I’ll second Brians comment. Buy the best paint for the job, take your time, and remember an adage from a friend at Westlands    Piss poor preparation prevents proper product performance !

If it’s a working model try to run it and be sure that all works correctly BEFORE painting. Trying to undo paint filled screw slots not only often ruins the screw but wrecks the paintwork ! Good Luck. Noel.

Vine’s book is certainly an interesting and worthwhile read. His results are near perfection but some may be rather daunted by his no-compromise approach.

I could never see myself achieving good results with a brush, except on quite small components and maybe spoked wheels. For platework etc. I have a cheap Badger airbrush (~£20,) which gives quite acceptable results by my standards. I’ve used Precision Paints and Humbrol gloss enamal, although this latter seems less widely stocked these days.

Rattle cans can give reasonable results with practice.

A good-sized workspace and a decent airbrush compressor are nice things to have.

Many years ago I watched a TV program about the behind the scenes at Rolls Royce.  One of the interviews was with a coach painter, who said that the best possible paint finish could only be achieved with a brush.  He then went on to explain the process of many layers, painted on in different directions and then how it was all rubbed down in between coats.  All very interesting and way beyond the vast majority of us but I always remember him saying that the best finish could only be achieved with a brush.

One of the best paints I have ever applied, with a brush although I’m sure it could be sprayed as well, is Craftmaster Coach Enamel.  It glides on beautifully, settles perfectly and is an absolute joy to apply.

This is Crimson Lake:

In 1969 I put an ex MOD champ on the road, a NEW registration in the September, most people thought it was a new vehicle, why? It was brush painted with Valspar ! It still looked good 25 years later ! Noel.