Paint Job

[David Hooper 1Participant @davidhooper1]

Hi everyone well it has been a while but the Police Boat is nearly there!!. My reason for this post is very simple I am CRAP at painting the thing ( have had someone do it) for me as well as having a go myself but I just cannot get it to look great ok it looks reasonable but not great so if there is any one in the Newport South Wales that can help me achieve the desired result that would be great. I must add that I cannot at present become a member of a local club due to work commitments which is a pain hopefully soon to be remedied. Regards Dai H.

[David Hooper 1Participant @davidhooper1]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

David. Exactly what makes you…dissatisfied,, with your efforts, or perceived efforts, the painting of this police boat? Sanding the hull smooth (with filler if required) and spraying it using rattle cans is not tricky. Masking off the bottom for a different colour below the waterline is similarly easy, as would be spraying the (presumably detachable) superstructure.

Ashley

[David Hooper 1Participant @davidhooper1]

Hi,Ashley, many thanks for your reply.I fully agree with you that the spraying and masking do not require nothing less than some careful thought.What I am trying to get is the shiny hard shell look that I see on lots of model boats.I have used gloss but it just not seem to have that 'wow' factor look that I see so often at shows.I have not been back in the hobby long and techniques have moved on as have the paints and finishes so any advice you can furnish me with would be more than welcome.regards Dai H

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The spray can is your friend here. What you need is a good base to work from, and this involves putting down several coats of spray primer and rubbing down with fine sandpaper, using some filler if required (to remove scratches etc, use the stuff from a tube) until the surface looks perfect (after a final primer coat). THEN spray on your main colour. Thin coats, let any sags and runs dry fully before flatting down with wet`n`dry 1200 grade paper.

A decent quality masking tape can be used to mask between colours (for the anti-fouling for instance) and you can use pinstripe tape to cover the joint, and most craft of this type have a boot topper.

Using a brush and enamels is much more difficult to get the sort of finish you desire, but it is easy with a spray can.

What have you got to lose by trying???

Ashley

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Evening All,

I'm all in favour of spray cans for priming coats & red oxide anti fouling, but keep to satin finishes for working boats,as high gloss is not very realistic and makes a good model look like a toy. Blowing over with polyurethane Matt or satin will bring a standard sheen my exception being varnished brightwork as glossy as you like.

Regards Ray

[S MParticipant @sm83187]

Use high build primer and apply several coats, you can avoid the spot putty and sand it smooth using 600 grit wet and dry.

Spray car base and clear onto the model, this is a can of base which is the colour and do not apply it too thick, leave this for a couple of hours and use the clear which is clear lacquer and apply a couple of coats, DO NOT sand the basecoat as it is designed to have a coarse finish and this holds the lacquer and gives it something to grip too.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

SM

I am sorry to disagree but Ashley is correct about the application of primer.

In my experience a base spray coat shouldn't have a rough finish as the spray equipment (even a can) is designed to produce a smooth and even finish, any roughness in the base coat is simply transferred through subsiquent layers and produce a substandard final coat.

Rubbing blemishes using 1200 grit is perfectly normal practice.

[David Hooper 1Participant @davidhooper1]

Hi everyone many thanks for the advice on painting the model rest assured all will be taken into account. Regards Dai H

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi David

This article might be helpful link

Good luck

Paul

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