Search the Community

I came across a note on a model shop website saying that Revive It (the replacement for Future/Klear) is no longer distributed in the UK. Sure enough, it has been discontinued on Amazon. A quick search of the net would suggest this is indeed the case, with sites marking it as out of stock or selling it at ridiculous prices - and/or ridiculous shipping. However I did find this supplier on eBay at the normal(ish) price of £12.99 I have a 3/4 full bottle, but bought another 'just in case' (I knocked over a previous bottle and lost most of it!). I know there are alternatives to Future, but once I become used to a product and know its strengths and weaknesses, finding and testing alternatives is a PITA I could do without. The biggest concern for replacement products is how it lasts over time (e.g. does it yellow?). Anyway, this is just a heads-up for anyone else who is a future fan. Cheers, Colin

I'm contacting the BM Brains Trust to see if someone can give me a steer. I've been using Pledge to dip canopies and have found it works ok but have recently come across a problem. I've dipped a canopy and wicked the surplus off (or at least I thought I had) but now it's dry, there seem to be a couple of small runs, or distortions, on the part. I've re-dipped it and tried washing it off in warm soapy water as suggested in this thread that Shaun began some years ago, but it hasn't lifted it off. I've decided to give ammonia a try as it's listed as a removal agent on the back of the Pledge bottle but most everyday window cleaning products seem to have had ammonia replaced with vinegar, and I can't find a screenwash that contains it either. I have found some household ammonia on Amazon though. From what I gather from the Q & A's, it's 5-9.5% strength (even though it's advertised as 100% ammonia) so I'm wondering: (a) Should I dilute it further before dipping the canopy in it and (b) how long should I leave it before washing it off? The canopies in question are for a discontinued 1/72 scale TSR2 from Airfix, so I know I won't be able to get a replacement part and I don't want to ruin them! Does anyone know please?

Humbrol Clear (125ml) I should start this review with an apology to Humbrol. I’ve had this product in my possession for other two months but haven’t been able to write this review. This is not without good reason though, as I prefer to use a product of this type before reviewing it. Modelling opportunities have been very limited recently, so I haven’t had the chance to do so. I’ve finally managed to get out to the workshop and fire up the airbrush, so here is the review. Humbrol describe this new product as a thin, clear varnish that goes on clear and stays clear. Presumably that means it is not prone to the yellowing that can be a feature of some spirit based varnishes. Judging by the name, this product is intended as a replacement for the much-missed Johnson’s Klear floor polish that was beloved of many modellers all over the world until its withdrawal and replacement a few years ago. I’ve only used this varnish with my airbrush so far, but I can vouch for Humbrol’s claim that it dries to a low gloss finish which can be improved by the application of further thin coats. This is actually an important point, because if you give in to temptation and spray too much onto your model at once. It will pool and cause an uneven finish. A high gloss can be achieved by more judicious use of the product. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to try dipping canopies in the product, but I hope to try this soon and will update this review with the results. Conclusion From personal experience, I would say that this is an interesting and useful product. I have to confess that I never really got to grips with Klear as a varnish, but find it indispensible for improving the clarity of canopies. First impressions of Humbrol’s Clear are positive, and hopefully this will turn out to be a worthy successor. Review sample courtesy of

No idea where I should really post this, but as I mainly have Cold War stuff, figured Id start here.... Spank me. Ive finally picked up a glass doored cabinet with some lights in it to keep dust off the WIP bits as well as the finished stuff. Thing is - whats the best way to remove dust from models? I thought Id got it all off my Phantom and Lightning using a medium paint brush and some beer breath, but under the lights its clearly not done a good enough job. De-dusting... how do you do it? Picture for attention (thats what the cool kids do isnt it)

Hello all. I'm in a state of confusion at present, heh. Ok, so here's the issue. After quite a hiatus I've recently got back into some modelling. Back when I use to make models, I put them together, painted them and added the decals, and that was it. I never used varnishes or washes or weathering. For Christmas I received a Bandai 1/72 Y-Wing starfighter. A bit different from what I used to make, being a clip-kit, but I actually quite liked not having to faff around with glue, sticking the parts to myself more than the other pieces So anyway. I gave it a coat of Tamiya primer, then some flat black and light grey for the shadowing. Other bits were painted with Tamiya acrylics with tiny amounts of Revell matt enamels here and there (for chips and marks and whatnot). Overall, I think it looks pretty good for my first foray into 'beating' up a kit. Now here's where the dilemma sets in. Varnishing. I've read a lot about Klear. Of course, prior to this kit, I'd never heard of the stuff. Apparently it was renamed and rebottled and appears slightly different, but works the same way. I got my hands on some Pledge Multi-Surface Wax, which I think is the same stuff updated. My surety wavers a little when I see people displaying bottles with the old Klear markings above the new title (I haven't actually seen anyone with the exact bottle I have). I've tested it on a small piece, and it did do the job. Also stood up to a small test of Mig washes and a bit of paint cleaner (still waiting on my Mig thinner to arrive). However, the results were a little less stellar on a larger test piece (the kit base). It didn't seem to apply consistently, and even after a few coats the wash test didn't really flow into all the little nooks and cranny's. In hindsight doing a test clean up with the Revell paint cleaner probably wasn't the best choice ( ) since it started to remove the underlying layer, but the exercise had me a little concerned for when I would apply this stuff to the model. By brush, I might add. So I started looking around. So far I've snagged myself a can of Vallejo matt acrylic for the final job (I think prior to applying Mig pigments, since I hear coating them doesn't work well) since a test of adding some flat base to the pledge didn't exactly work, but my recent test had me wondering about the gloss. Today I had a look around. The options were limited to a bottle of Windsor and Newton gloss varnish (not sure how that would react), and some Humbrol gloss cote. My confusion flares up with regard to the Humbrol in particular. The Humbrol video on the gloss cote says to thin it up with enamel thinners. That would suggest its composition is similar to enamel paint, or something similarly solvent based (no real information on what its made up of that I can find). But then the Humbrol washes (and the Mig for that matter) are enamel, and cleaned up with enamel thinners. So how is it the Gloss cote isn't stripped off as well? I'm pretty confused at the moment, and a little worried to try anything in case it completely knackers all my work so far. If anyone can clear this up for me, I'd really appreciate it. I'd also love to know for certain if this is the right stuff: Thanks for any help in advance

Hey guys, I just purchased what I thought was future floor wax for a gloss coat, but it turned out to be something called "pledge floor care finish" will this work like future? Thanks.

I have 3 x Pledge Floor Finish With Future Shine, 27 fl oz arriving from the United States. I got a family member to send them over. Unfortunately she used UPS and the shipping costs were horrific. Each bottle form Walmart was just under $7, I am willing to part with 2 Bottles. I trying to break even. Excluding local Royal Mail shipping any offers, chaps. I am looking at around £20 a bottle, I know it is expensive but I have moved heaven and earth to get these sent and I know you cant get the stuff here. If I have no decent takers then I will keep all 3.