clear gloss top coat

[Dom]

What do you guys use for a nice very shiny top gloss coat? I have already used future and heard about minwax poly-urethane but I cant get minwax were I live ...and I bought a floor varnish only to find out it clog's in my airbrush in seconds !

 

[DreamKnight]

I just use future. Shiney as you can get. Really shiney with a little buffing. Is future not working for you?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Problem might be is that I have heard rumors that the formulation for Future has changed and not what it once was, at least from a modeling perspective.

It may just be rumor, but I think to be on the safe side i will lock my bottle of Future in my gun safe!

You can have it when you pry it from my cold dead hands! HAHAHAHA

 

[DreamKnight]

Problem might be is that I have heard rumors that the formulation for Future has changed and not what it once was, at least from a modeling perspective.

They changed the formula for the Klear version in the UK. Phil at Promodeller did a test on it for like 6 months or something like that. Said it works fine. It's cloudy wet but dries crystal clear and it smell flowery.

 

[Dom]

I just use future. Shiney as you can get. Really shiney with a little buffing. Is future not working for you?

Well it was just I saw all these people raving about poly urethane and the one I got is great just clogs my airbrush and one layer is like 8-9 layers of future (it seemed like) and stronger while being polished
(although it might be the thickness that makes it seem stronger). I would like to get a really thick coat without doing 20-30 layers! I am a gundam man as well so my next build has over 500 pieces :s so you can imagine the work on that :O so shortening it a bit would be great. I think I got an old bottle of future but all I see is the new ones now :s...its gutting the floor varnishing I bought cost about $60 us dollars as I thought the more expensive one would be better but I see people on the US buying $6 large cans and it working perfectly but I cant find anything like it here in the UK so thats why I was wondering if anyone had found other brands of clear anything that does the job. Thanks!

 

[Dom]

Hmmm I was just looking at some auto paints and some people say this is good: http://www.autopaint-pro.co.uk/1l-mc411-2k-clearcoat--500ml-mh115-fast-hardener-983-p.asp highly toxic but I have organic vapour filters on my mask. Do you think this would be good? Thanks!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

If I am glossing a car, I just use Testors Laquer Clear Coat, it is nasty stuff, and I use a mask (mind you I should have a respirator as opposed to just a dust mask). And the stuff works well.

For armor and aircraft I just use Future.

 

[Dom]

If I am glossing a car, I just use Testors Laquer Clear Coat, it is nasty stuff, and I use a mask (mind you I should have a respirator as opposed to just a dust mask). And the stuff works well.

For armor and aircraft I just use Future.

Ah so that lacquer is as hard-ish as future? I am new I did experiments with future and it came right off with wet sanding but dry sanding is better but messes up my high grits 3000-12000 which are expensive . I got a 3M half mask with detachable filters but it doesn't fit my face perfectly in some positions so I may need to get a new one soon.

I am just hoping that 2 part auto stuff will protect enough be thick-ish and polish well...

 

[Dom]

Ah just got a email right away from the company that makes it - what a fast response! I asked some questions and here is the answers:


1) To put MC411 through an air brush with MH115 Activator will require over thinning, you may have to test different ratios to get the best results.

2) Putting any Isocyanate product in to a glass jar will accelerate the cross linking, because of a substance on the glass surface. So not advised.

use a plastic bottle or cup this will possibly last around 4 hours, it will last longer if placed in a fridge.

3) The only safe protection is an air fed mask, there is no protection with any other mask.

4) This is an Urethane clear and has all the durability you require.

5) Once full cured any product can be applied over it, but it must be fully cured.

6) All spraying equipment must be thoroughly clean with solvent after use removing all residue.

As for the safety bit I think hes being over cautious dont you think? An organic vapour filter mask should be ok surely? Its urethane so very hard yay!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Yes, the Testors Lacquer has the durability, no problem there.

Your auto clear would probably be more so, but a little more work to get it sprayed. With the Testors, you have the option of spraying from the can, or decanting and spraying from your airbrush.

Future, yeah...wet sanding would take it right off, as Future is an acrylic gloss, and the water would dissolve the Future, which is why it was probably all right if you dry sanded it. The thing with Future is for a gloss coat (if you are using it to make a top gloss coat for a car, if you are just using it as a gloss coat for decals to adhere to, you don't need to be as careful)...multiple thin coats is the key. The first 2-3 coats are most likely going to finish looking pretty flat and pebbly. However each successful coat will fill in the flat, pebbly appearance, and after 5 or 6 thin coats will look as good as any lacquer gloss. The final coat you "flood" it on a little more. Meaning, drop your air pressure maybe 5lbs, and slow down on your air brush pass, it gets a little more product on, and looks like it is "flooding" the surface, and you can almost immediately see a shine in it.

Having done one car with Future however, I personally would stick to the Lacquer clears like Testors.

 

[Dom]

Yes, the Testors Lacquer has the durability, no problem there.

Your auto clear would probably be more so, but a little more work to get it sprayed. With the Testors, you have the option of spraying from the can, or decanting and spraying from your airbrush.

Future, yeah...wet sanding would take it right off, as Future is an acrylic gloss, and the water would dissolve the Future, which is why it was probably all right if you dry sanded it. The thing with Future is for a gloss coat (if you are using it to make a top gloss coat for a car, if you are just using it as a gloss coat for decals to adhere to, you don't need to be as careful)...multiple thin coats is the key. The first 2-3 coats are most likely going to finish looking pretty flat and pebbly. However each successful coat will fill in the flat, pebbly appearance, and after 5 or 6 thin coats will look as good as any lacquer gloss. The final coat you "flood" it on a little more. Meaning, drop your air pressure maybe 5lbs, and slow down on your air brush pass, it gets a little more product on, and looks like it is "flooding" the surface, and you can almost immediately see a shine in it.

Having done one car with Future however, I personally would stick to the Lacquer clears like Testors.

Hmmm cant get testors either. These 2 part auto clear coats are toxic and people say you have to use air fed masks so I am feeling I cant use this product but I will try the 1 part version - not quiet so hard but still very hard: http://www.autopaint-pro.co.uk/1l-acrifan-1k-clearcoat---010230-283-p.asp its cheap as well .....

 

[Dom]

Hmmm well the companies I am guessing wont tell me if I can use my half mask because its not a 100 percent proof way of being safe. Even if it were fine using an organic vapour filter mask they prob. wont tell me due to big company policy etc..

So I guess I am stuck for now on this matter. One of my main reasons for going down this road was when I use future I managed to take the corner paint off even after 10 layers of the stuff how do you guys get a mirror shine in your future? Thanks!