High speed color matching woes. Help would be great.

I'm touching up my high speed and it's kicking my a$$. I'm Uasually very good at matching colors but the gray or olive color on the highway is KILLING ME. I went to sherwin Williams and the match they gave me isn't right. I've down loaded color matching apps and they all suck. I've looked for the color coder online from others restorations. Nothing. Does anyone have a good color code that matches very well. I may have to get as close a possible and repaint the whole highway but I really don't want to. Any help would be appreciated greatly. Thanks.

#2 12 years ago

CAT

Butterflygirl24

Pinside member

12y 84,575 1,450

Hi,
I have done a couple HS PFs...and yes that highway color is a pain to match...I am not sure what kind of paint you are using, but I use Americana acrylics (they need to be cleared over to seal them).
I have found that every PF is different no matter if they are the same title or not, because they have all had different lives, so the amount of yellowing or discoloration is different with each.

For the road on HS I use a mixture of

neutral Grey and Avocado dip

If this is too dark,

try slate grey and celery green...

As I said it is hard to tell exactly which will be closer without seeing it in person, but hopefully that gives you some more options to try.

I usually end up going with the find the closest match out of the bottle (cause I would hate to be mixing and have to mix another batch mid PF)...and repainting the entire area...yes it takes forever especially in the case of a PF like Bad Cats, Comet, or Cyclone (repainted around all those little people and stuff on the PF by hand) but in the long run it ends up being the only way I am satisfied with it.

Phoebe

#3 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Yes I'm using American and I do have those colors. I'm not sure I've tried those combos so I'll get right on it. If I know I'm barking up the right tree I'll be more patient I think. Thanks. I couldn't imagine painting comet like that. I did a comet about a year ago for a friend. I painted over the men and printed them out on decal paper then applied them. It looked perfect after auto clear was applied. To this day every time I play his comet all I can see is the two little men I put in the wrong place. Lol. Oh well no one notices but me. Thanks for the tip. Another question, what do you use to get rid of brush strokes? Retarder with several thin coats is the best way I've found but I'm not happy with the way it looks. I now mask off with frisket and airbrush almost everything but then I have a ridge around the edge of the paint I have to knock down. Don't like it either. I'm way to much of a perfectionist to ever be happy with my work. I'm getting better with every restore but I want to be perfect damn it.

#4 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Looks like I have light avocado not avocado dip. Hmm. Guess I'll try combos of all 4 suggestions.

#5 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

I'm such a dummy. Last week michaels had all their American paints on sale for 77¢. I went in and bought all the greens and grays and blues .... Anyways. All the ones I didn't have that I might need for HS. I had forgotten untill Phoebe mentioned them. mixed neutral gray and light avocado, looks very good. Thanks again BFgirl

#6 12 years ago

HBS

herbertbsharp

Pinside+ Frequent

Ballston Spa, NY

12y 146K 6,106 23 24 2

Thank you too! I have to touch up the same color on HS and its such a pain, I'll try this when I get home

#7 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Started with neutral gray and added a brush full of the light avocado and tried 5-6 different shades with more green each time. After letting them dry it was to dark. I did the same with the slate gray and it looks perfect.

#8 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

I need to to this to my HS, I was gonna use enamels so I did not have to clear coat, as the areas needing attention is small, my question is can you mix enamels?. Any tips on doing the black lines around the inserts? I was just gonna use a testors black paint pen and free hand it the best I can, if theres another way I would like to know? Thanks

#9 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Dont know if its the best way but I use frisket film, a circle cutter and an airbrush or paint brush depending on how much i have to do. I use golden brand airbrush paint, carbon black. Ive never used enamels for anything other than black and whtie so ive never mixed them. I know you can mix them and its not as easy as mixing acrylics but thats the extent of my knowledge on enamels. The frisket film can be bought at michaels for $15.00 in 9x11 sheets. Ten i think. And the circle cutter is $5. It makes perfect key lines. Well as perfect as anything pinball gets.

key_1.JPG

#10 12 years ago

CAT

Butterflygirl24

Pinside member

12y 84,575 1,450

Quoted from Jeff_PHX_AZ:
I need to to this to my HS, I was gonna use enamels so I did not have to clear coat, as the areas needing attention is small, my question is can you mix enamels?. Any tips on doing the black lines around the inserts? I was just gonna use a testors black paint pen and free hand it the best I can, if theres another way I would like to know? Thanks

If you are going to clear it...you don't want to use Testors, or Sharpie on it...as they will bleed when cleared...I free hand it with a paint brush.

Phoebe

#11 12 years ago

CAL

Wickedquickss

Inactive member

Louisville, KY

12y 32,650 915 1 11

is the playfield out? our local paint wholesaler has a paint code machine called a "profit" it has a eye that analizes the color and spits out a code....never done it for a pin but we have for many cars...even match a car with 50 year old plain...pretty neat..it will also need to be cleared over for your pin...just a idea...might be on the wrong track though...but worth a try

#12 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

Quoted from Butterflygirl24:
Jeff_PHX_AZ said:I need to to this to my HS, I was gonna use enamels so I did not have to clear coat, as the areas needing attention is small, my question is can you mix enamels?. Any tips on doing the black lines around the inserts? I was just gonna use a testors black paint pen and free hand it the best I can, if theres another way I would like to know? Thanks
If you are going to clear it...you don't want to use Testors, or Sharpie on it...as they will bleed when cleared...I free hand it with a paint brush.
Phoebe

no clearing

#13 12 years ago

MAT

Anim8ormatt

Inactive member

Highlands Ranch, CO

12y 54,400 2,193 5 21

TAxi has the same color for it's streets. It is such a pain to match!

#14 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from the_pin_family:
Dont know if its the best way but I use frisket film, a circle cutter and an airbrush or paint brush depending on how much i have to do. I use golden brand airbrush paint, carbon black. Ive never used enamels for anything other than black and whtie so ive never mixed them. I know you can mix them and its not as easy as mixing acrylics but thats the extent of my knowledge on enamels. The frisket film can be bought at michaels for $15.00 in 9x11 sheets. Ten i think. And the circle cutter is $5. It makes perfect key lines. Well as perfect as anything pinball gets.

Attachments key_1.JPG (510.9 KB, 0 downloads) 2 hours old

Thanks for that info, but the circle cutter thing I dont understand as most of the inserts are triangle shaped, 5 are circles.

#15 12 years ago

SAM

Stavs

Inactive member

Easton, PA

15y 18,900 166 5 15

Quoted from Butterflygirl24:
Hi,
I have done a couple HS PFs...
Phoebe

And one of them was mine!

#16 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

I use the circle cutter an the round inserts and the curves on triangle inserts and a straight edge to connect the curves.

#17 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from the_pin_family:
I use the circle cutter an the round inserts and the curves on triangle inserts and a straight edge to connect the curves.

Gotcha pin_family, so the friskit and circle cutter can be had at michaels craft stores? Theres a hobby lobby close by to me as well.

#18 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

pin_family are you clearcoating the entire PF? I'am not clearing the whole PF on mine when done, but was thinking spot clearing the small touch ups I have to do though! I suppose I will brush the clear on, as the spots are about the size of a "nickel" so spraying it dont make sense to me. If you can help me on the type of clear that can be brushed on, or just for me to get enamel paints and dont worry about the spot clear. Oh and what is "friskit" and the purpose of it? Thanks

#19 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Frisket film is a clear, low adhesive plastic much like Mylar. It comes in letter size sheets and rolls Uasually 14-28 in wide and lengths of 10-40 yards. I don't think it would help you much for what your doing. I cover the whole playfield with it and cut out everything I want to paint. I then peal off what I've cut out. It leaves a masking of frisket over what I don't want to paint. Once everything is exposed I can airbrush say, the key lines. Once dry pull up the frisket leaving perfect( well perfect as I can cut out) key lines. Or what ever I'm doing. I use it on the white under all the plastics a lot also. As far as the brush on clear, I don't remember the name of what I used last. When I get home I can let you know.

#20 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from the_pin_family:
Frisket film is a clear, low adhesive plastic much like Mylar. It comes in letter size sheets and rolls Uasually 14-28 in wide and lengths of 10-40 yards. I don't think it would help you much for what your doing. I cover the whole playfield with it and cut out everything I want to paint. I then peal off what I've cut out. It leaves a masking of frisket over what I don't want to paint. Once everything is exposed I can airbrush say, the key lines. Once dry pull up the frisket leaving perfect( well perfect as I can cut out) key lines. Or what ever I'm doing. I use it on the white under all the plastics a lot also. As far as the brush on clear, I don't remember the name of what I used last. When I get home I can let you know.

Ok great, Thanks. My wife says going with enamels would be better but she dont understand the mixing of paint to get it to match, especially the grays and the different shades of red around the flipper areas. Jeff

#21 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member

What color are you using to match the white on the playfield? The white up by the upper flipper seems like an off white, as when i put on pure white in the area seems to stand out big time. i'am using enamels so I'am also having a difficult time matching the right gray for the highway on HS. I may just do the highway in acrylics since the color match is mentioned above, but need to know what color white to use, thanks.

#22 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

Havent gotten there yet. I cut all the white out today so tomorrow morning im going to match it. Ill let you know then.

#23 12 years ago

CAT

Butterflygirl24

Pinside member

12y 84,575 1,450

I use Either Buttermilk or Light Buttermilk Americana Acrylic for the white areas...depending on how yellowed they are.

Phoebe

#24 12 years ago

AJD

the_pin_family

Inactive member

http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/ColorChart.cgi?Americana_Acrylics

Im waiting for it to warm up a little. I need to go to michaels and i want to take the bike. Phoebes advice is what i would go with over my own so I would reccomend you do the same. This might help, its american acrylics color chart.

#25 12 years ago

JEF

Jeff_PHX_AZ

Pinside member