I've got a few extra bodies laying around as duplicates since I bought a couple of boxes of FF Rel 2 cars. I was thinking they might be a good test bed for me to learn to paint and detail before I ruin some resin bodies.

Could someone give me a quick point form of what I will want to do? In my head I've got it that I just wanna sand the body a bit, pain over existing colors and then clear coat it when I'm done. I am willing to bet I am wrong. So if there's anything I should be using to strip a body, any type of special paints, general tips etc etc. I'd like to learn to do some original paint jobs and eventually get to the detail some of you guys do over time. A lot of the cars I see blow my mind and I woould love to be able to do some.

Thanks in advance for whoever responds. :wave:

~Sean~

[QUOTE=Anti-Cop]
Could someone give me a quick point form of what I will want to do? In my head I've got it that I just wanna sand the body a bit, pain over existing colors and then clear coat it when I'm done. I am willing to bet I am wrong. So if there's anything I should be using to strip a body, any type of special paints, general tips etc etc.


I use ELO to strip my bodies. Its a bit pricey but it doesn't leave nay residue after you wash them off and its quick. Don't sand, our cars are so small you can lose details really fast.

I use a airbrush.. and always prime my bodies first. For Priming I just a can of Testor aerosol with the acrylic primer that comes with it..It does a great job of priming. but tends to spray to much paint so you have to hold it back so far to apply actually paint that more goes behind and around the car then on it..lol..I personally have not clear coated a car yet, the ones i have seen all tend to yellow after a bit so I passed on it and would defer till someone tells me what brand to use to avoid yellowing. Inverst in a decent airbrush if you want to do blends and stripes etc. something that is adjustable and practice on diecasts because they don't go zoom anyways lol..


Dave

I agree... avoid sanding these little things. I've stripped several JL bodies with plain old Pine Sol and an old toothbrush. It takes longer than stuff made specifically for stripping, but I had it in the house and it's cheap and relatively safe and easy to get rid of. I've noticed, however, that it takes paint off older early-release JL's and pullback cars faster and easier than it does the newer, later releases. For whatever reason, the paint on the newer cars is tougher. Dunno how it'll work on F&F cars. It DID manage to take all the paint off a JL diecast hearse that I stripped recently...

Someday I'll invest in an airbrush and learn how to use it, but for now I'm honing my spray-bomb technique. My biggest problem is finding the patience to "fog" the first coat on lightly... just enough to give subsequent coats something to stick to...

--rick

go to napa and see if they have any small leftover portions of automotive base coat and then buy some clear coat and hardner ,hardner aint cheap but it would probably last you a lifetime.go to harbor freight and buy an inexpensive airbrush. use med to slow reducer ,that will allow the paint to dry and it will be flat with no orange peel,the automotive clear will go on rough then even out leaving a glass like finish,when you sand the body just light sand to remove the origional gloss,and level out places where there were stripes ,ive painted several j/l cars ,they came out like actual auto finishes,they dont yellow with the automotive grade clear coat.and is extreamly tough,if ya scratch it ,just hit it with a little 2000 grit and buff it just like a car only with a dremmel buffer attachment. hope this helps.
matt

Thanks Matt...

I will definatly give that a try sounds like a great idea. and shinney is always better lol...


Dave

sheesh. and here i was about to sand off the bodies on the weekend. I would have felt like an idiot. I'm going to try a few different ways based on what you guys have said and whichever one works best for my ability will be my saving grace. hehe. Thanks VERY much for the tips guys. I'll post a pic or two if I get around to doing a body or two this weekend.

Looking forward to seeing them Matt, I just got back from Hobby Lobby and picked up a few jars of primer and hmm well 20 bucks worth of paints I MIGHT need lol..


Dave

I've got a few extra bodies laying around as duplicates since I bought a couple of boxes of FF Rel 2 cars. I was thinking they might be a good test bed for me to learn to paint and detail before I ruin some resin bodies.
~Sean~

Too much practice never hurts anything,
Before you "ruin" your resin bodies though, I've learned that Laquer type paints work best on resin. I like the small spray cans of Duplicolor Automotive touch up paint... It dries super fast,and can be lightly sanded with 2000 grit wet paper,and can be compounded and waxed! :thumbsup:
Just remember to NEVER paint laquer over enamel,and wipe the body down with rubbing alcohol to remove any oils that may cause problems.

I have also had good luck with Krylon Fusion it bonds to plastic.

Also go real light on the primer,it can build up real fast and you'll lose detail just like sanding.

Zig

i generally dont use the primer,i have stripped a couple ,but only because the orig paint was kinda sloppy,generally speaking though ,i just rough them up.im not sure about most base coats,but i thin it with laquer thnner,it dries so fast i havnt had it hurt the under paint.the ones that have, have usually been where a stripe was sanded and the edge wrinkled.another good source is some of your local body shops,alot of times there may be a 1/2 pint to a pint left in the bottom of a gallon can,it doesnt hurt to ask.these little cars require very little.if i had a digital camera i'd post some pics ,but i dont.soon as i get one i,ll post them.
matt