Ok, there are members here who actually make a living painting cars, etc,. and others who have dealt with this subject in the past.

Now.............. for those of you who HAVE (Mark S., Randy P, especially) dealt with mixing your own custom colors for use on model airplanes (dope finishes), SPELL OUT what you actually ask for, and get, to make a quart (or whatever quantity) of colored dope.

"Hi, I need DAL #xxxxxxxx , _____________"

Big Bear

It's pretty much what Mark says. Just ask them to mix the paint up without binder. Then add dope to the can (you very own binder). Couple of caveats. Make sure the color you are asking for doesn't have metallic or pearls in it or ask the paint guy to use dry versions. Sometimes, pearls or metallics or similar are added to paint and they are liquid and have a urethane carrier. The dry version is fine.

I go to the paint store with a color number. Just give the guy (or girl) the number and ask to have it mixed without binder (sometimes called base).

Tim,

Not usually. The toners use a neutral carrier (acrylic usually) and are liquid. Perfectly compatible with butyrate lacquer. I'd say well over 90% of the paint I've had mixed the urethane carriers are not an issue. When mixed, the cans are anywhere from 25% to 75% full with just toner. I've had a few colors that used pearl or metallic additives and you just have to be careful that those ingredients are dry as those particular additives often come in a urethane carrier. I've had maybe two colors that this was an issue.

For instance, I just went to the auto paint store I use and had them mix up some yellow for me. I gave them the color number and name (Valencia Yellow). They mixed it up without binder. It did call for some silver paste additive. I asked if the additive was in a urethane carrier (these guys know me and don't flinch when I ask these sorts of questions). The guy looked it up and said, no, it was acrylic so I said go ahead and mix it up per directions (that they get from the computer). The can, a pint, was about 60% full of yellowish liquid when I took it home. I filled the rest of the can with clear dope (Certified) and stuck it in my paint mixer (a little vibrator job I got from Home Depot). Open the can and Viola!, yellow dope.

Had the silver paste been in a urethane carrier, I would have asked him to substitute the dry powder equivalent. He then would have put in a disclaimer that the resulting color wouldn't be an EXACT copy of the the color I requested. Extremely close, but not exact. They have to do that if they vary from the formula. Since I don't care really, I'd have said that's fine and still went off with my can of toners.

Thanks Mark and Randy.  I will be very sure that I refer to not using a urethane carrier/base toner, and I will specify just acrylic or the dry substitute.

I felt teh toners/pigments would have to be pretty universal, at least not too many different types or it would be impractical for the jobbers to actually "mix" paint.  I can't see them having to have several different "system set ups", I figure most of the ones around here couldn't/wouldn't go for that.. 

I do have several dry powders here at home.  Pearls and "Venus Gold Dust" in particular.  I have some small samples of the HOK single application "Kandy Kolors".  HOK Apple Red is one where it looks like they have computer matched the "candy apple red over a gold base" and just mixed it in one paint.  I am going to test clear dope over a small panel to see if it is compatible.  If so, it will give me a lot of "trim options" for very little expense.  It seems to be part of the "air brush" line of HOK paints.  I just wish they were still "lacquer" since I never had a compatibility problem with those.

Thanks, again, guys.
Bill