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Stocking up on new paint


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Hi,

I've decided I'm switching from enamels to lacquer paints, hence, I've already given all my enamel paint stock away to a friend.

I've tested lacquers and there's no turning back.

Now, what basis do (would) you guys stock up on new paint? I saw that the range of lacquers I'm going to use (MRP) is huge, so how would you normally get your new bottles? Would you try to get them according to most used hues, tones, etc? Or would you start getting them just according to the kits you were beginning to build?

The new bottles are almost 100 grams of weight each, so that should be taken into account as well when you calculate quantities for shipping cost.

I've sort of inherited my former enamel paint stock, so now I've got the faintest idea how to start getting new ones.

Thanks for your input.

Cheers,

 

Gwen 

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7 hours ago, Sarathi S. said:

I buy as I need

Same here.  I guess it depends on your subject matter preference.  For me, it's pretty simple.  Ninety-nine percent of my builds are of WW2 U.S. warplanes.  With that being said, a huge majority of my paints consist of olive drab, neutral grey, interior green, etc.  Back before they discontinued Model Master enamels, I could just hop in the car and make the 10 minute drive to my local hobby shop to pick up a new bottle whenever I ran out of a particular color.  Now I've been ordering the colors I need from online retailers, only I'm ordering them two at a time so I can go for a little while between orders.

 

On a side note, I'm really enjoying the AK Interactive line of paints!!

 

Eric

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I use MRP and I try to think several builds ahead to make sure i have what I need on hand since it can be hard to get at times.   Shipping costs aren't really a factor for me since the US retailers that have it have charge flat rates.    I've been using it for about 4 years and have accumulated enough that now it's usually just restocking, and trying to avoid buying more than I need so I avoid events like realizing I have three bottles of insignia red for some reason.    

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Thank you everyone for your input; it does really make it easier for me to make a decision.

Big sets are a very good option, just they don't exist with MRP/Mr Colour, as far as I know, as it happens with AKAN or Hataka ranges of lacquer paint, for instance.

What reminds me of the next related enquiry: what series number is the lacquer range of AKAN paints? Is it 6X or 7X? (Noob alert) Can these four brands - [AKAN/MRP/Mr Colour/Alclads] - be laid one over the other safely once dry?

Being 30ml the volume of an MRP bottle, what's the approximate number of kits the size of a 1/48 F-14 Tomcat kit you'd be able to paint out of it if having a two-tone camo pattern?

What's the shelf life of lacquers once opened? 

Excuse the inexperienced extent of my enquiry. Just bought a brand new Harder & Steenbeck Infinity CR2 airbrush I still need to learn how to use.

Cheers,

 

Gwen 

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 MRP justifies the higher per bottle price saying it is a 30ml bottle compared with Hataka and Mr Color’s 10ml bottles but that really isn’t a valid comparison since MRP is already thinned for spraying. I’m a 72nd scale builder and don’t do modern jets, one bottle MRP WWII USAAF desert pink was enough for a 1/72 B-24 with not much left over. Again given the extremely fine grain and thinning with MRP, multiple passes are generally needed for a fully opaque covering. I like their color selection, AFAIK their colors are good. That said, I’ve settled into mostly using Hataka and Mr Color with MRP coming into play for colors the others don’t offer. Hataka’s WWII era Soviet colors are pretty good, I’ve not tried the AKAN lacquers.

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Our local hobby shop here in Oz just started stocking this - https://www.scalemodeller.com.au/collections/acrylic-lacquer-paint

 

It leaves everything else I've ever put through my airbrush for dead, and no thinning.  So far I've tried the camo black, white and clear gloss.

 

Going to slowly ditch all my Tamiya acrylics, Vallejo's, Model Master & Humbrol enamels and just use these.

 

They are also bringing out a range which can be brush painted.

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My advice is to create a good stock because in the next few months we will see the prices in a lot of things (including scale models paints) going upwards. Don't want to further expand on the reasons for this (AUKUS and etc) but it would be better to be prepared than having to pay a lot more afterwards.

 

The most 'valuable' are the white/black paints, thinners, and gloss/matt varnishes.

 

Just my two cents.

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