halfords car paints

[Black Knight]

actually have a specific question now, see racking grey is a good light aircraft gray, but checked and its enamel, would it be okay to spray over acrylics, and then spray with acrlyic varnish?

Apply in light 'misty' coats, the carrier may be rather strong and cause the paint on your model react by crazing and orange peeling.

[viscount806x]

actually have a specific question now, see racking grey is a good light aircraft gray, but checked and its enamel, would it be okay to spray over acrylics, and then spray with acrlyic varnish?

Used it on several 1/144 Airspeed Ambassador models with no probs.

[PhantomBigStu]

thanks for the reply, questiuon moot now, was going to walk down halfords to get it this afternoon but the weather ruined that plan so I used a pot of LAG taking ages mind, huge surface area to cover

[xvtonker]

You might be interested in this site I've just found.

http://www.express-paints.co.uk/bs381c-custom-filled-aerosol-400ml/

The range also includes RAL colour range.

XVTonker

[Work In Progress]

It's aerosol, it dries fairly quickly, at £7 a can it's better value than model paint, it's gloss so no gloss coat is needed before decalling, just some of the pros over proprietary model paints. Although I only use the grey primer, Matt black, white primer, filler primer, and appliance white so can't comment on colour match or the likes

Another important advantage is that 90% of the UK population lives a short drive away from a place where you can buy it conveniently, with easy free parking, late evening opening and Sunday opening. If you run out of your pot of Xtracrylics or Vallejo or whatever on a Saturday tea time or Sunday morning then your project goes on hold.

[Rick Brown]

Has there been any updates to this recently?

As a quick note, I do find their Grey primer very similar to MSG. I've just tried putting a coat of Tamyia and Xtracrylix MSG over it and I'm having trouble seeing where I've sprayed! The Xtracylix is just a touch more yellow.

 

Rick.

[PhantomBigStu]

No updates, stopped caring once I learned to brush paint ok not long after this. 

[yarvelling]

Not long ago, I made the Airfix Dog-Fight-Doubles set of the Beaufighter vs. FW 190 set.... superb models, and came with the little pint pots.....  The supplied grey for the upper sides of the Beaufighter were far too dark when compared to original WWII colour photos, and even the 'completed model' shot on the back of the box...... I used Halfords Primer Grey instead....  With a Humbrol Gloss varnish, then transfers, and then a coat of Humbrol Matt varnish spray, it looks good....just about the right colour!   

If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll get a photo to illustrate

[Merlin]

I have used the same Halfords Vauxhall Mustard Yellow on the same project as I did 15 or so years ago, and it was taking far longer to see a colour develop. Halfords shop chap said they changed the base 7 years ago, it wont have the covering power it used to have, and if one was to try to paint a car bonnet now one would find it difficult !

I then had a local company create a 400ml can to a BS381C chart 356 golden yellow and did a side by side test spray of both, 6 passes in total and first pass by the local company was equal to halfords 2nd pass, and by 6 passes I had 2x the coverage, also an even spray pattern whilst Halfords was spasmodic. though at £14.50 for 400ml v Halford £7.50 for 300ml there is a slight benefit cost wise on the local company considering coverage, but speed wise and peace of mind forget halfords now, coloured thinner by comparison. I then took a 20yr old can unused and sprayed that and strewth 1st pass was 3x better than local company and 6 x halfords !

Someone has been conning us slowly and surely.

 

Work in Progress, in the flying shot thats not at all bad, but in the static shot the brown definitely is not dk earth, nowhere near, as you say light earth perhaps, the green should be as flying shot, its a little too 'standard or brunswick green', yellow looks fair enough, though my can of 381c 356 came out more lemon yellow, something wrong in their mixing as it didnt match swatch at all. next attempt at a slightly richer yellow went slightly more lemon than the last one, so much for choosing from swatches !

 

Merlin

Edited August 15, 2020 by Merlin

[At Sea]

An update & my experiences with the paints I use regularly:

 

 

Ford Polar Gray = RAF Camouflage/Barley Gray
Fiat Broom Yellow =  RAF Trainer Yellow
Fiat Capri Blue = RAF Blue for Phantom tails and special schemes
Appliance White = Should be re-named V-Bomber White

Racking Grey Enamel = Light Aircraft Gray (paint last after all the acrylic colours)

Nissan Spark Silver = Bare aluminium

BMW Titan Silver = Painted silver (eg RAF HSS)

Red Primer + Gloss laquer = Chassis orangey red for truck kits

Red Primer = Gloss laquer = Antifoul red for ship kits

 

WARNING!

 

I used to swear by satin varnish as a matt cote for my kits but the latest batch is quite aggressive and causes XtraDecal decals to bubble.  

 

 

Non Halfords Aerosols I like:

 

Games Workshop Corax white as a primer or a very light grey

Games Worshop Chaos Black as a primer or a black paint.  

 

[Black Knight]

Any suggestions for Extra Dark Sea Grey or US Gull Grey ?

[At Sea]

2 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

Any suggestions for Extra Dark Sea Grey or US Gull Grey ?

EDSG I have to resort to airbrushing actual model paints.

 

US Greys are covered by Tamiya's AS Range I think.

[bootneck]

I am looking for a match for Humbrol 86 Light Olive in the Halford's range.  Anyone know what colour that would be please?

Also, has anyone found any other brand paint comparison matches to Halfords ranges?   It would be nice if there was a Tamiya, Humbrol, Vallejo, AK etc., etc.  listed alongside Halford equivalents.

 

cheers,
Mike

[At Sea]

Exciting Update!

 

Halfords Vauxhall Reed Green:

 

pretty much a perfect WW2 RAF interior green.

 

Using it on my 1/24 Spitfire IX now. 

[spfparker]

On 10/3/2014 at 3:43 PM, cruiserguy said:

Hi Everyone,

I must be getting old. What's the attraction of using Halfords paint on your models when there are so many good model paints around? This isn't a criticism, I am just a bit puzzled by it.

Best Wishes,

Will.

Quick drying, cheap, readily available + does the job.  And can save cleaning the airbrush!

[T-21]

I spray the main component's of my RAF WW2 bomber's  with Halford's matt black during the summer when it's warm and dry. Once dry put the sprue's back in the box so if I want to build in the winter when its too cold and damp, I can.

[Work In Progress]

Same, but I get Satin Black

[Grey Beema]

Silver as the undercoat for any camouflage scheme I do..