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alecras234

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Hi happy new year to you all.   I'd like some advice please.    I paint models using a paintbrush and i use acrylic paints.   Last year I built and painted a 1 48 scale bf109, i used humbrol klear gloss varnish before applying decals and then i brushed on more humbrol klear gloss varnish to apply a dark dirt clay wash.   After five, ten minutes i couldn't get the clay wash off, it had stuck to the humbrol varnish.    I've built and painted a 1 72 scale bf110, i was told that i can brush paint Alclad 2 aqua gloss varnish as the clay wash won't stick to the Alclad varnish.    How should i use the Alclad 2aqua varnish,  do i shake the bottle first then dip my flat brush in the bottle?   I've never used this Alclad varnish so what's the process with a paint brush please?

 

Ash

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You haven't said how long you left the gloss to dry before applying the clay wash, so am only guessing that you didn't leave it long enough to fully dry and thats why the wash wouldn't come off. 

 

Any gloss, matt or satin clear coat needs around 12 hours to fully cure (i wait atleat 24 hours) to make sure everything has cured and is perfectly dry. 

 

When the clear coat is fully dry a wash will come straight off, particularly with gloss as there's nothing for the wash to bite into. 

 

Not sure whether this helps but it would be interesting to know how long you did leave the gloss to dry before applying the wash. 

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Hi yes sorry, so i left the humbrol gloss varnish 30 minutes then i applied the dark dirt clay wash.   I have a bottle of Windsor and Newton matt varnish,  shall i use that instead of applying Alclad 2 aqua gloss?    I'm a little apprehensive to using the Alclad as it's meant to be used with an airbrush and not a paintbrush, which i didn't realise.   I was lead to believe that for using clay wash i can only use certain varnishes.

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Hello Ash & a Happy New Year.

 

As Ant B has pointed out drying time is the key - not the specific product.  I have been using the Humbrol clear gloss for a few years now & it is perfectly acceptable.  BUT you must give it time to thoroughly dry & cure - like any paint or varnish.

 

After just 30 minutes the varnish will simply absorb anything you put on top & you won't be able to remove it.

 

Look at it as a learning experience.  To re-build your confidence in the Humbrol gloss - find something - anything & give it a good gloss coat - then leave it for a day & then try applying your wash.  Again leave it to thoroughly dry & then use a tissue / cotton bud / sponge etc & gently wipe away the excess wash.  Another coat of gloss - very thinly applied will then 'fix' the wash in place.

 

Don't despair - just practice ;)

 

Best of luck - Steve

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ok thanks, i don't have humbrol gloss anymore as i was told it's horrible stuff and modellers have problems with it.   In the past when i've used humbrol gloss it left white marks here and there which i couldn't get rid of.   Anyway should i use the windsor and newton matt varnish instead of Alclad 2 aqua gloss varnish?

Edited by alecras234
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44 minutes ago, alecras234 said:

ok thanks, i don't have humbrol gloss anymore as i was told it's horrible stuff and modellers have problems with it.   In the past when i've used humbrol gloss it left white marks here and there which i couldn't get rid of.   Anyway should i use the windsor and newton matt varnish instead of Alclad 2 aqua gloss varnish?

for applying washes I would always use a gloss rather than matt, unless you want a really dirty appearance as the wash will 'stick' far more to a matt than gloss coat and therefore be harder to remove.

 

practice between the two and you'll see the difference between gloss and matt.

 

for most military aircraft you'll want to finish with a matt varnish which will also seal in any wash

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Its entirely up to you whether you want to use that stuff. Personally I'm a big fan of tamiya clears so only ever use that. 

 

With regards to the white residue thats because the varnish wasn't mixed properly. Give it a good stir and when you think you've stirres it enough keep going. Give it a good mix for around a minute or so. 

 

A bit if advice id give you is don't listen to what others say is good or bad. Try things yourself and find something that works for you. The problem is people have their own preferences and what works for them wont necessarily work for you. If you can afford to do so, get a few varnishes paint something that you can use as a test bed, and try them all. See what works and go from there. At the end of the day Windsor and Newton might not work for you. 

 

But honestly, don't get bogged down with what others think. If you do it will drive you mad. 

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Hi Alecras now are we talking Humbrol clear  the acrylic based bottle or Clear cote the smaller bottle which is enamel based which I use

and if given a day to dry before decalling and washes has never let me down(still thin it for brush painting),As a big fan of brush painting

with acrylics I tried clear and it was rubbish I had the same issues as yourself ruined two builds with it.

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6 hours ago, alecras234 said:

ok thanks, i don't have humbrol gloss anymore as i was told it's horrible stuff and modellers have problems with it.   In the past when i've used humbrol gloss it left white marks here and there which i couldn't get rid of.   Anyway should i use the windsor and newton matt varnish instead of Alclad 2 aqua gloss varnish?

Again Ash - as @Antb advises - it often best to listen - but equally don't believe everything people tell you.  All products will have folk who like them & an equal number who don't.  As you no longer have the Humbrol gloss I will only mention about the white marks for the benefit of others...

 

As I say I'm a fan of Humbrol Gloss (about the only Humbrol product I use) & find it great for both brush painting or airbrushing.   I have found from trial & error that I had problems with white marks during the decaling process.  I use microsol & microset to get my decals to behave themselves & I have found that if I fail to wash the decaled areas after they have completely settled then the residue from these liquids can cause the next coat of varnish to turn white.  However, I've also found that if you re-varnish the spoiled area again it will 'kill' the white 'milkyness'.

 

Keep trying until you find what works for you - then be sure to let everyone know the details of your technique - it will be appreciated by the next person having problems.

 

Steve

Edited by BIG X
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I thought of using Alclad 2aqua gloss varnish before applying decals and then using windor and newton matt to seal the deals and to take shine off the model.   Do i decant the Alclad into a pot and apply little amounts?   Can i wash my brush in soapy water after using the alclad 2 aqua gloss ? 

 

Ash

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3 hours ago, alecras234 said:

I thought of using Alclad 2aqua gloss varnish before applying decals and then using windor and newton matt to seal the deals and to take shine off the model.   Do i decant the Alclad into a pot and apply little amounts?   Can i wash my brush in soapy water after using the alclad 2 aqua gloss ? 

 

Ash

Not up on my alclads but have just had a quick look at it. Decant some and add some thinner and you should be good to go with a brush. A 50/50 mix i would think would be good. 

 

Use a large size flat brush and apply thin layers at a time. You should be good to go. 

 

I would apply another layer over the decals before adding the flat coat to make sure everything is well and truly sealed in. 

 

The w and n should be OK over the top, just make sure its thinned with the same thinner otherwise you might end up with a reaction between the 2 products that would make a right old mess. 

 

Again, thin coats are the way forward. 

 

Edit. Just thinking any reason why you wouldn't use alclads matt? 

 

Re cleaning, i don't think soapy water would clean the brush properly. If you have thinners use some of that to clean up with. 

 

Do please post up some photos when you have had a bash. 

Edited by Antb
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No idea whats best to thin the alclad with, is it an acrylic? 

 

You can use any gloss varnish as long as you give it time to completely dry before applying the clay wash. If the gloss is dry then the wash will come off no problem at all. 

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