Alclad Klear Kote, que?

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

Rather simple I hope. Want to try some of this stuff but I'm getting mixed answers from my rather weak Google-fu skillz. 

 

Is it a solvent based varnish ("lacquer") or a oil based varnish ("enamel")? Because I've read you can thin with MLT but clean with mineral spirits? Halp! 

[Ray_W]

One of the confusing aspects of our hobby is that often the term lacquer is used for a clear coat irrespective of the chemistry. In this case it is mineral spirits based and, like many have discovered, the more aggressive lacquer solvents can be used as thinner and for clean up.  So I suppose the answers are oil based varnish, and yes and yes. 

 

There was a review done by Mike 10 years ago

 

 

Ray

 

[Pin]

Enamel. Dilute with white spirit. 

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

On 17/05/2022 at 12:01, Pin said:

Enamel. Dilute with white spirit. 

 

Borrowed some Flat from my boss to try yesterday, I'm reasonably impressed by it. They also weren't kidding when they say Flat on the bottle. That stuff can take the shine off the sun. 

 

Guess my next question is finding out where they all fit on the spectrum, Flat and Gloss are pretty self explanatory, but what in the name of Thoth's udders is the difference between Light Sheen and Semi Matt 🤔. 

[Casey]

13 minutes ago, Evil_Toast_RSA said:

 

Borrowed some Flat from my boss to try yesterday, I'm reasonably impressed by it. They also weren't kidding when they say Flat on the bottle. That stuff can take the shine off the sun. 

 

Guess my next question is finding out where they all fit on the spectrum, Flat and Gloss are pretty self explanatory, but what in the name of Thoth's udders is the difference between Light Sheen and Semi Matt 🤔. 

 

Lets start with Alclad own source:

 

 

And this video:

 

Now more technical explanation:

 

Gloss of a surface is measured using a glossmeter device that works like that (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossmeter). There are at least 10 standards of how to do it

 

(link from https://ncptt.nps.gov/about-us/facilities/equipment/glossmeter/)

 

The readout is a ratio of light reflected by a surface on a given angle and are calibrated to 0% (perfect flat, no reflections) to 100% (an reflections given by defined standard surface - highly polished, plane, black glass).  Results can be higher than 100% for surfaces like mirrors.

 

Since the full range of gloss cant be precisely measured by a single angle device, that is why three angles are usually used - 20 deg for very glossy surfaces, 60 for mid range, and 85 for matte or low sheen. We humans do it too every time we have to tilt the paint sample to check how 'glossy' or 'really matte' it is.

 

How those readout numbers are translated to text descriptions vary between companies, but there seem to be some level of general agreement:

• Matt category <10 units, further differentiated to:
  • Flat: <5
  • Velvet 5-9
• Semi-matt category (10-40 units)
  • Eggshell - 10-15 units
  • Low Sheen - 20-25 units
  • Satin - 26-40
• Gloss category (>40 units)
  • Semi-gloss: 41-69
  • Gloss: 70-80
  • High gloss: >80

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint_sheen, https://www.dunnedwards.com/howto/selecting-gloss

 

 

 

[rod mcq]

Casey has added a great technical explanation while I was typing this

 

Alclad originally produced 5 varnishes coded ALC310 Gloss to ALC314 Matt giving a range of sheens from full gloss to  full matt.

 

ALC312 is the semi-Matt or Satin finish and ALC311 is intermediate between gloss and semi-Matt while ALC313 is intermediate between semi-Matt and Matt.

 

A point to note is there are 2 businesses producing Alclad.  It started in the UK but after a few years one of the owners moved to the USA and started a second business there.  The 2 Alclads companies have operated independently since then. The owners of Alclad UK have recently renamed their operations as HR Hobbies.  The products are exactly the same, they are simply re-branded as HR. Alclad UK/HR Hobbies stopped producing the ALC311 and ALC313 a few years ago and only make HR310 Gloss, HR312 Semi-Matt and HR314 Matt.