Doyusha 1/100 Tristar

[gigi]

Just received the kit today from Japan, and quite impressed with the quality. Not exactly on equal to Zvezda in fine detail but very close.

 

So the first question is, do you guys rough up the surface before painting or just go at it with primer directly?

 

And another question, what do you guys prefer, enamel or acrylic? I understand enamel looks better and wears harder but given I won't have all the time in the world to build it, I am inclined to use acrylic. I hope I will be able to cover it with some hard wearing clear when finished if there is such a thing. Please feel free to enlighten if that is possible (or not).

 

I will probably use Tamiya paints simply because they are the only brand available in Australia with their entire range, which makes my life a little bit easier in terms of compatibility of paints/primers/clears, etc. If anyone does however know of some miraculous combination of paints based on other brands, please let me know. I can try to chase something up if it is worth the effort.

 

And just to make it clear, my ultimate goal is to end up with a tough paintjob that will stand up to some abuse and will be easy to clean.

Edited April 12, 2022 by gigi
editing

[Timo]

Hi mate,

I don't have any experience of building a Doyusha Tristar but it sounds an interesting project.

Regarding surface preparation, sometimes injection moulded kits still have some surface residue from the moulding process, so its always best before applying any paint to give the model a wipe over with some mildly soapy water applied using kitchen roll.

I'd then go straight to priming with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer in spray cans - 2 or 3 thin coats. 

I personally prefer Tamiya acrylic paints which I find easy to airbrush to a good finish (using Tamiya X20A thinner) which in my view will meet your need for a 'tough paintjob'.  I use Tamiya X2 Gloss White and I make up grey for the wings etc by mixing X2 Gloss White with just a few drops of X1 Gloss Black.  Because Tamiya paints give a very good finish, I don't bother with a clear coat on airliners unless the decal manufacturer recommends it to seal the decals (this is because some decals can be fragile to touching even though the paint underneath is rock-solid.).

I'm sure others here can give you further advice.

Best of luck

Tim

[Skodadriver]

There is no right or wrong way to build and finish a model. The only valid test is whether you are happy with the final result. I have built model airliners for over 30 years and developed my own way of doing things which others probably consider eccentric but it works for me. It won't necessarily work for anyone else.

 

Like a lot of UK-based airliner builders I make extensive use of automotive paints mostly sourced from a chain called Halfords. I don't know if there is a similar chain in Australia but if there is I suggest you give automotive paint a try. Halfords own brand white and grey primers are nearly as good as Tamiya and a lot cheaper. Halfords Gloss White (sometimes referred to as "Appliance Gloss White") is the go-to white paint for many of us in the UK and their Racking Grey is a good match for Boeing Gray. Several of their car colours can be adapted for airline liveries notably Fiat Capri Blue which is a good match for the current BA blue. I have also had good results from automotive paints by Holts and Hycote.

 

Automotive paint is, by definition, tough and hard-wearing. It also dries quickly and responds well to sanding and polishing. Some modellers get great results spraying from the can but while I always spray primer from the can I usually decant gloss white and other colours into my airbrush. It's a matter of trying different techniques and seeing what works best for you. 

 

As to a hard-wearing clear coat, many modellers use an acrylic floor polish called "Klear" in the UK and "Future" in some other markets. It has such good self-levelling properties that it doesn't have to be sprayed and can be applied by brushing (use a good 1/4 inch brush) or swabbing with a cotton bud. If you go down that road you should check compatibility with whatever paint you are using before applying Klear/Future to your model. It's safe with most paint but I once had an adverse reaction with Xtracolor enamel.

 

It's always a good idea to try out a new technique or product on a "mule" - a scrap model, a cheap kit or even something like a plastic cup before committing to your masterpiece. 

 

Hope that's some help

 

Dave G 🇺🇦

 

 

[gigi]

Thank you guys.

 

No, we don't have Halfords, but I am sure we have something else. But since there is no info around (and I know nothing about these), I am reluctant to go and buy a bunch of cans and try them out. Are those Halfords paints acrylic?

 

Trying to paint some Tamiya models in the past (radio controlled stuff) I have come against the same problem of trying to achieve a tough paint job to withstand some abuse in the real world and I think I have a can of Krylon crystal clear from back then. Is that of any use here?

 

I have also tried some urethane coatings, but am not that convinced (though Tamiya themselves advertise this kind of coating on some of their ready painted R/C cars). Not sure what they used though. They don't have anything like that in their lineup. The ones I found (single component) didn't convince me.

 

What do you need to use to seal decals?

 

And another question is about the effect of primer on top coats. From past experience I know the primer colour has some impact on the top colour hence I would like to know how the various Tamiya plastic primer (I have all versions here) would impact say white (because I will have a lot of white). What is your experience?

Edited April 12, 2022 by gigi

[Timo]

Hi mate

I'm not sure what 'abuse' your Tristar is going to have to withstand, but in my experience Tamiya paints will withstand normal handling of your models e.g. for cleaning.

Regarding sealing decals, I airbrush Tamiya X22 Gloss Clear thinned with X20A thinners.

For priming airliners I agree with you - use Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer as it helps you when painting the fuselage gloss white.

Cheers

Tim

 

 

[gigi]

I am not sure what kind of abuse to expect either because my son is very innovative. Drove an RC truck under the fence for instance. Paint did get a bit scratched and an indicator came off but the paint did not have any protective top coat and who expects indicators to be at the corners?

 

Generally speaking I think he just scratches things by touch for some reason. Or maybe it's the dirt and sand on his hands, who knows? I expect I will have to clean all sorts of muck off the plane at the very least. Maybe I should just paint it with hammerite.

 

Thanks for the tips, hopefully the decals will take it. Does the dilution proportion matter or is it diluted just to be able to spray it?

Edited April 12, 2022 by gigi

[Timo]

21 hours ago, gigi said:

Does the dilution proportion matter or is it diluted just to be able to spray it?

Tamiya X22 Gloss Clear is quite thin anyway, so I just dilute it a bit to help airbrushing - probably 75% gloss cote : 25% thinners.

You could brush it on straight from the pot if you prefer.

Cheers

Tim