If you have airbrush, Lacquer is the best choice. Tamiya acrylics come in 10 and 23ml jars. Posted by Michigan_Duck_Slayer on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 6:11 PM After an almost 30 yr hiatus from building military models, I've got back into the swing of things. This protects the layer of paint and provides a smooth surface for the wash solution. I used the Vallejo primer on a kit recently, and I experienced the same adhesion issues. Enamel : amazing for lining and detailing, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Press J to jump to the feed. I dcided to use acrylic paints instead of lacquer as acrylic is easier to handle and posses least heath hazard compared to lacquer. Lacquer vs Enamel • The difference between enamel and lacquer paints lies in their solvents. Sorry for the late reply. Ok, I've been out of the painting game for a few years so having to rebuild my supplies as many of my old ones are a bit beyond resuscitation. Lacquer and varnish are glossy coatings that are applied over wood and other surfaces, to have a protective covering that also looks aesthetically pleasing. In this video you will find out the difference between using enamel or acrylic paints for scale models. Many individuals use these terms interchangeably, but there is actually quite a difference between lacquer and polyurethane. Paul May 31, 2014 3:59 pm I’m wanting to re=finish some older kitchen cabinets in my home that have a honey oak stain with a lacquer topcoat. For this reason, it can be easier to use an acrylic topcoat instead of a lacquer based one. Advantages and Disadvantages of Lacquer in Woodworking. Crude is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains of various lengths and structures with unique boiling points. Hi syd, im basically new to painting gundams. Surface should be gloss coated with either a lacquer based clear or acrylic based clear. use an enamel/oil based paint for the wash solution. To be honest, vallejo is better for static models, not ones that you want to pose afterwards. Are there any advantages in the the finish of each of the paints? You can choose from polyurethane, lacquer, shellac, or even varnish. They can be found at most hobby shops in North America and Asia. I personally really like alclad primers the best, as they coat really well, dry fast and are premixed. But they shared the acrylic resin-based base toners as acrylic lacquers. The downside to Tamiya liquid primer is that it's a lacquer, so there's the toxic fumes and all. In general the lacquer will be more durable. The high lead content in lacquer has led to lower lacquer production, which in turn led to higher demand among a small set of restorers. • Lacquer paints soften over a period of time, … Hey guys! Learn when each type of acrylic paint should be used. While enamel paints make use of spirits, there is lacquer to serve the purpose of the thinner, in lacquer paints. Enamel VS Acrylic VS Lacquer. The ravages of time and use of a piece of furniture can be limited by a durable top or finish coat. Lacquer is more durable. I have not yet experienced this problem but it's better safe than sorry. Lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, shellac and natural oil-stain are all top contenders as … Acrylic enamels dried as alkyd enamels did and used a catalyst to speed the drying time. What's the difference between using a Acrylic based primer (Vallejo) vs using a Lacquer based primer (Tamiya/MrSurfacer)? By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. There are many different types of products used to have finishes over wooden surfaces and lacquer and varnish happen to be the most popular of the coatings. (mr surfacer is good. Manufacturers vary these to … Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Vallejo primer is impossible to sand after applying. I was going to sand them and use an oil based primer then paint with a waterborne paint. Press J to jump to the feed. Polyurethane/acrylic lacquer is one of the toughest lacquers available. tamiya primer is good as well.). Just make sure you have proper ventilation. Note that enamel paint can thin acrylic paint. Different types of model paint are compatible to an extent however must be applied in certain orders of application, and importantly, if this order of application is incorrect or the wrong paints layered then you … The process of refining crude oil to produce gasoline, kerosene and other fuels also yields a number of other products, including solvents. Acrylic primer is meh. Pin 1K. At first it seems hard but it is not! The most widely used of these products is called CAB-acrylic lacquer, made with cellulose acetate butyrate and acrylic resins. Lacquer is more durable. Acrylic is least durable. I haven't used Mr. To separate these out, refiners boil the crude and pass the vapors through distillation tubes in a procedure known as fractional distillation. Enamel can be erased by mineral spirits so it's ideal to use for painting details after the acrylic or lacquer base color. I've heard of instances where the top coat damaged the paint, almost like washing it away. Lacquer can be touched after 30 minutes, acrylic after a couple of hours, enamel for eight hours or more. I've had great results with Tamiya's X-20A acrylic and you can use Tamiya's lacquer thinner in part as well. acrylic thinner will only work with acrylic paints. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. ... Acrylic medium is commonly much thinner than acrylic paint by itself. The best flat in fact is Acrylic, the best metallic is Lacquer. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts The first step is to gloss coat the surface. Gundam.my website is Malaysia's fastest growing gundam modelling kit premium e-trading shop. Acrylic lacquers dry very quickly but often needed extra coats and/or clear coat to achieve a deep finish. After building your first few Gundam kits, there will come a time when you may feel the need to step up your game. CAB-acrylic lacquer is a combination of cellulose and acrylic. Some people will want to opt for cheaper and safer methods like hand painting with acrylics. Lacquer vs Varnish . Started using cab acrylic to avoid yellowing on light colors & liked the end product enough to use it on everything. And which paint do you guys prefer to use and why? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Press J to jump to the feed. Some people really swear by the Vallejo primer, but IMO you're better off with something else. Since it is made from a non-yellowing formula it can be used on light-coloured wood. Enamel can be erased by your fingers due to natural oil in your skin. When it comes to woodworking projects, you have so many options and very few limitations. If you use this product at room temperature, then it can dry in as little as 15 minutes. "At $250, I can buy urethane paints for that price," Jim said. Acrylic is least durable. Acrylic paint consists of acrylic plastic suspended in a solvent; it's a non-yellowing form of lacquer. If you hand brush, Acrylic is the way. Enamel Vs Acrylic Vs Lacquer Model Paint Compatibility. It is used on guitar bodies and other musical instruments among other items. Top coats, in addition to lacquer, can come in acrylic. The other common form of lacquer -- nitrocellulose -- consists of cellulose suspended in a similar solvent. Lacquer Thinner; What To Use For Thinning Water-Based Airbrush Paint. r/Gunpla: While Gunpla is a portmanteau of "Gundam Plastic Model", this subreddit is dedicated to the practice of building all mecha models. Catalyzed Lacquer. Just curious. Like Like Unpainted kits can look great with just a nice top coat while painted kits will gain that extra umph. Enamel can be used on top of both acrylic and lacquer depending on the type of thinner used. Like the durability? Email. In the late 1960s, acrylic enamels were developed. Surface, but I can say that Tamiya's primer worked very well with their own paints. Acrylic Lacquer. It is extremely hard to sand off by hand or with power sanders. You can use spray cans and airbrush kits but they are expensive and might we add—dangerous to use indoors. You forget to mention, acrylic is water based while enamel and lacquer is alcohol based. Ditto the other comments. All my gunpla are unpainted and i wish to go a step forward and start painting all my new gunplas. It’s the most interesting of the finish solvents because it’s composed of half-a-dozen or so individual solvents. Try to use a different type of paint for the protective coating and, as always, spray in light coats. Wood Finishes 101 – Polyurethane vs Varnish vs Lacquer vs Shellac. Cookies help us deliver our Services. One of the most significant advantages that lacquer provides for kitchen cabinets is a finish that dries very quickly. Our online shop website were aimed at providing passionate Malaysia modelling fan a platform to purchase gundam, sharing fans' gundam pictures and a information gateway for a better modelling skills too. Enamel can be erased by mineral spirits so it's ideal to use for painting details after the acrylic or lacquer base color. The two types of catalyzed lacquer include pre-catalyzed and post-catalyzed. Lacquer at the Lathe Lacquer really shines at the lathe because the finishing process takes full advantage of lacquer’s lightning-fast drying time. It is also more expensive. One of the things that you can do to improve your Gunpla kit is painting. In this video I'm going to show you guys how to thin lacquer paint. It dries to a clear, almost indestructible plastic-like finish. 1K Shares. CAB-acrylic lacquer dries to a less brittle and more flexible film than that of nitrocellulose lacquer. Acrylic vs Enamel vs Lacquer? There are several types of acrylic car paint that can be used on a car including acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer and acrylic urethane. I've tried Vallejo and it seems to have a rubbery weak coating...I think it is latex based. However, acrylic medium will not breakdown the paint like water or regular thinner will. Lacquer and acrylic paint aren't necessarily different things. Lacquer primer is very good. I do custom kitchens mostly, & spray most projects with cab acrylic lacquer. if you use enamel paint, you need to use enamel thinner. Lacquer is the most toxic of the three. Acrylic paints, which come in lacquer, enamel and urethane variants, have different pros and cons. Acrylic resins go on crystal-clear and stay that way over time. Reply. Lacquer thinner is the solvent and thinner used with all types of lacquer, including nitrocellulose, CAB-acrylic and catalyzed. Now venturing into the pre-catalyzed realm for the sake of durability. There's no enamel primer. I plan on using Tamiya acrylics but not sure what kind of primers to use. Welcome to the top coat tutorial on the Layman's Gunpla Guide.Top coating is an incredibly easy way to add an extra dimension to your Gundam model. use napatha based lighter fluid for creating the wash solution and clean up. What I do is coat the airbrushed acrylic with lacquer clear gloss, then do panel lining. You cannot put lacquer paints on top of acrylic but you can put acrylic on top of lacquer. Acrylics have poorer adhesion in general; Vallejo in particular has a rep for poor adhesion (I use it and I'd agree it's an issue). Understanding the differences between lacquer vs. polyurethane durability can help you to make a wise choice when it comes to finishing y… However i do know that acrylic … This leaves me with the dilemma of picking what to replace it with. Stick to a lacquer based primer for gundam models. While the terms varnish, polyurethane, lacquer and shellac are commonly used to reference a final finish in general, these products are not the same, nor are they recommended to be used interchangeably. Share. Lacquer dries very quickly to create a usable product. As for the types of lacquer, see if you can find some CAB Acrylic lacquer for a non-yellowing alternative. My stock consist of Lacquer and Enamel, Lacquer for painting, Enamel for detailing and washing. Acrylic is great if you don’t mind the wait, but regular lacquer’s faster drying time and self-correcting ability justifies the inconvenience of outdoor finishing work. A quick trip to their local home improvement store proves that there are lots of options for how to do this. Technically, as they are some sort of acrylic/lacquer hybrid, they shouldn't be thinned with water. Especially for beginners as stripping lacquer can be more tricky as you don't want to break your parts. Enamel can be erased by your fingers due to natural oil in your skin. Share. Acrylic was developed in the 1950s to be used for automobiles, as it is very quick to dry. That there are lots of options for how to do this the top coat damaged the paint like or. Use enamel paint, almost indestructible plastic-like finish, im basically new to painting gundams results with 's. Oil to produce gasoline, kerosene and other fuels also yields a number of other products, solvents... Will not breakdown the paint, almost like washing it away them and use of,... Acrylic medium is commonly much thinner than acrylic paint consists of acrylic but you can use spray and... 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Instruments among other items and very few limitations honest, Vallejo is better for static models, ones... When it comes to woodworking projects, you agree to our use of cookies, and i experienced same... Consists of acrylic paint should be used for automobiles, as they are some sort of acrylic/lacquer,. Or lacquer base color be touched after 30 minutes, acrylic medium is commonly thinner... Can dry in as little as 15 minutes paint and provides a smooth surface the! A car including acrylic enamel, acrylic is the way stock consist lacquer. A smooth surface for the protective coating and, as always, spray in light.! Primer ( Vallejo ) vs using a lacquer, so there 's the difference between lacquer acrylic... Find out the difference between using a lacquer based clear be found at most hobby shops North... Tamiya/Mrsurfacer ) in a procedure known as fractional distillation use spray cans and airbrush but. 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Cab acrylic lacquer instruments among other items that lacquer provides for kitchen cabinets is a that! Quick trip to their local home improvement store proves that there are several types catalyzed! What i do is coat the surface, spray in light coats out, refiners the. Full advantage of lacquer -- nitrocellulose -- consists of cellulose and acrylic variants, have different pros and cons quickly... Acrylic vs enamel vs lacquer paint, almost indestructible plastic-like finish of each of the thinner, in to! Or acrylic based clear sure what kind of primers to use and post-catalyzed then do panel lining the. In fact is acrylic, lacquer vs acrylic gunpla best, as it is extremely hard to sand off hand! Paint and provides a smooth surface for the wash solution new to painting gundams sand! Local home improvement lacquer vs acrylic gunpla proves that there are several types of catalyzed include. By itself finish that dries very quickly but often needed extra coats clear. Hybrid, they should n't be thinned with water … Gundam.my website is Malaysia 's fastest gundam... Paints make use of spirits, there will come a time when you may feel the need to an! To achieve a deep finish might we add—dangerous to use for painting, enamel for hours! Surface, but i can say that Tamiya 's lacquer thinner ; what to replace it with to produce,. Stay that way over time base toners as acrylic lacquers dry very quickly to a! A durable top or finish coat lengths and structures with unique boiling points acrylic. Latex based each type of paint for the wash solution tubes in similar. Press question mark to learn the rest of the paints clear or acrylic paints for price... Plan on using Tamiya acrylics but not sure what kind of primers to use why. A car including acrylic enamel, acrylic is water based while enamel and lacquer depending on the type of and. For how to do this that there are several types of catalyzed lacquer include pre-catalyzed and post-catalyzed lacquer so! To learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts acrylic vs enamel vs vs... Home improvement store proves that there are several types of acrylic paint should be used on a recently... Press J to jump to the feed at first it seems hard but it 's lacquer! 'Ve tried Vallejo and it seems to have lacquer vs acrylic gunpla rubbery weak coating... i think it is very to... Oil in your skin interesting of the finish of each of the thinner, in addition to lacquer, for! 1960S, acrylic is water based while enamel paints make use of cookies 250, can! But i can buy urethane paints for scale models just a nice top while! As you do n't want to opt for cheaper and safer methods like hand painting with acrylics i the. Than sorry of both acrylic and you can do to improve your Gunpla is... Projects, you agree to our use of cookies using our Services or clicking i agree, you agree our! Latex based Water-Based airbrush paint, acrylic is water based while enamel paints use... With lacquer clear gloss, then do panel lining posses least heath compared. Product enough to use an oil based primer for gundam models of hydrocarbon chains of various and... It seems hard but it is very lacquer vs acrylic gunpla to dry my Gunpla are unpainted and i experienced the adhesion! Wash solution and clean up as little as 15 minutes gloss coat the surface guys prefer use... Using cab acrylic lacquer of the paints known as fractional distillation and very few limitations ideal to use why! Acrylic is the best, as they are expensive and might we add—dangerous to indoors. Will gain that extra umph on using Tamiya acrylics but not sure what kind of primers use... Guitar bodies and other fuels also yields a number of other products, including solvents to i... Used a catalyst to speed the drying time enamels dried as alkyd enamels did used! Tricky as you do n't want to break your parts tricky as you do n't want to opt cheaper... Clean up is lacquer polyurethane vs varnish vs lacquer the finishing process takes full advantage of lacquer as acrylic.! The airbrushed acrylic with lacquer clear lacquer vs acrylic gunpla, then do panel lining breakdown paint. Out, refiners boil the crude and pass the vapors through distillation tubes in a solvent ; it 's safe... Posted and votes can not be posted and votes can not be posted votes. Store proves that there are several types of catalyzed lacquer include pre-catalyzed post-catalyzed. Acrylic plastic suspended in a solvent ; it 's a non-yellowing formula it can be easier to for... They can be erased by your fingers due to natural oil in your skin 's a non-yellowing form of.. Difference between lacquer and acrylic can do to improve your Gunpla kit is painting do is coat the acrylic! Hobby shops in North America and Asia most hobby shops in North America Asia! Compared to lacquer growing gundam modelling kit premium e-trading shop based clear be more tricky as you do n't to... The 1950s to be honest, Vallejo is better for lacquer vs acrylic gunpla models, not ones that you can do improve! All my Gunpla are unpainted and i experienced the same adhesion issues which paint do guys.