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Best matt finish


Winenut

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Howdy Britmodellers,

I am in search of the easiest, simplest, problem free, matt final coat for my aircraft builds.

Currently I am decanting TamiyaTS80 and spraying that with my AB. But it's painful, a bit hit and miss, I can't work out what to clean up with and it clogs my AB!!

What I really want is a straight bottle of something I can maybe thin and spray for a good effect.....every time

I'm wary of any finishes that crackle paint, eat decals, react with decals, go white, go yellow (you get the idea!!!)

Any thoughts (pro's/cons) would be greatly appreciated.

I tend to use Humbrol enamels but also more Testors enamels lately.....don't do much with any Acrylics but I'm not against using them.

Over to you...

Cheers

Bruce

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I've had dead flat results with Vallejo matt varnish, by far my favourite. I've also used Gunze flat, wasn't bad, but has nothing on the Vallejo product. If you ever decide to give the acrylics a try, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers

Mark

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I use Testors/ModelMaster Enamel Flats. Their Flat varnish, with a few drops of their Semi-Gloss Clear (to avoid 'frosting'/white areas) works fine for me.

But I plan to give Vallejo Matt finish a try too while I slowly get used to acrylics.

I cannot recommend Revells Aqua Flat Clear as I suffered some heavy 'frosting effects' with this one. Although the regular colors from this range are good.

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From experience, Testors' Dullcote is brilliant: dead flat, dries in seconds, and thin coats, too. The downside is it's a proper lacquer and therefore requires good ventilation and preferably a good, filtered mask.

I do have, however, Winsor & Newton's Galeria Matt. So far I've only tested it on a scrap model, but it gives a beautifully matt finish. The downside is thicker coats compared to Dullcote, but that may be due to my unfamiliarity with it as yet.

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Vallejo Matt for me. Easy to use, can be thinned with water or acrylic thinner and gives a great flat finish. I've also used Winsor & Newton Galeria but to me at least it doesn't give a better finish than Vallejo.

Andy

Edited by AndyRM101
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Model Master / Testors acryl clear flat. Looks like white glue in the large bottle.

Unthinned it's dead flat through my AB. If I want a satin finish I add a drop of Klear. Experiment as too much Klear quickly makes it a gloss coat.

Tim

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I really appreciate the responses from everyone.

I think I've got a few good options to look at

A lot of shout outs for the Vallejo product which I will try and find (I assume even though that would be acrylic it would be fine to spray over enamel paints?)

The Windsor and Newton Galeria Matt sounds interesting and possibly relatively inexpensive. I reckon I've seen it at a local art supplies shop near me. Does it need thinning prior to spraying???

Testors Dullcote I have in a rattle can...I could decant but also agree the "lacquer" aspect requires a bit of additional care

Thanks again to everyone for the comments...top stuff

Cheers

Bruce

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Thanks again everyone.

The tip on thinning the Windsor and Newton product with ISO for the hard matte finish is going to get a run up the flagpole for sure.

Also putting the Alclad Klear Kote matte on the test list. The thinner there is "cellulose" thinner. Is that a common product available in quantity and cheaply from a hardware store or do you need a specific modelling one?

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I really appreciate the responses from everyone.

I think I've got a few good options to look at

A lot of shout outs for the Vallejo product which I will try and find (I assume even though that would be acrylic it would be fine to spray over enamel paints?)

The Windsor and Newton Galeria Matt sounds interesting and possibly relatively inexpensive. I reckon I've seen it at a local art supplies shop near me. Does it need thinning prior to spraying???

Testors Dullcote I have in a rattle can...I could decant but also agree the "lacquer" aspect requires a bit of additional care

Thanks again to everyone for the comments...top stuff

Cheers

Bruce

You can thin the W&N /Rowneys Matt with their brand sof Acrylic flow improver. Just a few drops to thin it needed. Readily avaialble (providing thye have them in stock) at WHS or your local Hobbycraft and art shops!!

Re Cellulose your local hardware shop usually stock it. Be careful with it though. I do use it more for cleaning the airbrush after.

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Thanks again everyone.

The tip on thinning the Windsor and Newton product with ISO for the hard matte finish is going to get a run up the flagpole for sure.

Also putting the Alclad Klear Kote matte on the test list. The thinner there is "cellulose" thinner. Is that a common product available in quantity and cheaply from a hardware store or do you need a specific modelling one?

You don't thin Alclad Klear Kotes. Use it straight from the bottle. the only thing you need the cellulose thinners for is to clean the airbrush with after use. I use Bannatynes from Haldords at £7 for 500ml and it can be used to clean up after all Alclad varnishes and lacquers (except aqua gloss which only needs water).

Hth

Tom.

Edited by Tomjw
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i have just tried some Vallejo matt and am very pleased with the finish; If you want a really dead matt acrylic varnish the try Pebeo.

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Also putting the Alclad Klear Kote matte on the test list. The thinner there is "cellulose" thinner. Is that a common product available in quantity and cheaply from a hardware store or do you need a specific modelling one?

Before you go rushing into buying any of that you might like to take a look at this thread at some of the comments made about that stuff, starting from post 15. I had my bottle replaced by Paul but that was just the same, it never dried off.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61744-alclad-klear-kote-gloss-120ml/

Tim.

Tim.

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Before you go rushing into buying any of that you might like to take a look at this thread at some of the comments made about that stuff, starting from post 15. I had my bottle replaced by Paul but that was just the same, it never dried off.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61744-alclad-klear-kote-gloss-120ml/

Tim.

Tim.

I have just had the drying problem with Alclad klear kote matte , this has put me off the stuff a bit.

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