Alternative for Tamiya X-18?

[coolingthunder]

Hi all,

 

I am building a few car kits, (mostly Tamiya) and they almost all call for an X-18 interior and a whole host of other parts.

 

However due to the current situation, I can't run to the shop to pick some up, and most online retailers seem to be in short supply around here.

 

However, I do have a lot of flat black, and satin varnish. Could I get away with that combo rather than X-18?

 

Thanks!

[Scimitar F1]

Though not a car modeller you can change the specularity of black paint easily with varnish. You may find that you need a gloss varnish to achieve the finish that you are looking for.  As ever experiment first.

 

Will

[Schwarz-Brot]

Why would you stick to Tamiyas Colours? They only have a limited pallete and naturally only suggest their own products. Take some reference pictures and see what you really need, or if you want to stick to the manual use a comparison chart to see the aproximate equals from different manufacturers. Or take some liberal approach and do it to your own style.

 

There is no wrong or right - it is your model.

[coolingthunder]

Yeah for exterior colors I use color matched Zero Paint, and also have big assortment of Gunze, Alclad, Vallejo and MR. Paint, but satin black is satin black I guess. 

Most interior stuff on the cars I am building also was black, so I need to come up with something.

 

I will give the black and satin varnish a shot, I just found my sacrificial car body back, so it can be my test subject once more.

 

[bmwh548]

Put a coat of flat black and overcoat with a satin varnish, or mix flat black with gloss varnish. I'd try a 3:1 mix (paint to varnish) to start with. If it's too flat/gloss you'll know the direction you need to go with the ratios from there. Never used Tamiya's satin black, but the C92 made be Mr. Color always delivers for me.

[Alan R]

I needed a satin light grey for the leather seats of a Revell BMW 750iL I was working on. I mixed XF19 (light grey) with X-20 gloss varnish in equal measure, thinned it with Mr Color Levelling thinners and sprayed the seats with that. I got a really good satin light grey that looked like leather...

 

So mixing flat black with satin varnish (Maybe a ratio of 4 parts varnish, 1 part flat black?) might work?

BTW, I always find Tamiya X-18 too glossy for satin black.

 

Cheers,

Alan.