Reezo's Axial Gladiator Overland HAM Build [Picture Heavy]

[Reezo]

Y'know, I've yet to actually see someone paint one of the JTs or JLUs green. There are some nice options, like Gecko, Mojito and High Velocity. I think it'd be neat to see a green 10.3 JT. I personally am planning on painting mine Hella Yella.

Dang, that's some spicy stuff, and I'm all thinking gunpowder with some diagonal dark red. I am too Walmart!

If I had the balls, I'd say Hella Yella and Mojito are my favorites, high velocity as runner up and then gecko. These last two would require for me to have some bald g string combo to keep a straight face on the Rubicon Trail

 

[VoltSCX]

Dang, that's some spicy stuff, and I'm all thinking gunpowder with some diagonal dark red. I am too Walmart!

If I had the balls, I'd say Hella Yella and Mojito are my favorites, high velocity as runner up and then gecko. These last two would require for me to have some bald g string combo to keep a straight face on the Rubicon Trail

Lol, that actually does sound like a sweet color combo (would be the stock Rubicon accent color though). I think a Mojito Gladiator would look awesome, would definitely be different.

 

[high plains drifter]

I was going to suggest gun metal grey or some sort of OD green as a "safe" color but I like VoltSCX's suggestions better. I usually go with boring neutrals on my rigs... except for back in the day with my stadium trucks where I did some crazy body graphics and colors.

 

[Reezo]

Again, you're both absolutely right. I've been playing it kinda safe in the rock racer side as well, I guess I'm kinda fond of the safe colors.

Speaking of cans, I've always bought Tamiya but have you folks had better "Lexan experiences" with other brands? Just curious!

 

[bgredjeep]

Again, you're both absolutely right. I've been playing it kinda safe in the rock racer side as well, I guess I'm kinda fond of the safe colors.

Speaking of cans, I've always bought Tamiya but have you folks had better "Lexan experiences" with other brands? Just curious!

Tamiya is the best I've used. Tried Traxxas paint a few months ago since that was the only option with the color I wanted and they sprayed terribly.

 

[high plains drifter]

Almost all lexan bodies I've done with Tamiya and they've always sprayed evenly with no or minimum splattering. Not sure if they're still around but I've used Spaztic ( sp?) before and did not like. Make sure to use PS codes, not TS. Take the time to clean/ prep, and don't forget the backer.

 

[Reezo]

Almost all lexan bodies I've done with Tamiya and they've always sprayed evenly with no or minimum splattering. Not sure if they're still around but I've used Spaztic ( sp?) before and did not like. Make sure to use PS codes, not TS. Take the time to clean/ prep, and don't forget the backer.

Tamiya is the best I've used. Tried Traxxas paint a few months ago since that was the only option with the color I wanted and they sprayed terribly.

Guys, that's 1:1 my own experience, as well. Step by step that's how I've done it and still do it. Glad to read you share such approach.

I was thinking I have never done a Tamiya Translucent, and for this project maybe the PS-37 Trans Red would be cool, so... how would you do it to keep it very dark and red? I was thinking: spray the PS-37 first and then follow it with the PS-23 Gunmetal Grey, which will go basically as main color. Done. But Tamiya recommends: "When painting the colors PS-37 - PS-40, we recommend backing them with PS-41 light silver." I think it will come out too bright a red.

I wanted to keep the red lines going diagonal from the back of the cab to, say, the bottom corner of the front doors. So they'd cover part of the rear doors and that's it. Really nothing major but that diagonal line (or maybe a big one and a thin one, next to each other) in red would give it some movement, while keeping things "gunpowder grey".

But my doubt was on the Translucent- colors, as I have never used them: I think they are see-through? So if I back them with gunpowder gray, they'll look pretty dark red, which is what I want.

And then, last, a PS black as backer, for the whole thing. Black is always cool especially if you don't have mud wells etc. (which the Gladiator has), because it makes the 'upside down' look sexier

(don't look up the skirt!)

 

[high plains drifter]

I sometimes do black as a final coat inside... even after using translucent color and backing with white or silver. BUT that doesn't always yield good results as sometimes you think that everything is backed sufficiently with your white or silver and BAM... that black will immediately show you where the color or backer wasn't applied evenly or as thoroughly as it first appeared. Plus, even with a body fully painted and backed in white or silver, a final coat of black will typically darken everything a shade or two. But sometimes I use black if applicable in order to make the inside that may be visible at certain angles, as realistic/ 1:1 as possible ( especially around wheel wells). I have found that if you are going to do a final final coat in black, that silver is a bit more forgiving than white as your backer but will also make many translucent color schemes come out a bit darker. Adding a final coat of black behind translucent colors and white or silver backer is a risky move truth be told, so be mindful of that.

Many lightly applied even layers is the way to go... even more critical if using translucent paint. Try to allow as much dry-time between coats as you can... not fully cured but at least dry to the touch until you have a few coats built up and then allow more time to dry between coats and before backing. And check and double-check your window masks to make sure edges are fully burnished/ adhered to the lexan. I try to go over the masked edges with a thumbnail/ fingernail right up to just minutes before applying the first coats... just in case the mask lifts a bit over time. More flexible ( plastic type) masking tape material is more prone to lifting and shrinking ( due to the elasticity) than stiffer matte-type tapes like 3M blue tape, frog-tape, etc. Corners of window masks are especially susceptible to bleed-under. Keeping hands/ fingers clean during prep is a good practice as well.

Even after the first coat or two, some types of masking material are still prone to lifting and shrinking so keep that in mind. I much prefer using larger masking sheets cut to fit. The advantage is that you are able to assure that your mask meets exactly where the relief/ contours of your windows are on the actual lexan. More often than not, the included window masks that come with clear lexan bodies do NOT match up perfectly to the contours of the lexan. Just depends how important it is that the lines of your windows perfectly match the molded body lines.

Fwiw- Using translucent paint ( at least for me) takes a bit more patience because those first few coats appear so very light and colorless that it's tempting to spray heavier/ thicker coats which is where problems can start to occur with bleeding, runs, etc. Often, translucent paint requires more coats than a paint color that is more opaque but just be sure to take your time as you build up those thin layers.

Final thought here- The absolute best thing that I got into the habit of doing was to use scrap pieces of lexan and test the color(s) and backer(s). This has saved my a** many times... when I thought a combnation of certain colors and/ or backers would work but instead looked like crap. It adds time to the project but for all but the most basic painting jobs, doing a test run on a scrap can be a lifesaver. It will also give you an idea of how many coats you'll need to achieve the results you're after. Crazy how the same paint color can vary so much depending on the number of coats and backing color.

This was my long-winded post for the day so apologies for rambling but maybe you'll find something useful within all of this lol. Looking fwd to seeing how your project goes..

 

[Reezo]

This is a goldmine of good info, thanks! I have never worked with translucent so this is more than preparing me to the mayhem. I have spare lexan parts that I'll test, because nothing beats doing a test run on some snippets of cutout material. I am thinking maybe backing the translucent right away with silver, waiting AND THEN going black for the full pass is going to work better. Straight ahead gunpowder behind the translucent might be too dark.

But, truth be told, I AM shooting for a darker vibe, I wouldn't want the red to be obvious, and the gunpowder doesn't hurt to me if it goes a couple steps lower than 'stock Axial grey' for the Gladiator. It will make orange stickers come out better, I guess

This said, I still like the red I have and it's taking some amazing beating (I shot a lot of footage today, on the rocks) and for that reason, you know how it is: once you start beating a body, the love for it grows. Lookatthoseskreetches

Oh and I broke my 3d-printed snorkel, AGAIN. I gotta find myself a molded one, although you'll see the rollovers I had, my Crawler Gauntlet is NASTY.

 

[VoltSCX]

This is a goldmine of good info, thanks! I have never worked with translucent so this is more than preparing me to the mayhem. I have spare lexan parts that I'll test, because nothing beats doing a test run on some snippets of cutout material. I am thinking maybe backing the translucent right away with silver, waiting AND THEN going black for the full pass is going to work better. Straight ahead gunpowder behind the translucent might be too dark.

But, truth be told, I AM shooting for a darker vibe, I wouldn't want the red to be obvious, and the gunpowder doesn't hurt to me if it goes a couple steps lower than 'stock Axial grey' for the Gladiator. It will make orange stickers come out better, I guess

This said, I still like the red I have and it's taking some amazing beating (I shot a lot of footage today, on the rocks) and for that reason, you know how it is: once you start beating a body, the love for it grows. Lookatthoseskreetches

Oh and I broke my 3d-printed snorkel, AGAIN. I gotta find myself a molded one, although you'll see the rollovers I had, my Crawler Gauntlet is NASTY.

I don't have any painting experience, so I can't comment on that part, but what I will say is that I think the stock grey color might be nearly perfect for what you're going for. It's fairly dark in person, too much darker and it'd be black. The metallic sparkles look really nice, and it might go well with a darker red or maroon.

 

[Reezo]

I don't have any painting experience, so I can't comment on that part, but what I will say is that I think the stock grey color might be nearly perfect for what you're going for. It's fairly dark in person, too much darker and it'd be black. The metallic sparkles look really nice, and it might go well with a darker red or maroon.

You mean Axial's stock grey for the Gladiator? I am indeed looking straight at one of the original bodies for sale but so far it seems nobody is selling one, and the only official replacement is a clear body.l from Axial.

Hopefully someone will sell their grey body alone and I'll definitely buy it. I should place a WTB here...

 

[VoltSCX]

You mean Axial's stock grey for the Gladiator? I am indeed looking straight at one of the original bodies for sale but so far it seems nobody is selling one, and the only official replacement is a clear body.l from Axial.

Hopefully someone will sell their grey body alone and I'll definitely buy it. I should place a WTB here...

Aw man, that sucks. A WTB post might be a good idea, maybe someone will have their stock body sitting around somewhere. I still have my old red body (not that I'm gonna get rid of it, but still), it's sitting in my closet somewhere.

 

[Reezo]

Thanks! Indeed I also love the red body, it grew on me especially after adding details, but I'd still get an additional body just in case, in grey!