Dull Cote vs MicroFlat vs. Liquitex Matte Varnish ?

[tom mann]

Has anyone compared these three products?  Dull Cote provides a nice tough layer of protection, but it smells up the entire house.  MicroFlat is great for providing a final coat to reduce shine (in my case the shine caused by oil paints) but it is expensive.  Liquitex Matte Varnish is also good (I haven't thoroughly compared it to MicroFlat) and it is cheap (<$8 for 8oz.).  I don't know the level of protection of the two water-based products (compared to Dull Cote).

[Scottl]

I have not used dullcote because I find aerosol can's too ham handed for my model finishing (and the smell, etc), and it has been reported to interact negatively on occasion with other products. 

I've sprayed diluted liquitex matte (and gloss) will good results.  I prefer the gloss to Future (which I still find to liquidy and runny, but I am just starting to use it).

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

I use to use Testers dull cote but it comes out to heavy so i switched to Tamiya flat clear and clear. They still stink but they flow thin and give good protection for handling. I have stopped putting gloss and flat finishes in my airbrush because you can not tell if it is clean and have gummed them up before.

[ednadolski]

I use Dullcote and/or Model Master Lusterless. I always use the rattle can so I don't have the extra step of cleaning the airbrush.  I paint in the spray booth and they usually dry in ~ 15 minutes.  After painting I take the models out to the garage so I don't have any concerns with residual odors.

I have tried the Vallejo Matte Varnish but I did not like the way it fogged the underlying color.

Ed

[peteski]

I use Dull and Gloss cotes but I buy it in glass bottles meant for brush-painting, not in rattle cans. I thin it with lacquer thinner and airbrush it. That way I have total control of the amount I apply. Yes it stinks, but I'm a firm believer that the stinkier the paint is, the better it works.  No I haven't graduated to the water-based paints yet - I usually avoid them as much as I can.

I also mix Dull and Gloss cotes for semi-gloss sheen.

[chicken45]

Does Microflat need thinned?

[SAH]

I always had to thin the Microflat.  My results were also wildly inconsistent.

My new favorite is Modelmaster, both flat and gloss.  Perhaps because I've figured out how to spray them.  At least the last two times I tried I appear to have figured it out.  As for the next time, who knows what will happen.  That's the way air brush painting seems to go for me. 

I've not used a rattle can on an N scale model in years.

[wmcbride]

Has anyone compared these three products?  Dull Cote provides a nice tough layer of protection, but it smells up the entire house.  MicroFlat is great for providing a final coat to reduce shine (in my case the shine caused by oil paints) but it is expensive.  Liquitex Matte Varnish is also good (I haven't thoroughly compared it to MicroFlat) and it is cheap (<$8 for 8oz.).  I don't know the level of protection of the two water-based products (compared to Dull Cote).

Have you tried Vallejo Matt finish? Scale model forum folks have been quite positive about it.

[tom mann]

Have you tried Vallejo Matt finish? Scale model forum folks have been quite positive about it.

No, I haven't.  I'll add it to the list of products to test out!

[carlso]

My experience with Dull Cote has not been real great. I have misted water on some Dull Coted items when doing landscaping and setting glue next to the Dull Coted item. It turns out that the little mist spots turn white. I had a nicely finished tank truck, red in color, that looked like a flock of birds had passed overhead. Doesn't seem to matter how long the Dull Cote has been on the item. I sprayed the truck with Windex and the white went away. ? ? ?

Carl

[wmcbride]

No, I haven't.  I'll add it to the list of products to test out!

I shot some of the Vallejo Matte Varnish yesterday. I used two sides of an Atlas Railbox boxcar. On one side I ended up shooting it pretty heavily since it was hard to see coming out because of lighting issues. It actually puddled a bit. The other side was a better application.

The matte varnish looked a bit thick in the cup so I added some Vallejo airbrush thinner at about 40% (four drops per ten).

I am very pleased with the result -- on BOTH side.

The puddled side dried nicely despite my best attempts to ruin the application.

Both sides are dead flat. The shiny ink/paint that Atlas used for the Railbox logo was completely flat.

[Sokramiketes]

Ever since getting over the fear of a rattle can building up too much on the model, I use Dullcote exclusively from the can. The trick is to lay it on thick and wet... Once all the carrier evaporates the actual finish is thin and even. If you try to mist from the can you'll get spotting problems.

I have some Z scale hoppers on their third and fourth soaking after stages of weathering and the buildup is still minimal.

[chicken45]

I have gotten spotting even after soaking.
What am I doing wrong?
I spray the model until it drips. Still spotting.

[wazzou]

I use the Testors Model Master Lusterless Flat from a can and it sprays very smoothly. 
I think that line has a nozzle that atomizes the lacquer more finely and the resulting product is much better than the standard Testors Dull Cote.   YMMV

[chicken45]

That's what I'm using!