Tin_Bitz Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Hello all, I use the original Johnsons Klear in my H&S airbrush. At various psi from 10 to 22 psi, light and heavy coats, misting with windowlene and a sraight from the bottle etc....I spray life color paint and get an impressive fine finish. However when I spray Klear its a shiny finish but up close and with good lighting I see it is not as smooth as I would expect. My question is for everyone else out there using it how much of a clear glass finish do people get and how do they get it? Sorry if this subject has already done the rounds but had to ask..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 You need to build up the layers, buffing between coats to get a good gloss smooth finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin_Bitz Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 How thin do you do the coats? I have done three very thin coats so far on a test piece and not looking shiny yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 FWIW, most reading I have done indicates that many airbrushers find that it is better to brush on Klear, whether the gloss coat for decalling or the final top coat, whether appied as a gloss or with Tamiya X21 as a satin or matt coat. Klear is a naturally self levelling finish but for some reason it needs to be brushed on thickish to self level rather than fine misted airbrush coats. I'm not an airbrusher so I can comment on what would happen if you applied it thicker with an airbrush but I'm guessing you'd get runs which would need cleaning up with a brush so you may as well use a brush to begin with. The bigger & softer your brush the better, & that way you don't need to bother masking before the final finish. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuck Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I have been useing this stuff since reading about its wonders for a few years now,It is called Johnsons klir here in France, I gave up trying to spay it a long time ago, and . I found that brushing it over Tamiya would need about 4 coats to start getting any shine at all . A couple of weeks ago on this forum my attention was brought to a new product Humbrol clear, so after ordering a bottle in the week it duly arrived yesterday; I havnt had chance to try airbrushing it yet but have tried brush coating over tamiya and it has built up a nice deep shine with just 2 coats, but it does take a little bit longer to dry than the other stuff. An awful lot seems to have been written about klear, and have just read an old thread were some are prepared to pay 30odd quid for bottles on ebay for the original stuff, because it still works out cheaper per litre than anything else; Well you have got to make one hell of a lot of models to use that amount, and in my opinion it deteriorates like most paints and finishes with age the last canopy i dipped was no where near as clear as the first i did 4 years ago.. So if i were you i would go out and spend the 5 odd quid on a bottle of this new stuff and give it a try. Thankyou humbrol for finally latching on and getting a similar product on the market. Leave the Klear for finishing floors, thats what it was made for, it was never intended for spraying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin_Bitz Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 Good call, I cannot agree more. Klear was never made for models. The new Humbrol stuff looks promising, I watched the you tube clip. It looked a bit "orange peel" when sprayed it or was it just my eyes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I found the same thing as you - that slight grain to a sprayed Klear finish - so I started brushing instead and now get far better results. I keep a couple of high quality wide brushes specifically for brushing Klear and never use them for anything else. There are better clear products out there for use with an AB - Vallejo acrylic clear gloss is a current favourite and I have a bottle of Alclad's new (ish) clear product that I have yet to try. I have half a bottle of original Klear left and when that runs out I won't be running to pay silly prices for more but, hopefully, will have researched alternatives. Good luck! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I tried airbrishing Klear but didn't like the finish. Brushing with a nice wide soft brush gives a much better result as it tends to put a slightly thicker layer on and since Klear is self levelling, it give a much better gloss finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Has nobody tried Vallejo gloss varnish? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Yes - see my post above. I really like it and when thinned correctly it sprays very well and creates a good finish. Has nobody tried Vallejo gloss varnish? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin_Bitz Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Does the Vallejo gloss buff at all with anything to make it shine? Anyone tried the new Humbrol stuff through an airbrush? Edited March 31, 2013 by Tin_Bitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Ah, sorry, Roger, missed that bit of your post. Grandchildren, eggs, blah, blah.... Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Yes - like most clear finishes I've found. A bit of your favourite rubbing compound judiciously applied really makes it zing. That's if you want a higher gloss finish than it provides as standard - for cars I guess you would. Does the Vallejo gloss buff at all with anything to make it shine?Anyone tried the new Humbrol stuff through an airbrush? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin_Bitz Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 I am interested at moving away from Klear, I think I should just accept that it is nothing more than floor polish. So which to go for, Vallejo, Humbrol or maybe hannants own brand..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Does the Vallejo gloss buff at all with anything to make it shine? Anyone tried the new Humbrol stuff through an airbrush? Yup! http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234937062-humbrol-clear-125ml/ Edited March 31, 2013 by Jonathan Mock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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