Paint Alterative / Sign Painters One Shot

[jwrass]

To All:

I thought I would put together a post on using Sign Painters One Shot as an alternative to common modeling enamels, I have some 40 plus years’ experience with these products and they are a great alternative to the common enamel modeling paints. I have used these products on styrene, resin models and corplas plastic sign blanks (corplas is a styrene sign blank material) with great results.

A little History first. When I first started Freehand Lettering and Pin-Striping in 1972 their where several companies that manufactured what was often called bulletin colors that were made for painting signage on everything from buildings to vehicles, etc. This was before the advent of the vinyl lettering that started in the early 80s. Kenneth Howard (AKA Von Dutch) who started the pin striping craze in Southern California in the 50s Used Bulletin colors for striping as his father was a sign writer and Dutch had an ample supply of paint and brushes to choose from. There are a few companies that still manufacture lettering enamel, however One Shot would be the most recognizable and available as a complete paint package. I thought it would be prudent to give some paint product history to get to where we are going on the tips and tricks of using this product.

One Shot brand is an Oil Based Enamel Paint.

One Shot Comes in 46 colors which in that palette are Silver, Gold, And Copper. All colors can be intermixed without any problems; they are 100% compatible. They also have 10 Pearlescent colors and 8 Fluorescent colors, a tinting White a tinting Black and Clear Coat. All are 100% Compatible. The range of the color palette is only limited by one’s imagination. The clear can be tinted with any of the colors to make some interesting candies.

They are also great for washes and fine details.

They have their own line of reducers Fast/Med/Slow, a Hardener Additive and a Flatting Paste.

Tip #1) Very economical! You can purchase a 4 oz. can for between $7.45 to $12.99 which when thinned to spray can yield 8 to 12 oz. For brushing use straight out of the can with a touch of thinner. (see tip #6)

Tip #2) You do not have to use their reducers! Mineral Spirits or Turpentine work fine.

Tip #3) If you want to add a hardener to the paint you do not have to use their brand, even though it is Oil Based in composition I have used PPG and HOK urethane hardeners with no adverse reaction.

Tip #4) You can reduce this product for spraying with lacquer thinner for faster drying times with no adverse effects. I know the rules...... enamels and lacquers don't mix and that is true however, in this case this product breaks the rules!
You probably have seen all the fades and cartoons etc. on the lettering of all of the 1:1 Revell Funny Cars and Top Fuel Cars of the 70s these were all done in a process called wet on wet. The main copy was all hand lettered with straight One Shot, the fades and highlights were done with One Shot thinned with lacquer thinner. I know this to be a true from personal experience as well talking with many of the people who originally painted these cars back in the day whom now I can call brothers of the brush. I worshiped and read about these guys in all the magazines and tried to emulate them at any chance I got. Through the Pinhead and Letterhead Movement that started in the 80s, I have attended many charitable panel Jams since 1985. I have had the honor to push paint around with some of the greats. In my world these people are like Rock Stars! The stories I have heard about the heyday of custom painting some of the greatest cars of all time makes my head spin!

Tip #5) Use a good brush when applying this product, not modeling stumps. Purchase some good natural squirrel hair lettering Quills like a Mack 179 brown, Mack 189 grey or French Masters Series 3173. Sizes # 0 and 1 will work great for most hand brushed parts. They do make brushes in smaller sizes 00, 000, 0000 or you can trim a 0 to your liking. The grey hair is a little stiffer than the brown, the brown being a bit friendlier. Either brush with this paint should flow out dead flat

Tip #6) Palette the paint into the brush! Meaning: Dip the brush in the paint and stoke it back and forth on a shiny magazine page, fully load the brush to the shape you want, all the hairs of the brush should be wet, if you overload the brush stroke it off to a portion of the palette that has no paint to get the consistency and shape of the brush you desire. If the brush starts to drag or pull, lightly dip your brush into a small container of clean thinner and work that into the paint to get the consistency you want. Repeat this process as you paint.

Tip #7) Triple clean your brush! Meaning: Have 3 containers with clean thinner in them (I use Shot glasses) rinse in #1 through # 3 gently pulling any of the paint from the ferrule of the brush, by the time you get to the # 3 container the brush should be free from paint.

Tip #8) Oil the clean brush with a good brush oil. You can use any motor oil as long as it’s non-detergent. Oil the brush, shape it and lay it flat.

Tip #9) One Shot can be cleared with acrylic lacquer and urethanes as long as you use the harder with no lifting.

Tip #10) When you go to use the brush again clean the oil out of the brush with clean thinner. Now I know some of you are thinking fish eyes! One Shot is an oil based product, any trace amount of oil that could remain in a cleaned brush is compatible with the paint, no fish eyes!

This paint typically dries in 4 to 6 hours with maybe a slight tack. 12 to 24 hours no sticky, no finger prints and it can be waxed after 24 hours although I prefer a paint sealer that will breath. If you use the harder dry times are typically cut in half. After 7 to 10 days you can scuff and buff. The only limit you have with this product in terms of colors and the sheen you want is your imagination. Always test and practice before you commit.

Here's a link to all things One Shot, some great tutorials as well  www.1shot.com

In closing I hope that you find this post informational. If you have any questions you can post them here or P.M. me and I will respond.

Respectfully Submitted,

James Rasmussen. AKA Jimmy “RASS”

[fordrodnkustom]

Very interesting and informative post. I'm sure it will useful to many. I'm going to order up a tin of gloss and flat black for brushing details. Most the hobby paints just do not perform as they once did(less pigment?). Thanks for posting.

Some striping I had done on my bike. The artist used One Shot enamels.

[jwrass]

Ron,

Great looking H.D. I attend many panel jams and events through out the year.... Who did the striping I may know them. With regards to the One Shot they do not make a flat paint you have to add the flattening paste to the gloss to make a flat.... The really nice thing about that you can mix it to what ever sheen you want from dead flat to anything in between.

Thank you for the kind words.

Jimmy "RASS"

[fordrodnkustom]

Jan 31, 2017 19:29:01 GMT -5 jwrass said:

Ron,

Great looking H.D. I attend many panel jams and events through out the year.... Who did the striping I may know them. With regards to the One Shot they do not make a flat paint you have to add the flattening paste to the gloss to make a flat.... The really nice thing about that you can mix it to what ever sheen you want from dead flat to anything in between.

Thank you for the kind words.

Jimmy "RASS"

Thanks. The work was done by a fellow called "Letterfly". He had quite a few panels displayed around his tent.

[jwrass]

Ron,

I know of Letterfly.... His work has been in some national publications. He also hangs out on a few custom paint forums that I frequent! As seen here...He does Great work!

Jimmy "RASS"

[Mr.409]

That was a very interesting post. Big thanks for taking the time and effort to post it! In fact, I've often thought about getting all of the supplies needed to try pinstriping and I'd definitely use that skill on my models too. This post together with "Wizzzard's" Pinstriping book might just be everything I need to try. It's not easy, but I think the results would be worth it in the end.

Here in Finland there are several very talented pinstripers/custom painters and I've often drooled over their work at car shows. Thanks for the great tips, I'll pick up a "starter kit" next time I see Pinstriping Finland's booth at a car show.

[jwrass]

Hey 409,

Thank You!

I laughed when I saw this one.... Steve Chaszeyka (Wizzard) and I are good friends..... I live 25 miles South of Milwaukee, Wi. I worked in Wizzard's booth for Harley's 100th and 110th. Great guy.... Awesome talent. This will blow your mind... H.D.s 100th was a amazing event,in the ten days we worked the event total take was just shy of 35k!!! Not bad for 10 days work!

If you need any help while pursuing the craft... Give me a shout.... I'll help anyway I can..... Join the party of the paint pushers... It's a blast!!

Jimmy "RASS"

[jwrass]

Here's a little One Shot Eye Candy!

        Edit #1: I tried to post some pictures, however they wouldn't take. I'll try again later.

       

        Edit #2: Just like directions it helps to read changes in the forum... I will post via my photobucket account.

        "RASS"

[Mr.409]

Feb 1, 2017 18:39:30 GMT -5 jwrass said:

Hey 409,

Thank You!

I laughed when I saw this one.... Steve Chaszeyka (Wizzard) and I are good friends..... I live 25 miles South of Milwaukee, Wi. I worked in Wizzard's booth for Harley's 100th and 110th. Great guy.... Awesome talent. This will blow your mind... H.D.s 100th was a amazing event,in the ten days we worked the event total take was just shy of 35k!!! Not bad for 10 days work!

If you need any help while pursuing the craft... Give me a shout.... I'll help anyway I can..... Join the party of the paint pushers... It's a blast!!

Jimmy "RASS"

Actually I meant a Finnish pinstriper, Pekka "Wizzzard" Mannermaa (with three z's ), he wrote a book about pinstriping a few years ago. But I just watched some of Steve C's work in the internet and that looks fantastic as well!

I'm sure I'll have some more questions when I get the supplies and start practising. I've wanted to try this for a long time so I think now would be the time to do that.

Here's a picture of "Wizzzard's" Buick Riviera:

[jwrass]

409/Nico,

The Riv look great.... Old School...love it! I cut my teeth with custom painting in the late 60 and early 70s. Fades, Freak Drops, Lace. Fish Scale, What's old is new again and I am really stoked about it!

I'd like to get the book that the Wizzzard wrote...Is their a English version?

I tried to post a few pictures of some of my work and I can't get them to take.... How did you post yours.

Hey get those supplies and start slinging some paint....

Jimmy "RASS"

[Mr.409]

Jimmy, unfortunately the book is in Finnish only, I've read it a couple of times and it has some great tips for a beginner. And I agree, the Riviera is really nice. I forgot to say that he also publishes one of the best magazines that I've seen here in Finland. It's called Old Kool (www.oldkoolmag.com/).

To post pics you'll have to upload them somewhere in the internet but as you already had Photobucket, click the picture to open it bigger in PB and "Copy Image Location" with right hand button of your mouse. Then just paste that link in here by clicking that "Insert Image" icon that is the 7th one from right just above the text box when you're posting a reply. Hope this helps.

[jwrass]

Niko,

Thanks for the help on posting the Photos! I'll give it a whirl when I get home tonight. I checked out old kool and ordered the latest issue.

Their is a U.K. publication called Pinstriping & Kustom graphics magazine, It's really great as well! www.pandkg.com check it out!

Again Thanks!

"RASS"

[fordrodnkustom]

Feb 1, 2017 12:50:03 GMT -5 jwrass said:

Ron,

I know of Letterfly.... His work has been in some national publications. He also hangs out on a few custom paint forums that I frequent! As seen here...He does Great work!

Jimmy "RASS"

Cool. I agree about his quality of work. I didn't know exactly what I wanted, just said "Von Dutch style stripes" and he knew exactly what I wanted and nailed it. He said "you'll never see another one like it". I thought that was extremely cool. If I ever see him set up around here again I have one more piece I'd like to have done on the front fender.

Also on the PIC posting, The way Niko described might or might not work at this time. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to post pics from photo hosting sites. H.T.H.

drasticplastics.proboards.com/thread/1747/posting-photos-models-easy

[jwrass]

Ron,

Stripers and their designs are like snowflakes.... No two are alike!

One thing I really love about the craft and the people who appreciate it is that our designs are not perfect.... We try to be, however there is something to be said about the free form imperfect laying of the line.... it has a personality..... It's not a sticker.... We don't need no stinking stickers.......

Thank you for helping me with the photos, I'm going to try to post a few tonight.

Peace..... Jimmy "RASS"

[jwrass]

Please don't call me a Idiot or Moron....I'd prefer Challenged LOL

Thanks to Ron and Michael for the tips on photo posting here.... I have read looked at and tried everything that was suggested.

I am trying to post some of my Custom Paint Work and I just cant get them to post! When I go to photobucket select my album, select IMG and paste to site I get thread of a zillion characters (maybe not that many) I'm dying here fellas..... Any HELP for the Village Idiot would kindly be appreciated!

Jimmy "RASS"