Special Instructions for Properly Preparing Each Type of Material

Now You're Ready to Apply the Color Coat

Before applying paint, make sure you have prepared the surface properly (see Surface Preparation). Work in a well-ventilated, dust-free location where your painted part can be left undisturbed overnight.

Before painting, it is important to remember that proper STORAGE as well as APPLICATION conditions are both critical to your final finish.

A. Always store the paint at or near normal room temperatures at all times. Allowing the paint to freeze will permanently and irreversibly damage the entire can of paint which must then be properly discarded.

NOTE: Even if the paint is stored and appears to be at room temperature prior to use, heating the paint will allow it to flow more evenly. Warm the paint in a pot/bucket of hot (but not boiling) water for at least 5 minutes and not more than 5 minutes prior to use. Shake the paint lightly prior to warming and vigorously after warming.

B. Always paint in reasonable temperature, lighting, and humidity conditions as described on the can. Paint applied below 70 degrees or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or in humidity ranges below 20% and above 70% humidity will not cure properly.

C. Always test spray on discarded materials to ensure the nozzle is flowing properly and also ensure compatibility.

Protect areas that should not be painted by applying Top Flite Fine Line Masking Tape along their edges. Protect your model from overspray by covering it with a trash bag or newspaper. Paint particles travel everywhere, so do not leave gaps. We also recommend wearing a Top Flite Particle Mask and Gloves.
Shake the can of LustreKote for at least one minute after the agitator begins to rattle.
Apply a thin "tack" coat to the surface. Spray in a back-and-forth motion, starting at the top of the part and working down. Each pass should overlap the last one by at least 1/2 of the spray pattern width. Let the tack coat dry for about one minute.
Apply a second, somewhat heavier coat with more complete coverage. The paint should just begin to appear wet and smooth.
If you still don't have a good color match or the color appears light, wait at least 3 hours and apply a third coat.
Allow the final coat to dry. It should feel dry to the touch in 15-20 minutes. After 24 hours, it will reach full cure and be ready for masking and applying additional colors. LustreKote reaches its maximum fuel resistance after drying for 48 hours.

	Tack glue a stick of wood to the inside of cowl. This will enable you to move and handle the cowl without disturbing the paint.
	Your first coat should be a thin, uniform "tack" coat, as shown.
	After drying for about one minute, apply a second, heavier coat for more complete coverage.
	Create the irregular borders between camouflage colors by cutting a heavy piece of paper (such as a grocery bag) to the approximate shape desired. Then hold it about 1/2 inch above the surface as shown and spray along the edge.

ATTENTION: Newspapers generally have small perforations along one or more edges. Do not use these edges to mask your model. Paint can easily spray through the perforations.

Painters Tips

For smooth coverage, spray in long, back-and-forth strokes, never pausing in one spot. Begin each stroke in front of the object and continue spraying slightly past it, to avoid uneven "bursts" of paint.
Hold the can about 10-12 inches from the surface.
Keep the part vertical while you spray. That makes it natural to hold the paint can vertically — which maintains the best paint mixture.
Shake the can frequently to keep heavier pigments from settling.
Don't try to finish the job in one coat. The initial "tack" coat should be only a fine, even mist that still allows the primer or base coat to show through.
If you develop a run, quickly rotate the part so that the run is parallel to the floor. Stop painting until the surface dries. The run should even itself out and disappear.
After every painting session, clean the can's nozzle by spraying upside down until no more paint is expelled.
For the best shine when applying additional coats: Wait at least three hours, wipe the surface clean with a MonoKote Tack Cloth, and THEN apply the additional coat.
Remove any masking tape in contact with freshly painted surfaces within 15 minutes. This allows the paint to flow out slightly, reducing the built-up edge.

ATTENTION: Plan your color scheme and painting strategy in advance. Dark colors can easily be applied on top of light colors — but adding light colors over dark ones requires using another coat of primer. Before painting a part, test the color first on an area that won't be visible (or on a scrap piece of the same material).

Adding colors on top of colors

Additional LustreKote colors may be added on top of your base color to create an endless variety of exciting trim schemes. Always allow the base color to dry first for at least 24 hours (or slightly longer in humid climates).

Choose a pattern to paint — a stripe, for example. Create a stencil for the pattern over your base color using Fine Line Masking Tape (vinyl tape creates very crisp edges by preventing paint from seeping underneath).
Lightly buff the exposed surface using #400 or #600 grit sand-paper, or #0000 steel wool.
Clean the surface with 70% isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Then wipe it with a tack cloth to remove all lint and dust.

Follow the same steps for applying tack and final coats of paint as previously described above.

Applying Clear Coat

Using LustreKote Crystal Clear for that Final Touch!

As the final step of your LustreKote finish, you may choose to apply a clear coat over the fully dry, painted surface.

Use Gloss Clear to increase the paint's shine for a mirror-like finish.
Use Flat Clear to add a matte finish over glossy colors (a must for scale military models — few real warbirds had glossy surfaces!)
Use either to even out seams or ridges where two different colors meet.
Lightly wet sand the entire area using #600 grit sandpaper or 0000 steel wool.
Clean the surface using 70% isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Then wipe off all lint and dust with a MonoKote Tack Cloth.

Now you can apply the clear coat, following the same process as applying LustreKote paint under 'Apply a thin tack coat to the surface'. After applying the second coat, the Clear Coat should look wet with no grainy texture.

ATTENTION: Sand very carefully at the borders between colors. Remove the ridge, but don't sand it away completely — that might affect the straightness of the line.

PAINTERS TIP: For maximum gloss, wait 3 hours before applying the final coat. Remember to wipe the surface first with a MonoKote Tack Cloth if you wait this long between coats.

Continue to: Practical Solutions