I tried painting FT Grinder's eyes with some Tamiya X-14 but not happy with the results (see photos) I thinned it slightly with Tamiya thinner but, as you can see, the pigment and gloss is uneven. It's worked fine before on small areas like MP-10's eyes. I also tried it without thinners. Also, the second coat seems to disrupt the first coat (even if it's left to dry overnight) no matter how delicate I am. I've cleaned it off and started again a few times in the last couple days. I prepped the surface with some 1500-2500 sandpaper to remove the chrome instead of the bleach option. I used a nice flat brush too. I must be doing something wrong. Are there better paints e.g. Vallejo or Citadel? I'm fed up and might just use a rattle can or brush with enamel instead. Any advice appreciated.
Tamiya is my brand of choice. I just used this exact combination for eyes earlier tonight and it came out smooth. This has to be something with the way you’ve prepped the surface. There must be some residual sealant or chrome even after sanding.
After sanding, did you wash the part with soapy water? That could be an issue if you've got some oils from your hands on it.
Thanks for your replies. I probably need to smooth the surface more. What grit do you go down to e.g. 3000, 5000? Should I bother with primer? 50:50 thinner and paint right? 3-4 light coats?
I used to use Tamiya acrylics and liked them a lot. However, I have moved to Testors model master acrylics and in my opinion, they perform way better. They are more resilient to different surfaces and textures and generally go on very smooth, even straight out of the bottle with no thinner. So, while it was a tough change for me, I wouldn't go back to Tamiya unless it was for a specific color I just couldn't match with Testors. When I was using Tamiya, I used to thin to approx 50/50 and do multiple coats. The first generally did look like crap, second was a bit better and the third would nail it. For this blue, in Testors line up, Cobalt Blue is awesome. I used it on my custom Thundercracker a while ago (lightened with white) and on my classics Trailbreakers eyes (straight out of the bottle).
Oh, yeah. Sorry. Didn't notice you were in the UK. I'm from the UK but now live in the US. I used Tamiya when I was there but I didn't really know about Testors until I moved to the US.
For flat surfaces like that, I sand it with 800 grit first to break the plastic finish and then lay down the first 2 coats of paint. I them hit it with 1000 grit to sand the painted layers real smooth and finally apply the final coat. I find that helps when trying to get a smooth finish with hand painting. Just sent another PM.
I've got a feeling I didn't mix the Tamiya paint properly either. A little matchstick won't do it. What do you use? Or should I just shake the jars vigorously?
Thanks. I have a couple more questions too... 1. If I wanted to use Citadel paints (there's a Games Workshop style shop near me) can n I use isopropyl alcohol to thin and/or clean brushes? 2. If I want a glossy finish can I apply a coat of Future floor polish or thinned "Ardcoat"? 3. Provided it's kept in a container with a tight cap, does Future go 'off'?
Thin Citadel with water, they also use Future for a gloss coat, it shouldn't go off if the cap is secure.