What's your favourite clear coat?

[peteski]

Didn't you read all the post.
Rod.

I did (even few times). The way I read it was that you used to use the smelly Dullcote or Glossocte clears,  but now for health reasons you exclusively use water-based/low-odor acrylic paints.

Specifically, this sentence: As I now only use acrylic paints (for health and safety reasons) most of the brands do not need to have a gloss coat to apply decals.

[bnsfdash8]

Has anyone used Tru Color clears? I've pretty much switched all my painting to TCP but haven't tried their clears yet, I've stuck with Microscale's clear finishes.

[MrKLUKE]

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[craigolio1]

Heating it? What like in the micro wave? Haha. What's the purpose of that?

What are you using to thin the Microscale clears and at what ratio? I've heard of windshield washer fluid?

Thanks.

Craig

Ps Merry Christmas and other seasonal holidays.

[peteski]

Warming aerosol paint cans before use (by placing them in warm - not hot- water) is a very common trick used by modelers who use aerosol cans.  Warming them increases the propellant pressure and probably also reduces viscosity of the paint.   This results in a finer spray mist through the nozzle.  But as the bold warnings on the can's state, getting the can too hot will cause a mini explosion. 

To me all this mambo-jumbo is not worth the effort: using an airbrush gives you full control of the paint viscosity, paint volume, and propellant (air) pressure. 

As for using windshield-washer fluid as a thinner for water- or alcohol-based paints, I roll my eyes at that idea.  I suspect that some thrifty (read "cheap") modeler experimented and found out that this fluid worked ok.  The fluid is made of methyl alcohol and water (plus whatever else is there besides the blue dye). Could be detergents, or countless other crap.  I realize that the concentration of the blue dye is not enough to mess up the color of the paint, but I don't trust all the other additives.  To me, when painting a custom-built one-of-a-kind model, which I just spent 50 hours on I do not cheap out on the paint supplies and use the thinner recommended by the manufacturer.

If the manufacturer does not provide a thinner, I try to find a list of ingredients or a MSDS sheet and see what the solvent is.  I believe that those clears use isopropyl alcohol, so that is what I would use to thin them.   But don't take my word on this as its been a while since I looked those up (and I haven't used them for years).

[GaryHinshaw]

I've used both washer fluid and plain water to thin Microscale flat (about 50/50 concentration) and they both work fine.

To my knowledge, the use of washer fluid traces to Rich Yourstone's NSR weathering article.  He recommended it for weathering washes, where low viscosity is important, and I have found it to be very effective for that application.  I've never had a problem with dyes or additives, but I hear some doth protest.  For airbrushing, surface tension is not an issues, so water is fine for thinning the Microscale clears.

[craigolio1]

Thanks for the input.

When I hear of people using windshield washer fluid I've often wondered as well if it's the best choice. I wonder what  Rainex does to paint adhesion.

Since I have then already, I think I'm going to use the Microscale clears on this group of models. I've always wanted to try them.

Craig

[amato1969]

Liquitex Gloss Varnish is tough to beat for a gloss coat.  I have used Future in the past, but more often that not wound up with "orange peel" from it drying to quickly.

Most recently I have been using Vallejo airbrush thinner - it works great with any acrylic I have sprayed.

  Frank

[MrKLUKE]

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