AK Real colours, my opinion

[BattleshipBob]

Recently Karl posted about these and Andrea carried out a detailed review. This is my 2 pennies worth lol.

Never heard of these or that AK do lacquer type paint! As I am a big fan of Mr Color I bought 2 tins from John to give them a whirl. Tried out

First thing, do not smell as much as Mr Color, stirred very well. Used Mr Color thinner at about 50/50 ratio, compressor at about 18 psi, same as Mr Color. No primer, Sprayed beautifully, used plastic spoons as usual


Very impressed, cleaned airbrush with Mr color cleaner and reamer, seemed to clear up easier as well.

Had a look at there range and could not see much naval stuff but will try on a StuG. In my opinion a very nice paint, easy to thin and use and not so smelly!

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Bpb,
I have a lot of their colours and the metalics as well, never had a problem with them and they also brush well.
Mike.

 

[stillp]

I'm really looking forward to this bright red Stug!
Pete

 

[KarlW]

I have decided to use these for my USN stuff, and recently used for the interior of my current P-51B build.
I used Mr Levelling Thinner.
Dried slower than MRP. Over sprayed my finger prints well.
The thinning ratio takes the cost to a par with MRP too.
Also happy enough with them so far, and the range is great for military armour and aircraft not so much civilian and naval stuff though. Even going to 3 different versions of some RLM colours....
Also a bit easier to get than MRP.

 

[BattleshipBob]

Bpb,
I have a lot of their colours and the metalics as well, never had a problem with them and they also brush well.
Mike.

Did not know that! Will try, thanks for the info!

 

[Jakko]

they also brush well.

That reminds me: how do you clean lacquer paint from a brush? The only way I found to do it was to wash the brush in white spirit and then use a knife to scrape the paint from the bristles, which I didn’t find exactly ideal …

 

[KarlW]

That reminds me: how do you clean lacquer paint from a brush? The only way I found to do it was to wash the brush in white spirit and then use a knife to scrape the paint from the bristles, which I didn’t find exactly idea …

Lacquer thinners, then wash with brush soap to recondition.
Mr Tool Cleaner also works, but use a glass jar.

 

[JR]

Certainly sprayed well Bob. I've not gone down the lacquer route because of the fumes. Although at times I used a full sized spray gun at work along with respirator I didn't fancy that in the cave .
Have invested too much in acrylics with a large stock to change now

 

[Tim Marlow]

Interesting that the jars look identical to the Mr Color ones……could be made and packed at the same factory with a slight tweak to the formula……good to have another lacquer range to use though. Nothing else sprays that well.

 

[KarlW]

Certainly sprayed well Bob. I've not gone down the lacquer route because of the fumes. Although at times I used a full sized spray gun at work along with respirator I didn't fancy that in the cave .
Have invested too much in acrylics with a large stock to change now

I sold all my Vallejo Air in one lump, took a bit of a hit but not regretting it.

 

[KarlW]

Interesting that the jars look identical to the Mr Color ones……could be made and packed at the same factory with a slight tweak to the formula……good to have another lacquer range to use though. Nothing else sprays that well.

I think they're a touch narrower, at least they are compared to Tamiya jars.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I think they're a touch narrower, at least they are compared to Tamiya jars.

Mr Color are narrower than Tamiya as well

 

[Jakko]

Lacquer thinners, then wash with brush soap to recondition.

Great … the main reason I asked was because though I sold the couple of bottles of lacquer paints I have, because I found them to be impossible to use, I do still have a bottle of Mr. Surfacer which smells exactly the same and has the same issues cleaning it from brushes. I think I will continue to only use old brushes with it, then, where scraping the paint out doesn’t matter.

 

[JR]

Well I'm intrigued by all this, even been to AK website to read about them.

Stupid question time,

Could you use other paints on them, say an oil brusher or even Vallejo , sort of mix and match. I don't want to have a spray a sealer every time if I want to add something like oils for weathering ?

Yours Confused of Lincs.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I’d say yes to that John. I use lacquer primer followed by Vallejo acrylics all the time, and this should be no different. Before I switched I used to use enamels over lacquer as well. In my experience you can use any paint over any other as long as the underlying paint is properly dry (not just touch dry) and you don’t flood the new paint on. I regularly use Tamiya gloss varnish diluted with Mister Color levelling thinner over acrylics, and have happily used enamels under and over almost everything, including household primer in my cheapskate days.

 

[KarlW]

Great … the main reason I asked was because though I sold the couple of bottles of lacquer paints I have, because I found them to be impossible to use, I do still have a bottle of Mr. Surfacer which smells exactly the same and has the same issues cleaning it from brushes. I think I will continue to only use old brushes with it, then, where scraping the paint out doesn’t matter.

Yeah, Mr. Surfacer is lacquer based as are Tamiyas surface primers.
Switched to them over polyurethane primers a good while back.

 

[KarlW]

Well I'm intrigued by all this, even been to AK website to read about them.

Stupid question time,

Could you use other paints on them, say an oil brusher or even Vallejo , sort of mix and match. I don't want to have a spray a sealer every time if I want to add something like oils for weathering ?

Yours Confused of Lincs.

And yes I've been using Vallejo over lacquer primers for a while now with no issues. And I use acrylic washes over lacquer paints.
I don't spray in the house having a shed, use an activated charcoal filter in my spray mask and my spray both vents through an activated charcoal filter to remove the VOCs.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Yeah, Mr. Surfacer is lacquer based as are Tamiyas surface primers.
Switched to them over polyurethane primers a good while back.

Been using lacquer primer since it was called cellulose primer and came in a spray tin from halfords…….Mr Surfacer is basically Tamiya primer in a bottle…..
I’ve never really got on with acrylic primers. I find no matter how long I leave them I can’t sand them to carry out remedial repair if required. Apparently you can with stynylrez (?) but whenever I try to buy it I find it out of stock everywhere. I do use Vallejo black primer on the little blokes, but that’s because I’ve got it on the shelf, I’m not so fussy about their surface finish, and it is handy as a basis for Zenitel priming.

 

[JR]

I’d say yes to that John. I use lacquer primer followed by Vallejo acrylics all the time, and this should be no different. Before I switched I used to use enamels over lacquer as well. In my experience you can use any paint over any other as long as the underlying paint is properly dry (not just touch dry) and you don’t flood the new paint on. I regularly use Tamiya gloss varnish diluted with Mister Color levelling thinner over acrylics, and have happily used enamels under and over almost everything, including household primer in my cheapskate days.

Thanks Tim I was hoping you or Karl would see this. Off now to get some thinners and yes 4BO along with anything else that might come in handy, was interested to see AK did a test using their paint with out a primer and it worked.

And yes I've been using Vallejo over lacquer primers for a while now with no issues. And I use acrylic washes over lacquer paints.
I don't spray in the house having a shed, use an activated charcoal filter in my spray mask and my spray both vents through an activated charcoal filter to remove the VOCs.

I have a full face mask with filters and vent though the wall , so should be safe there.

Thanks both .

 

[BattleshipBob]

Lacquer thinners, then wash with brush soap to recondition.
Mr Tool Cleaner also works, but use a glass jar.

That's the way I use, open window first lol