I've been doing some research on the internet on airbrushing/painting RC Bodies and was wondering if any of you had any tips. Or even if any of you prefer something over the other. Not sure if any of you know anything about this but figured to ask anyway.

Like I'm trying to decide wether to use a gravity feed airbrush or one that has the bottle underneath. Seems the gravity feed one is easier to clean and normaly cost more. Like I looked at Iwata Airbrushes and seems the best gravity feed one is an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS, it has the highest raiting for RC Body painting. The best Iwata Airbrushes I found for the one with the bottle underneath is Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS. Do any of you know which is the better to use?

Also was wondering about paint. Seems there are lots of different brands. Water base and Lacquer. Some are Faskolor, Createx, Pactra, Testors, Tamiya, Alclad II, Spaz Stixs. Do any of you have a favorite over the others? Do some seem easy for detail where others not?

iwata Hp cs is my choice i have two im not into painting my bodies cuz i wreck alot ...lol but i think speedbump does his and a couple others i use mine to paint my trucks and racecars!!! I wont own any other!!!!!

I use the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS it is By fare the BEST. The Paint i use is Createx and i have used Spaz Stixs both work Great i use Createx most of the time. I can get it at Hobbie Lobby and don't haft to pay for shipping just pick it up when i go to town and with Spaz Stixs i haft to order it and pay for shipping and all that Crap.

I have just started painting and LOVE it i have painted a few body's for me and the guys at the track all i can say the more you paint the better you will get that is the only way you can learn.

OK, seems the HP CS is my best choice then lol.

I noticed that Createx sells more then just the paint used for RC Bodies. The ones they sell at Hobby Lobby are they made for Lexon? Since Lexon is what the RC Bodies are made out of. Meaning are the ones at Hobby Lobby flexible and wont chip off the Lexon? I checked Createx website and they dont really say it can be used on Lexon but does say plastic.

I've been paint for about 20yrs now & I use 2 pache VL's, a high end testers, and 2 entry level tester airbrushes. I personally prefer the airbrushes that don't use the needle-cartridge.. Ie.. High end testers bcz if they ever clog & u decide to pull the cartridge apart, it never shoots the same again. And on the Fine tip cartridges if the Lil piece of plastic ever bends then u have to buy a new cartridge. The airbrushes like the VL are much more consistant.

I'm not familiar w the Iwata brushes, so I cannot comment on them. As for gravity-feed vs bottle feed. I recommend that u get a brush that has both. Gravity-feed is great for fine work that doesn't require lots of paint, while bottles are great when ur doing the basecoat on an sc10 of modified body!

Generally, u won't need anything more that medium flow tip for most everything you'll do. The high-flows are usually for more thicker paints.. Like the creatix/parma waterbased.

I prefer shooting w laquer based paints, they are stinky, but they dry faster, are easier to dilute properly, thinner layers, and bond better to the body. However, u make a mistake, it's almost perminant! And u can shoot them using ~20psi.

The waterbased paints are nice bcz they don't stink, use water to dilute, but they take longer to dry, don't bond as well to the body, harder to dilute properly, and require 40-50psi to stop the paint from spattering. Oh, it's more dificult to do fine work w these paints. They are less expensive than the laquer paints too.

This is just from my own experiences. If u wld like more info & opinions, checkout the airbrush/painting forums on rctech. Even google airbrushing & read up on what people use and do for paint things other than RC bodies.

Good luck!

This is

The Freckler knows.

Awsome thanks. I have been searching and reading up on some peoples tutorials online, but seems everyone has their own favorits. I've done every type of painting except airbrushing. So this is a totaly different ball game for me now. I did read that laquer is better for detail where as water base is good for like the main parts. I also read that it is better to start off with darker colors and work your way down to light. But also read if you have to start with a lighter color that you should back that with white then back the white with silver before spraying a darker color. I also read that if you are using laquer paints and by mistake mess up you can strip the paint off that isnt right by using Denatured Alcohol, q-tips, and toothpicks. And for water based paint it said to soak it in water for a week and it will come off. Of course I havent tested this; its only what i read.

I think my hardest thing to figure out is how to paint everything backwards, i've watched a lot of tutorials on youtube on painting rc bodies. I understand most but still when i actually start its most likely going to confuse me hehe. I like one guy who says use a practice board; which is that clear plastic they sell for over head projectors. All he does is tape it down on a piece of plexcy glass and practices on the projector sheet. I'll probably be doing a lot of that till I feel more confident to actually spray the body itself.

I watched a video on youtube of them useing brake fluid to take paint off.

I painted a body once..
It came out really bad, so I gave it away...LOL

Iwata is my choice..
To save some money, you can use the acrylic paints from a bottle at hobby lobby, just thin the paint with windex.
.99 per 2oz. bottle

For some easy designs, use liquid mask..(great stuff) just be sure to put it thick enough, otherwise it doesn't peel off easily.
when you cut your design, don't cut too deep, or you will score the lexan, and the body will crack easily.

Also:
I HATE NEW YORK

is it cold and snowing

The backing w white and silver is crucial, if u shoot light colors first.

I plan my painting where I shoot he darkest color area of the body first, then something lighter, and the last thing being white itself. I try to set it up that when I ain't white, I'm also backing all the other colors too... It saves time. Then I save all the smaller details till last. If I'm shooting chrome, it's always the last thing I paint.
Some chrome paints can be backed with laquer, some need waterbased, and some can be rubbed off w 90% rubbing alchol.

The toothpicks and Q-tips are essential! Especially when using scotch tape. I do use liquid mask too, it's great to use when u don't have a lot of highlighting planned for the body. I use both tape and liquid mask, depending on what I'm doing.

I've never been a big fan of using lots of vinyl bcz sometimes it's great and easy, other a - in the *%#+%*!

FYI: acrylic paint looks like it bonds to the lexan bodies, but the first time that body is flexed or hit, it will start flaking off. We have one guy that his body was almost back to clear by the end of his first race day.. Lol!

Yeah, it does take some time to get use to doing evrything backwards, but if u r an artistic painter already.. Get a sheet of glass, about the size of a small canvas, clean it good w alcohol, and u can use it w cheap paint to practise working backwards and any new techniques.

Lastly, a neat technique I've done b4 is to paint on the inside and outside of the body!

Good luck & have fun!

It's 20 now, I don't know what the wind chill is..
colder I guess.

I've been painting with acrylic paint for 8 years now, and the key is to clean the lexan lid with dish soap prior to painting.
Don't put the paint on too thick, and after you finished painting, before removing the window masks..spray a light coat of enamel...I use white.
over the paintjob..
this keeps the fuel, mud, and everything else from making the paint come off.

Most of the reason I like acrylics...you can have tons of colors without investing too much money..( I'm a cheapskate)

I crash more than most, and the paint lasts a long time..

use your imagination, and have fun..

I like useing the Paasche duel action Airbrush.. trying to figure out which one is the best, is like The Ford vs The Chevy.. I alot of bodies under reader's rides which i have done..

what RC truck are those body's for speedbump?

I think thats for the jammin truggy if i'm not mistaken