Paint or no?

[porschejim911]

I have a CMR Barracuda that I'm about to start building:
http://www.colombini.biz/index.asp?IDPROD=68&lang=ENG

It's a plastic kit and I'm curious do people paint the white on these or just go with the plastic finish? I know I have seen plastic turn a yellowish color so I was thinking maybe people paint them white. I suck at spray painting, so I prefer not to. If you would paint it, what paint do you recommend? Thanks in advance for your help.

[toesup]

It's a plastic kit and I'm curious do people paint the white on these or just go with the plastic finish? I know I have seen plastic turn a yellowish color so I was thinking maybe people paint them white. I suck at spray painting, so I prefer not to. If you would paint it, what paint do you recommend? Thanks in advance for your help.

If the plastic in the kit is white, then just leave it as bare plastic. Just be careful that you dont mark the outsides with anything during construction.

If you have to paint it, then any of the paints meant for plastics should work. You may need to lightly rough up the surface of the plastic to get the paint to adhere.
ALWAYS test an unknown paint on a piece of scrap plastic BEFORE progressing to the model.. just in case there is an adverse reaction.

[woodybob]

Paint it...
unless it's gonna be a shelf queen.

[norgale]

Spray painting is easy and just takes a little practice. A body shop man told me how to do it when I was a kid and it's easy.
Main thing is to start the spray just BEFORE the paint hits the model and continue with an even sweep across the surface your painting and don't stop the spray until your PAST the end of what your painting. Once past the area being painted stop the spray and then do the same thing again in the opposite direction stoping the spray again when you come to the other end where you started.
Maintain and even distance from the subject and sweep over it with an even speed without stopping anywhere in between the beginnng and the end of what your painting. The slower you make the spray pass over the subject the thicker the paint will be. Practice your speed and remember that built up light coats are better than fewer thicker coats. Thicker paint will run and make waves in the finish. Thin coats won't run.
I learned by practicing with old sheet metal signs and other junk metal. If you screw up don't stop to worry about it. Keep painting until you finished and when the paint dries lots of screw ups will disapear or can be sanded down for another coat.
Practice is the key and the only way to learn how to spray paint.
Different paints have different spray nozzles. Try and find spray cans with the blue "fanspray" nozzel. With the fanspray nozzle there is a lever on the nozzel to press down to spray the paint. Other nozzels you have to press the whole nozzle down and that hurts your finger after awhile. The fanspray nozzle is adjustable and puts out the best spray pattern. Wider than most others. Pete

[TOWHOOK]

Here is another quick painting tip for you. Here is a product I started using back when I got my airbrush. Its called Polly's plastic prep. Its made to clean oils, grease, and mold release off of plastic. http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/flo/flof546007.htm
Its good stuff check it out.

[porschejim911]

Thanks a lot guys. Do you have any brands of paint your recommend?

[norgale]

I buy all my paint at Ace Hardware. The Ace brand is good and the Rustolium is good too. I would not mix the two. Krylon is another very good paint and I think a lot of people on this forum use it. There again don't mix it with other kinds of paint including primer. They all work ok on wood and plastic but wood takes more primer. Pete

[Ford_63]

krylon and rustolium do not like each other.I didn't even think about it when i grabbed the cans. 2 day of scrapping and repainting.

[norgale]

Ford 63; I've done the same thing and it really makes me mad when I get that stupid. I know better but get in a hurry and grab the wrong can. Krinkley paint doesn't look good on a boat. Just don't mix the kinds of paint and you will have no trouble. Pete