Tamiya Sand Scorcher - 2010 Reissue

[XLR8]

The challenge working with lacquer paints is that they dry very fast so you need to lay the paint heavy so it will flow (and avoid orange peel) BUT doing so, you increase the risk that it will bleed under the mask.
You're climbing the Mt Everest of RC body painting -- don't sweat the tiny mistakes. Having painted three Sand Scorchers, I believe it's impossible to achieve perfection.
Yours is coming along great so far and I predict that when it's finished and decals are applied, you won't even notice the very small blemishes.

You're exactly right, trying to get that wet look using just the paint, makes me go too far trying to make the entire body even-wet look, and drips, or runs happen, every time. I have to stop that. A clear coat was the answer, for me.

With an even base coat, wet sanded to 3500 with a sponge - to remove orange peel and debris - and then a TS-13 clear gloss layer over that, it's as good as I've seen yet. I'm not good at applying or polishing clear yet, it's another set of lessons, but I'm hoping to level up there soon. (2) TS-13 Clear Gloss will be here next week.

I'm really amazed that even after a week or so, with 99% alcohol on a sharp Tamiya swab, or a q-tip, that the overspray and bleed can still be wiped off, like it was never there. That also takes the pressure off of masking errors and bleed, for me. If I know I can fail, and how to recover/get back up, it removes the hesitation going forward.

For Lexan bodies, the Tamiya Polycarbonate Paint Remover does that same magic, just erases the mistakes and bleed, days later.

I'm going to try to fix any mistakes in the paint first, then clear over it, the middle of this coming week hopefully.

Thanks as always @XLR8!

To be honest, I've tried correcting my overspray and other paint mistakes before and it always looks worse than if I'd just left it alone. I'm not good at fixing mistakes so I tend to live with them.
Anyway, clear gloss is your friend. So far, I've used it for all my hard body projects. Sanding and polishing can be tricky however. The most difficult polishing project I've tackled so far is this Grand Hauler. To sand and polish around all those rivets without removing them was a bear.

By chance, have you thought about using an old static modelers trick; Future floor wax? In youtube videos I've seen, they apply it with just about anything that's handy; a foam brush, air brush, dunking the parts, etc., and it self-levels and dries with a near perfect gloss finish. I always thought I'd give that a try some day.

[GreenBar0n]

To be honest, I've tried correcting my overspray and other paint mistakes before and it always looks worse than if I'd just left it alone. I'm not good at fixing mistakes so I tend to live with them.
Anyway, clear gloss is your friend. So far, I've used it for all my hard body projects. Sanding and polishing can be tricky however. The most difficult polishing project I've tackled so far is this Grand Hauler. To sand and polish around all those rivets without removing them was a bear.



By chance, have you thought about using an old static modelers trick; Future floor wax? In youtube videos I've seen, they apply it with just about anything that's handy; a foam brush, air brush, dunking the parts, etc., and it self-levels and dries with a near perfect gloss finish. I always thought I'd give that a try some day.

That is a sweet 1/14 Tamiya, nice work! My DS Bandit needs a Snowman.


I think I've heard about the Future Floor Wax, but it's not permanent like clear gloss is?

[XLR8]

To be honest, I've tried correcting my overspray and other paint mistakes before and it always looks worse than if I'd just left it alone. I'm not good at fixing mistakes so I tend to live with them.
Anyway, clear gloss is your friend. So far, I've used it for all my hard body projects. Sanding and polishing can be tricky however. The most difficult polishing project I've tackled so far is this Grand Hauler. To sand and polish around all those rivets without removing them was a bear.



By chance, have you thought about using an old static modelers trick; Future floor wax? In youtube videos I've seen, they apply it with just about anything that's handy; a foam brush, air brush, dunking the parts, etc., and it self-levels and dries with a near perfect gloss finish. I always thought I'd give that a try some day.

That is a sweet 1/14 Tamiya, nice work! My DS Bandit needs a Snowman.


I think I've heard about the Future Floor Wax, but it's not permanent like clear gloss is?

Thanks!
A Snowman KW would be the perfect sidekick to your Bandit TA. Bob Jacobsen built one a few years ago - I believe the sticker sets are still available.

Of course, the problem is that they are 1/14 scale.
To be fair, a 1/10 scale big rig would be rather large and likely require its own parking space in the garage.
I reckon floor wax wouldn't be as durable as clear paint but it is meant to be walked on so.... I just need to buy a bottle and experiment.

[GreenBar0n]

Thanks!
A Snowman KW would be the perfect sidekick to your Bandit TA. Bob Jacobsen built one a few years ago - I believe the sticker sets are still available.

Bobs Snowman KW.jpg

Of course, the problem is that they are 1/14 scale.
To be fair, a 1/10 scale big rig would be rather large and likely require its own parking space in the garage.
I reckon floor wax wouldn't be as durable as clear paint but it is meant to be walked on so.... I just need to buy a bottle and experiment.

That decal set is too cool! Even a 1/14 Bandit to go next to it would be worth the shelf space.

Looking forward to hearing if the Future Floor Wax works for you.

[1911Colt]

That would be awesome to have both!

A little bit of staging could make the difference in scale disappear. You could mount the big rig up on a shelf with the Bandit low and in front to change the perspective, sort of focussing on the Bandit but with Snowman in the background.

Found a painting that shows what I mean:

[1911Colt]

duped

[GreenBar0n]

The TS-13 Clear Gloss will finally be here tomorrow, 8 days to get aerosol paint, because it has to be ground shipped.

Removed some of the bleed and overspray with 99% alcohol, weeks after it was painted.



Looking forward to getting this one completed.

[limestang]

I like what you’ve done on the Sand Scorcher. Rogue Elements made a really cool gear cover. Looks like someone on ebay is now offering it, thought not as refined as Rogues.

- limestang

[GreenBar0n]

I like what you’ve done on the Sand Scorcher. Rogue Elements made a really cool gear cover. Looks like someone on ebay is now offering it, thought not as refined as Rogues.

- limestang

Thanks! Going to try my hardest to do this one right. That gear cover looks sweet, like the Tamiya double stars! Does it still provide for waterproofing?

[limestang]

The rogue design had a clear plastic insert. Looks like this would have to add this to the one on ebay.

- limestang

[GreenBar0n]

My TS-13 Clear gloss took the scenic route getting here:


Went to San Francisco and then Oakland, twice, over the past weekend. Ordered this from Amain, in Chico CA, took 8 days from Lincoln NE.

Going to get this sprayed today when it finally arrives.

[GoMachV]

I'm having the same issues, mine was due Thursday and it's still somewhere out there lol. I wish I could say ups or FedEx were better but it seems like the same service for more money lately.

[GreenBar0n]

I looked for hobby shops in my area that carry Tamiya spray, there are none under an hours drive away, I have to have it delivered.

Makes me want to get an airbrush, but Tamiya colors are hard to beat.

The TS-13 got here too late to spray this evening, but tomorrow should be a productive day, might be able to finish the Sand Scorcher, and the P-34.


They say the Clear gloss can take a week to fully cure. No decals for a week, unfortunately.

[GreenBar0n]

Just remembered the tail lights and license plate light dome need to be painted TS-26 and TS-10, and before the Clear.

Going to try to spray those now, so I can clear tomorrow.

Need to excavate those parts from under this pile, and see how painting in the dark works out for me. Should've read the manual earlier today.


It's 87°at 8:30pm here, might get decent painting results still.

[XLR8]

FWIW, I always use Duplicolor clear lacquer for my hard body projects. It sprays and levels beautifully and wet-sands and polishes to a mirror finish - I wait at least 10 days for the clear to fully cure. Duplicolor lacquer doesn't react when applied over Tamiya TS or PS or Duratrax PC paint so it's safe to use. Also, all three of the major auto parts chains in my area (Advanced, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's) carries Duplicolor paints. It's also much cheaper than Tamiya paint. All the paint on my KW is Duplicolor.