Is there an alternative to Klear/Future in the UK

[Ballsnchunk]

Hi Guys/Gals

I have been trying to get my sticky paws on a bottle of Johnsons Klear, understandably to no avail. and according to various stores Future doesn't even exist!
After trawling across the T'interweb it seems that Klear was rebranded as Pledge Multi surface wax although this seems to get mixed reviews and now seems to be a bit like Marmite (love it or hate it ) not that this matters at all to me cos I can't find the damn stuff anyway.
I mainly build aircraft and occasionally need a lovely glossy surface (post decal as well as prior to) and at the minute I really struggle to get anything close to glossy, in fact it usually ends up looking and feeling kinda grainy (this I'm sure is down to lack of talent and ability on my part :-[ ) but it matters not which gloss coat I spray. I switch between Tamiya and Vallejo model air sprayed between 20-25psi.

If anyone has ANY ideas I'd be really grateful

Many Thanks

Mark

 

[KeiserSoze]

Have you tried any of the Vallejo varnishes? They come in matte, satin, and gloss. I have just recently started using these. I like em.

 

[Chris S]

Although it is getting harder to get Klear in the UK ,it can still be found in some ASDA stores ,but I find the new stuff (pledge ) does just exactly the same ,it is the same ...just rebranded

Chris.

 

[`Boots`]

Yeah the Johnsons Pledge even still has the Klear logo on it..........

`Boots`

 

[Ballsnchunk]

Thanks guys
I'll give the Pledge a go.....if I can find it, seems to sell out as soon as it hits the shelves. Really appreciate your help

Ballsnchunk

 

[DXM]

I bought a bottle of Future about a year ago and used it on a couple of projects.
Two nights ago I looked over and noticed the label was Pledge.
I didn't see any difference while using it.

 

[FW190A-8]

Hi Mark,
I share (or at least, did share) your frustration trying to find Future. The stuff is just not available in Australia either. I read swanny's information sheet and a hundred other forums and articles about Future but I just could not get my hands on the right stuff. (I even got the stuff swanny recommended in Aus but it is not the same)
I mentioned my frustration about not being able to get this stuff to a friend of mine in the USA and a week later I go to the mailbox and find 3 bottles of "Pledge with Future Shine" which should last me for quite a long time. I could not believe it. I finally had some and I have to say that it is great. I really like it and it works just as the guys describe it here and in all the model magazines.
So, if you manage to find Pledge (with Future Shine) as one of the guys above said, then that is the right stuff.
cheers,
FW190

 

[TheJackal]

The Pledge one is definitely sold in Morrisons as well.

 

[panzerman75]

I have a few bottles of the pledge and the bottle says with future shine and it works great i havent had any problems with it .

 

[FW190A-8]

And it smells nice too!!! ;D

 

[Ballsnchunk]

I got Some!!!! I went to ASDA....not my local one and they had 3 bottles of the Pledge multi surface wax so I bought em all!
Cheers guys!!!
Any tips on using the stuff??
Am I best to airbrush it or brush paint it on, and do I thin it?? and finally whats best at cleaning my airbrush.
Any tips would be great

Thanks to everyone for their help!

 

[KeiserSoze]

You can brush it on or spray it through your airbrush. Obviously, a cleaner finish is easier to achieve through the airbrush. I spray it straight from the bottle, some people thin it. Personal preference or individual application dictates this.

It is water soluble, so thinning and cleanup with water. Thinning would be better with distilled water rather than tap. Tap water contains minerals that can leave impurities in ur finish. And make sure you clean it from your airbrush quickly after spraying. It dries really hard. (I have a couple of drips on the outside of my cup that I missed that have dried so hard, I am still picking them off a little at a time. ) You probably don't want that inside your airbrush.

I spray in very light, thin coats. I have found that I can control the finish with how thick I spray the coats. (Matte, Satin, Gloss) Thinner coats give me a matte - satinish finish. A thick final coat will give a gloss finish, but I always start off with thin coats. It is great stuff before and after decal application.

 

[apostolos]

You guys are very lucky, here in Greece we have only similar products like Long shine or Pronto which can be used for clear coating but for the canopies are way far from the real Future

 

[Grendels]

Future is water soluble, but once it dries, water won't clean it up very well. Ammonia works better to remove future once it has cured.

 

[m1ks]

The new stuff behaves in exactly the same manner as the old, it's different in appearance, milky rather than clear but does coat and dry clear, smells nicer in that it's perfumed, it's the one downside for me unfortunately, I find the smell lingers in my hobby room and eventually gives me a nagging headache but thats just, it's the same at perfume counters in stores, I have to get through the haze as quickly as possible

I used to spray but find this stuff is so thin and self levels so well that a wide flat brush with good bristles is the easy and quick way to go, as you need to lay on 2 to 3 coats to get a good glossy decalling surface, if you do spray you certainly don't need to thin it and a bottle will last an age, I stil have 3/4 of a bottle of the old stuff and about the same of a bottle of the new which i've had a few months now and used exclusively for testing and verification purposes as a lot of people seemingly have been misinformed as to it's performance.
Use an ammonia solution for cleanup through the AB, household ammonia diluted 6% with water is fine or halfords screenwash, if you can find it windolene with ammonia though getting that in the UK is harder than getting klear.