Silly KLEAR query

[Fifer54]

I'm having a silly problem with KLEAR. On my Revell F-4C Phantom that I'm building for the Phantom STGB, I have an assortment of

different paint finishes. It's on SEA camo, and the Tan has dried Matt, the Dk. Green is also Matt, but the Lt. Green has dried with a satin

finish, as has the Camoflage Gray on the underside. That's OK, I thought, a good coat of KLEAR will sort that out and "homogenise" the

surface finish with a nice gloss.

Erm, no! I apply my KLEAR with a nice soft flat brush in flowing strokes over the model, and i've found that over the matt areas, the KLEAR

has flowed out and given me a super satiny-gloss surface, but on the satin areas, the KLEAR just will not flow, and pools on the surface,

with its surface tension "pulling" it into the pools.

Has anyone come across this before, and what did you do about it? I think that the solution may be to thin the KLEAR slightly, but what should I use

as a thinner?

Has anyone any ideas?

[cheeley]

but what should I use as a thinner?

Don't know if it will help, but I've heard IPA can be used to thin / clean up Klear. Also as ammonia can strip Klear, so something with ammonia in it; like some window cleaning products might do The trick.

[Rob P]

A quick rub over the satin areas with the finest grade of wet and dry would probably do the trick. It will rough the surface up just enough to provide a key for the clear.

[zero]

sorry, double post

Edited September 16, 2011 by zero

[zero]

Agree, Rough the surface a little with a light sanding and then clean the dust with wet/damp kitchen roll, it will look a mess but once the Klear is on this will bring out the shine. give it a couple of coats and on the last one you can add some flat matt to the clear to pull down the shine to a satin or matt finish all over (test your mix on a scrap bit of paint) but about 5% flat matt I find works great for modern jets, 25 to 30% for WWII stuff

5% just looses that overall high gloss shine you get from klear (if you want to lose it)

ie no flat matt applied

About 30% applied to klear

Has anyone come across this before, and what did you do about it? I think that the solution may be to thin the KLEAR slightly, but what should I use

as a thinner?

Has anyone any ideas?

Klear doesn't need thinning even through a airbrush, just mist it on with a airbrush, or use a wide brush. it thin enough as is so just use out of the bottle.

hope this helps

Dave

Edited September 16, 2011 by zero

[Fifer54]

Thanks, gents, I'd not considered treating the surface to make it suitable for Klear, only

treating the Klear to make it suitable for the surface!