Model Forum / General / Models / August 2005

 I will enclose by Ingo.I try to switch from Thinner based enamels to
Acrylics.Like Ingo, any help is welcome.Braqnd's ,availebility from
Gunze,Pactra etc. Please, help us.Han Krol, Holland

I don't thin Xtracrylics. I use them direct from the bottle and have never
had any problems with them. The yellows are probably too thin anyway and
require a number of coats to give a solid colour.

I tend to spray a very light "mist" coat first. This dries in seconds, after
which I spray another mist coat. After a minute or so I start to build up
the main coat.

I would recommend at least three hours.

Yes.

Enamels seem to spray well over acrylics. However, I find that the reverse
isn't really true as the acrylics tend to "blob". I get around this by
spraying a very light coat of gloss acrylic varnish over the enamel. This
then gives the subsequent acrylic colour an acrylic base to key to.

I recommend a primer of some description. Although acrylic paint will cover
bare plastic, I find that it then flakes off at the slightest provocation,
such as when masking tape is applied over it!  I use ordinary cellulose car
primer.

I am very pleased with Xtracrylics and I now use them almost exclusively for
aircraft models. Almost all of the British colours seem to be good matches -
the only exception I have found is Azure Blue, which seems to be far too
blue. An acceptable replacement is Xtracrylix RLM 78 Hellblau. On the other
hand the Xtracrylix Middle Stone is the only representation of this colour
that I find convincing.

Other colours with which I have problems are RLM 70, 71, 65, 79 and 02.  The
RLM 02 Grau seems to be too light for camouflage exterior use, but is fine
for interior use. The RLM 70 and 71 are very close in contrast, especially
under a coat of varnish and the RLM 65 Hellblau seems to be far too blue.
RLM 79 Sandgelb is so light and yellow as to be unusable.

Luckily, the vast majority of Luftwaffe models that I make are from the late
war period. I find that the Xtracrylix renditions of RLM 74/75/76/81/82/83
give very satisfying results.

My main modelling interest is railway modelling.  I find that Xtracrylix
Dark Earth gives excellent results when used to represent brake dust on the
underframes of rolling stock.

Anywhere from 1:2 to 10:1, depending on the effect you want to achieve.
1:1 is a good start.
Some low-cost airbrushes, such as entry-level Badgers, have low flow
nozzles, inadequate for fast drying paints, and need a higher
thinner:paint ratio

Low pressure/small distance for gloss/satin.
Keep an old, stiff paintbrush in a cup of water at hand and use it to
clean the nozzle as soon as the paint starts to dry on the needle.

15 min is for dust dry, but 6 to 48 hours for a complete polymerization.
Gloss acrylics need much more time than matt colours.

Yes

Yes, as long as you let the base layer cure completely.

Most acrylics do not need a primer - at least not if you thin them with
alcohol (and if you clean the plastic parts before painting). Some
brands, such as Lifecolor, will clog with alcohol-based thinners - you
have to use distilled water with a drop of dishwashing soap and spray
the first coat on a matt primer.

Thank you all very much for your advises!
So I will give Xtracrylics a try when the Sea Hawk is ready for
painting.

Ingo