKE)

I actually haven't used the Krylon Fusion, but the other stuff works just fine.  Sometimes if I'm worried about the paint flaking, I'll hit the model with a very light cote of white lacquer primer, especially on brass.

[Sokramiketes]

Are you guys really able to get "light" coats from a spray can?  If I try to go light with a spray bomb, the droplets never fuse into a smooth finish. 

So I go fairly heavy so the droplets can fuse and the paint can level itself off.  If there's a lot of pigment in the paint, then this is a problem, but if the pigment is less, then I get a smoother finish by making the whole model wet.

Same thing applies for Testor's Dullcote.  I soak my models so the finish is even.  There's so much carrier and so little finish, that it never seems to build up to an objectionable point. 

I always hear "light coats" being mentioned in the hobby press too, but just don't see how that works in practice.

[Chris333]

I think "light coats" means no drips.

[Iain]

I think "light coats" means no drips.

Indeed, for the most part.

When I prime, though, light means nearly transparent.

[Rich Reinhart]

Are you guys really able to get "light" coats from a spray can?  If I try to go light with a spray bomb, the droplets never fuse into a smooth finish. 

So I go fairly heavy so the droplets can fuse and the paint can level itself off.  If there's a lot of pigment in the paint, then this is a problem, but if the pigment is less, then I get a smoother finish by making the whole model wet.

Same thing applies for Testor's Dullcote.  I soak my models so the finish is even.  There's so much carrier and so little finish, that it never seems to build up to an objectionable point. 

I always hear "light coats" being mentioned in the hobby press too, but just don't see how that works in practice.

Not as good as an airbrush..but still not bad..

[MrKLUKE]

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