Yep, mass painting doesn’t work with that paint, though I once primed twelve stock cars in a makeshift cardboard paint booth in the garage. I still prime in the garage, but I do one car at a time using paint handles. I made four handles, so I can do four cars in a session. My paint booth is a fairly small Paasche, and using rattle cans really messes it up due to the wider pattern than an airbrush. Rather than cleaning the paint booth after every rattle car session, I wait for warm, dry day without too much wind (rare in Iowa), open the garage door, and set up a temporary bench of plywood on saw horses, and paint in the garage. Because Tamiya dries so fast, there isn’t any wet overspray except on the plywood, the rest is just powder as you’ve experienced. Of course I use a respirator and gloves, but because the garage door is open, and because Tamiya dries so fast, the fumes are mostly gone after 10-15 minutes.

Nelson Moyer

Tim, you’re used the wrong primer. You need Tamiya FINE Light Gray Primer. Tamiya also makes a Light Gray Primer, and the cans look alike except for the word FINE. That makes all the difference in the world. Also, it sounds like your spray distance was too far and the paint evaporated before it hit the car. Tamiya paint is highly volatile. The can recommends 8-10 inches from the work, which is closer than most rattle cars. You want to apply paint in 3-5 passes from different angles, especially on SS cars, stock cars, reefers, or any other cars with raised details. Each pass should be slightly wet. Don’t worry about obscuring details, as it dries very fast and very thin. I use paint handles designed by Pierre, and I start with the underframe from all angles until it’s covered, then I do the sides, ends, and roof, in that order. Don’t try to do the whole car at once. Tamiya recommends temperatures above 50° F and avoid use on days where humidity is high. I’ve primed something like 100 car using Tamiya Fine Light Gray primer without any problems.

 

Nelson Moyer

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Tim O'Connor
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2020 8:32 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: Tamiya primer (was [RealSTMFC] Painting brass)

 

The other day I tried Tamiya Primer Grey from the can, instead of an airbrush. I was
rather surprised that the paint's color pigment left a POWDER RESIDUE when the carrier
or thinner had evaporated. I actually scooped up a little pile of powder with a stiff
piece of cardstock - it had the exact same consistency as weathering powders that I have!

I have NEVER seen a paint of any type do this before.

Am I doing something wrong? I rarely use spray cans...

Tim O'Connor

P.S. Temperature in my workshop about 66F and low humidity (normal for NE winter)


On 4/11/2020 7:28 PM, Tony Thompson wrote:

Clark Propst wrote:

Would like to know what prep work folks do before laying on color?

 

   Clark, I almost always use a light gray primer, sometimes even from a rattle can, but with good paint, such as Tamiya. And I let it sit for some time to be ENTIRELY dry.

 

Tony Thompson

 

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts