Author Topic: Clear Coats  (Read 1776 times)

Offline rolanddvi

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Clear Coats
« on: October 01, 2019, 08:10:31 AM »
Hello Everyone,

I have been using Testors gloss and flat clearcoats for a long while but recently started using Tamiya brand. After applying decals to a WNW Pfalz D.IIIa and letting them dry for 3 days I clear coated using the Tamiya gloss. It did not turn out well. Don't know if it was a bad batch? Looking for what others use for Matt, Semi-Gloss and Gloss coverage. The Tamiya and Testors I think are lacquers. Is there an alternative solution?

Thanks,
Mike

Offline aircare84

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2019, 09:02:32 AM »
Mike,
I have been using for years, Xtracolor flat & Testors Gloss coats.
They are both lacquer products though, so I usually mist several fine coats so they won't react with any enamels I have used for the paint coats.
Another product I really like, is MRP. Another lacquer, but I have had good luck with their clear coats as well.
I never got the hang of acrylics myself, so use they occasionally in my builds.
Larry

Offline Alexis

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2019, 09:09:32 AM »
Hi Mike ,

I use both and have never had any issues with them . For the testors I use their bottle dull coat and thin with department store brand lacquer thinner . But I don't use their gloss coat .

Tamiya I use their acrylic line of paints including their clear coats and I thin them with their yellow cap lacquer thinner . I also use their new line of lacquer paints and to thin them I use department store lac-thinner or their thinner for this paint line .

I thin to a ratio of 70/30 or 60/40 ( thinner /paint) and the paints spray beautiful even the clears . I spray thin layers letting drying time in between and build up the clear . Flat coating I just mist the surface to dull the finish . I don't lay this coat down thick . Once the decals are dried I seal them with more clear .


What went wrong with the finish ?



Terri
Hurra ! , Ich Leben Noch
Body and life is a vessel we use to travel the planet . Femininity is the gift , The miracle comes from what we do with it .

Offline Robin

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2019, 09:11:25 AM »
Ouch! I shun the Tamiya varnish (rattle can TS-13) like the plague. Maybe it works great on Tamiya, but I had it munching away other paint brands....and decals. :(
I use Vallejo....brush, airbrush and can without problems. I'm no varnish expert tough.

Hope you can fix it....such a shame when it ruined your model :o

Best of luck,

Robin
Found my mojo and clipped it's wings, so it won't fly away.

Offline coyotemagic

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2019, 01:01:28 PM »
My absolute favorite is Mr. Hobby Topcoat, flat, semi-gloss and gloss.  It's acrylic in a rattle can and will not harm any other paints or decals.  Dries smooth, fast and hard.  Hard as hell to find, though, so my back up is any spray artists varnish. 
Cheers,
Bud
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream in the dark recesses of the night awake in the day to find all was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, and make it possible." -T. E. Lawrence

Offline Edo

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2019, 02:53:28 PM »
hey Mike,
i had a fiew problems with tamiya too, but can you be more precise on what went wrong?
different problems, different solutions!
ciao
edo

Offline rolanddvi

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2019, 04:46:31 AM »
Yes, things were OK when I used the Tamiya clear gloss. I then used Pheon decals for the national markings and let dry for three days. After that I sprayed more Tamiya gloss to seal the decals. The next day the decals on the top wing had lots of small bubbles. The decals on the lower wing had a ton of very small cracks?

Mike

Offline AlbertD

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2019, 01:07:01 PM »
I use Tamiya acrylic clear under and on top of decals including WNW with no problems at all. I thin it about 50/50 with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner. Using this thinner it's also very forgiving. I wonder did you use any setting solutions on the decals that could have weakened them?

Offline Robin

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2019, 05:59:44 PM »
The problems I had (years ago) was with the spray can varnish. Perhaps it's a solvent used in spray cans only?  :-\

Robin
Found my mojo and clipped it's wings, so it won't fly away.

Offline Borsos

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2019, 08:36:21 PM »
I never had any problems with Mr Hobby flat and gloss varnishes, taken from the glass jar and shot by airbrush after diluting with some alcohol. Everything else I‘ve ever tried was crap in some way...
Andreas
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Offline rolanddvi

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2019, 10:24:10 AM »
Thank you all for your input. I bought a can of Vallejo Acrylic Matt to experiment with. I am also going to order the Mr Hobby flat and gloss and do some additional testing. I'll post the results when done.

Thanks!!

Mike

Offline Alexis

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Re: Clear Coats
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2019, 10:48:42 AM »
I Mike , I also use the Vallejo acrylic matt . Apply this in thin layers and build it up . If you lay it on thick it will dry with a white frost to it .

Found out the hard way .....




Terri
Hurra ! , Ich Leben Noch
Body and life is a vessel we use to travel the planet . Femininity is the gift , The miracle comes from what we do with it .