17 replies to this topic

[Paul Lindewall]

Years ago, I raced R/C cars (both 1/12 electric on-road, and 1/8 nitro AWD on-road). Painting bodies was a regular thing, especially with the 1/8 cars, which typically lasted one or two races. I always used Pactra Racing Finish paints for Lexan and an airbrush. 

 

Now I'm getting into HO racing. Pactra no longer makes the Racing Finish paints.  What do you guys use as your favorite brand for painting Lexan bodies? I will be using an airbrush, and really have no preference about paints that clean up with either thinner or water, as long as they give good coverage and adhere well to the bodies. Ideally, the paints could be used right out of the bottle, without the need to thin for the airbrush. 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Justin A. Porter]

These days I've gone to using Vallejo and Tamiya hobby acrylics for my cars with good results. I use Vallejo Model Air Signal Red and Tamiya Titanium Gold as my color scheme. 

[Pablo]

Pactra still sells Racing Finish for Lexan. PCH still has it. Also,

 

https://www.testors....ctra-3oz-sprays

 

For a rattle can quickie, when the weather outside is good, it can't be beat for easy use

-sprays nice and thin yet covers well

-holds up to racing

-dries fast

 

The hi-quality acrylics - Faskolors, Tamiya, etc. work great on Lexan

-blow dry for quick drying

-can be used indoors

-fine for racing

-won't kill brain cells

 

Never used Vallejo but I know it's hi-end quality stuff

[Pappy]

I've just been going to Lowes and buying paint for plastic furniture. Seems to work OK and you get twice as much paint for half the price.

[John Streisguth]

Butch, I tried that on some interiors, the stuff didn't stick too well.  What kind of prep do you use?

 

For airbrushing, I use Createx.  Great range of colors, you can get white in large bottles if you use a lot.  

[Noose]

I stopped using R/C Pactra about 3 years ago. Now use Createx / Faskolor. I dilute with the createx reducer as necessary.

Duratrax also has or had lacquers. Pretty expensive and stunk worse than R/C Pactra paints.

Another that I do use for Chrome is SpazStix. Can be airbrushed right out of the bottle. Again does have an odor.


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[MSwiss]

Joe, do you rough up the plastic, or heat-cure, with the Createx/Faskolor?

[Paul Lindewall]

First I've heard of Createx paints. They look pretty good. 
Which reducer do you use? They list the 5601 Transparent Base, the 4012 High Performance Reducer, and the 4030 Mix Additive - or is it a combination?

 

I stopped using R/C Pactra about 3 years ago. Now use Createx / Faskolor. I dilute with the createx reducer as necessary.
 

[Noose]

Joe, do you rough up the plastic, or heat-cure, with the Createx/Faskolor?

No roughing. Hair drier after each coat


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[Noose]

First I've heard of Createx paints. They look pretty good. 
Which reducer do you use? They list the 5601 Transparent Base, the 4012 High Performance Reducer, and the 4030 Mix Additive - or is it a combination?
 

High performance reducer


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[John Streisguth]

One thing I'll add is a lot of people use water to thin the water-borne paints.  I have never had luck doing that, and I think the issue is that everyone's water chemistry is different. IMO, best to use the reducer the manufacturer produces.

[Pablo]

X2

Thinning with tap water never works well for me, either.

And Mississippi has some of the best soft and pure tasty water on the planet.

[Rotorranch]

Ulrich Racing Colors is my favorite paint. Been using it for 50 years. Hard to find today. 

 

Pactra R/C is my second choice. The Duratrax is supposed to be the same formula. Not tried it yet.

 

Not a fan of water base paint.

[Pappy]

Butch, I tried that on some interiors, the stuff didn't stick too well.  What kind of prep do you use?  

No prep, I've never had a problem with it sticking but on the black Champion 1/32 scale interiors I've had it warp the interior if I didn't spray paint both sides. I use it on the PETG bodies that I pull and it doesn't warp them.

 

I've used Valspar, Rust-Oleum and Krylon.

[n.elmholt]

I have lost enough brain cells to thinners and were not 100% satisfied with Parma Faskolor, so for some years I have used Vallejo Premium paints for my 1:24 Retro F1 cars with no problems at all.

In the past I have even used Faskolor on hardbody cars and added automobile clear coats on top with no problems.

 

Niels, DK

[n.elmholt]

For thinners and cleaners I use the Vallejo stuff too - works fine :-)

 

Niels

[Brinkley47]

Best paint for lexan bodies. $1.66 does about 81 bodies.


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[Racer36]

Beauty on a budget....