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Clear Coat - Recommendations


nheather

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What do you recommend for acrylic clear coats - matt, satin and gloss.

 

I have the Humbrol Cotes from a few years back but I'd like to move to acrylic.

 

Looking for something that sprays well, but can also brush if needed, gives reliable finishes and is reasonable value (i.e. bigger bottles rather than normal paint bottles).

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel 

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Future/Pledge with Future Shine (or whatever they're calling it this week) and Tamiya Flat Base are your friends. Here are a couple of suggested ratios of Tamiya flat base for different effects:
       1 part flat base to 3 parts Future = very flat
       1 part flat base to 10 parts Future = flat
       1 part flat base to 15 parts Future = satin

 

You can mix Future with Model Master Acrylic paints and add 20% to 25% of matt clear to obtain a realistic semi-gloss finish. Using Future as a "mixer" for acrylic paints will help them airbrush better, increase the durability of the paint to resist damage, and if you use enough Future, the resulting finish may not need to be gloss coated prior to decaling. It has been successfully used with Polly Scale, Model Master, Gunze Sangyo, and Mister Kit acrylic paints. Results have been poor when mixing Future with Tamiya acrylics and I do not recommend it. Usually around 25% Future to 75% paint will give good results but depending on your project you may want to add a little more Future. For example, if you are doing a fade/blending coat, you might add 80% Future to make a "translucent" paint.

 

The above is taken from Matt Swann's "The Complete Future." I encourage you to read it in its entirety for other suggested uses:

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

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I use Windsor and Newton Galleria for matt and satin they both spray well thinned with water and brush well too 

 

For gloss I use alclad aqua gloss sprays beautifully and hard as nails when dry never tried brushing it tho 

 

B

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MicroScale Industries Micro Flat and Micro Satin, Mr Color C46 Clear gloss. The Micro Flat and Micro Satin are sprayed straight; Mr Color thinned to the usual 1% milk consistency with Mr Leveling Thinner. 1 ATM pressure with 0.5mm nozzle.

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9 hours ago, Rogue. said:

I use Humbrol Clear in Gloss, Satin and Matt over Vallejo Air Acrylics. It's water soluble and self levelling.

I have those already and like that they are easy to get hold of,  but not used them much.

 

Are you applying by brush or spraying.

 

I was brought up on enamels and still think they are the best paint but trying the eliminate having to use white spirit type thinners and cleaner, especially for spraying. Brush application would be more acceptable but concerned it would ruin all the work done with washes and pigments.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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4 hours ago, nheather said:

 

Are you applying by brush or spraying.

 

Airbrushing. Like you I was brought up using enamels, I have only recently returned to the hobby and have decided to go down the Acrylic route. I just ensure I leave any clear coats to dry thoughly. Weathering and pigments have not been affected in any way.

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29 minutes ago, Rogue. said:

 Weathering and pigments have not been affected in any way.

When I raised that concern it was about brush paint.  Clearly if airbrushing the coat is light and is the minimal disturbance to pigments and washes.  But if apply the clear coat with a brush then you risk stirring the pigments and wahes with the brush strokes.

 

My concerns about airbrushing Humbrol Clear is the mist of white spirit (or evivalent) that it creates and then having to clean out with the solvents.

 

As a robust youngest I didn’t give a thought to using enamels (not that there was really any other choice), also it was all brush painted.  Now I’m avancing in my years and my body becomes frailer I’d rather not be breathing in white spirit. 

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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6 hours ago, nheather said:

My concerns about airbrushing Humbrol Clear is the mist of white spirit (or evivalent) that it creates and then having to clean out with the solvents.

It doesn't contain white spirit, its water soluble (still try not to breathe it in though) and can be cleaned with water, however I use Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner.

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6 hours ago, Rogue. said:

It doesn't contain white spirit, its water soluble (still try not to breathe it in though) and can be cleaned with water, however I use Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner.

Ahh, I didn’t realise that, I assumed it was part of the enamel range.

 

Thanks,

 

Nigel

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Folk  don't seem to keen on using the search facility  here but here's some insight from a man who knows a thing or two about making models. Yes its water based, yes lots of us use it ( I normally use Gunze GX112 Super clear UV cut but this for any delicate paint that might not like lacquer thinner and used on my F-86 last month) and yes you can get get mail order in the UK from loads of retailers like Hannants , Emodels, etc

 

Matt and Satin: I'd go with Galeria , it does actually work  but all acrylics will at some point will give you grief in an airbrush ( if you don't use lacquer thinners), thats why so many of us are using lacquer thinned paint, for instance I can do this in 5 minutes with thinking about it using Gunze UV cut gloss & matt + levelling thinners ( note Luftwaffe"satin "achieved by two layers of Gunze UV cut mat and drying off with airbrush- 5 minutes). Again maybe not an option for you?

 

shiny.jpg&key=86dc05aa0c0ec2c2ea4fff5027

 

done2.jpg&key=d4780b7e3c94a76e9cc5be1d9b

 

Anil

 

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Okay, just pulled my three bottles of Humbrol Clear Cote and still confused.  This is what it says on the label

 

Humbrol Matt Cote

 

Allow 6 hours drying before recoating.  Use white spirit for cleaning brushes and thinning.

 

Humbrol Satin Cote

 

Contains Butyl Methacrylate.  Use Humbrol thinners for cleaning and thinning.

 

Humbrol Gloss Cote

 

Contains Butyl Methacrylate.  Use Humbrol thinners for clening and thinning.

 

 

 

Have I got two different types there?

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

 

UPDATE - just tried some of the Satin Cote - got a little on my finger and it would not wash off with water, had to resort to white spirit.

 

So looks like all of mine are enamel type.

 

So guessing that Humbrol now do an acrylic type too or instead of.

 

Just found the answer, there are two products, Humbrol Clear Cote and Humbrol Clear.

 

Humbrol Clear Cote is enamel solvent based.

 

Humbrol Clear is acrylic solvent based.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel 

 

Edited by nheather
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So I can easily get hold of Humbrol clear, gloss, matt and satin - are they any good?

 

And what about Vallejo and why do they have three different types

 

Acrylic Varnish

Polyurathene Varnish

Premium Varnish

Mecha Varnish

 

Too much choice, all too confusing.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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On 3/25/2019 at 12:06 PM, nheather said:

Okay, just pulled my three bottles of Humbrol Clear Cote and still confused.  This is what it says on the label

 

Humbrol Matt Cote

 

Allow 6 hours drying before recoating.  Use white spirit for cleaning brushes and thinning.

 

Humbrol Satin Cote

 

Contains Butyl Methacrylate.  Use Humbrol thinners for cleaning and thinning.

 

Humbrol Gloss Cote

 

Contains Butyl Methacrylate.  Use Humbrol thinners for clening and thinning.

 

 

 

Have I got two different types there?

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

 

UPDATE - just tried some of the Satin Cote - got a little on my finger and it would not wash off with water, had to resort to white spirit.

 

So looks like all of mine are enamel type.

 

So guessing that Humbrol now do an acrylic type too or instead of.

 

Just found the answer, there are two products, Humbrol Clear Cote and Humbrol Clear.

 

Humbrol Clear Cote is enamel solvent based.

 

Humbrol Clear is acrylic solvent based.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel 

 

I think the earlier Poster was referring to Humbrol's Clear not their Clear Cote range. The Humbrol Clear is an acrylic and some think it is a reverse engineered version of the original Kleer. I have a bottle of the stuff bought just after it was released and only use it for dipping canopies and for brush painting onto small parts as it crazed when I tried to spray it onto a kit. I understand that later batches behave better than the initial release but others will have to confirm that.

 

Duncan B

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On 25/03/2019 at 12:06, nheather said:

 

Have I got two different types there?

 

Just found the answer, there are two products, Humbrol Clear Cote and Humbrol Clear.

 

Humbrol Clear Cote is enamel solvent based.

 

Humbrol Clear is acrylic solvent based.

 

 

Indeed, Humbrol Clear Cote is solvent based, Humbrol Clear is water soluble. 

 

IMG-4907.jpg

 

IMG-4908.jpg

 

IMG-4909.jpg

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@Rogue - Are you happy with Humbrol Clear in gloss, satin and matt  forms.

 

It is attractive to me as a one-stop-shop that is relatively easy to get hold off 

 

The other I have been considering is Vallejo because they are the paints I most commonly use, though I may be using Humbrol more and more having seen the recent review.  But what is bewildering the he'll out of me with Vallejo varnish is that there are so many types - standard, polyurethane and Mecha - why so many, what's the difference.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

Edited by nheather
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18 minutes ago, nheather said:

@Rogue - Are you happy with Humbrol Clear in gloss, satin and matt  forms.

 

standard, polyurethane and Mecha - why so many, what's the difference.

Mecha is for a hard wearing finish, used by wargamers mainly. Polyurethane is their standard water based acrylic varnish, based on the same as their range of primers. Not sure about standard tho.

 

I have had no issues, I'm a complete novice where varnishing is concerned having only recently returned to modelling after a 30 year break. I decided to go down the acrylic route due to the colours available and the ease of cleaning up afterwards, plus the benefit of low odour. I am using Vallejo Air Acrylics and the Humbrol Clear varnishes and it's working OK for me.

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