first time i post on this subject anytime on pinside as everyone will use what they find best for them and what materials they can find easy....i have been doing stencil work for more than 40 years...cars,bikes,custom signs and for the last 7 years or so pinball and arcade cabinets..i use lacquer paint only..this was the paint that was used on most pinball cabinets and arcade games thru the early 80's..there is a reason for this..lacquer paint dries within minutes and you will not get raised stencil lines or choppy edges..i understand most of you will never get the chance to try lacquer paint but this was the paint used when your cabinet left the factory so if you want a true restoration this is the paint to use..no real waiting time when shooting multiple stencils and colors..i have always made my own stencils from cereal boxes..yes im sure many here will laugh hard at this but this type of heavy card stock is easy to work with.i was taught this way of painting and stencil making from a long dead custom car painter in the middle 70's..i helped a few pinsiders paint their cabinets but they insisted i use enamel based paint and i was happy to help as thats what they wanted..best advice is to practice,practice and then practice some more until you see and feel how the paint you are using reacts..no matter what you paint you use dont be critical of your own work.more than likely you are the only one to notice your flaws and most people never see the mistakes,only the painter see them..good luck

both..but i only have black and white in nitrocellulose lacquer. from the old days...you can not buy lacquer paint legally in the state of cal. but that is were they still make it and sell it from..look up autocolorlibrary on the net..they sell acrylic lacquer paint for cars and i have been getting it from them for years..they also sell a brand called restoration supply that is very good...i also discovered that if i am painting say a 1976 chicago coin shoot out arcade game,i can find the colors and paint they used by looking at the color charts of the paint used on most cars. from that year...mostly gm but other ford colors used on arcade games..no question the quality of todays lacquer paint is not as good as the old days but for arcade and pin cabinets its fine.to answer other question posted i have not had runs ever on cabinets as paint flashes fast enough to avoid this..i should also mention when doing stencil work i learned to fan the paint on in quick strokes instead of shooting one or two direct coats..sometimes 4 fan coats moving the gun very quickly..i remove stencils after maybe 2 minutes or so..i leave a bit of over spray same as the factory did....i read many threads on pinside on making stencils and how to paint etc..do not believe that there is only one way to correctly re-paint and stencil a cabinet..its just not so...new machines to make stencils,newer better paint.and a vast wealth of knowledge on how some people do it..it depends on what you are looking for in the end result..i like the factory look..that means not perfect with some over spray etc..but as example there is photos on pinside of game i helped a good friend paint.when finished i thought it looked fantastic as he made his own stencils and i just did the easy part and shot the color..he hated the over spray to the point of asking me if i could fix and remove all the spray..i removed all over spray and he was thrilled to death..i let him know that i thought it looked to good,not factory looking and i called it a "carnival" job as thats how i saw it....any of you that own 60s and 70s pins with orig. paint work can see for yourself the over spray and imperfections on the paint from the factory.i love this and believe it gives character to the machine.my son does not at all care for it and expects me to shoot paint perfect..i dont care really what paint is used,home made or store bought stencils..the key is to get off your ass and not worry and give it a try..you will learn whats the best way for you and what materials to use..it really is the only way..you have nothing to gain by not trying it yourself.very rewarding and how could the machine look worse?.think you should turn the cabinet so you can better shoot the color? then do it and dont concern yourself that some one else does not do it this way or that way.you will get better with practice and every time you re do a cabinet it will look better and go faster because of what you have learned on your own..again..do not hesitate or think you can not do this so it looks good..you will be your worse critic and others will ask you to help them....these lasts posts are the longest i have made on pinside.i had serious medical problem 8 years ago.my grammar,memory,and other brain functions are almost gone so i dont make long post or posts to show how or what i have painted or built etc as people dwell on my spelling and not what im trying to say..but i feel very very strongly on telling or helping others to paint,weld and try new things instead of just dreaming about it..i am not trying to hijack this thread in any way...get a piece of plywood,make some stencils and start to practice until you feel like shooting color on your cabinet

i knew how to use return button at 6am when i woke up.by 1pm i did not remember.thats why i dont post so much

thanks!!