Gloss & Dull coats

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:06 pm

I very much like the PolyScale dullcoat. It is too thick in the bottle for airbrushing, you'll need to thin it to about 30%. Also, airbrush it VERY THIN. If it looks liquid on the model, it's too thick, and can crackle. You airbrush it so you can see the glosscoat reflection go away. Stop then. If you need more, you'll know soon enough, and can apply a second coat.

Hands down, it's the best acrylic dullcoat I've used. Those of you who have seen my work, you know how it looks.

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:54 pm

Terry,

Many thanks. I've seen photos of your work; I know it's not like seeing the stuff up-close, but still -- yeah, you know your stuff

What do you use to think PollyScale flat? I've heard the following recommended:

*Windex
*water and isopropyl mix
*Model Master Acryl thinner

I'm leaning toward Windex since I can't find my MMA bottle

, but if memory serves, those two are pretty similar. Moreover, I experimented hand-brushing the Polly flat mixed with Windex ... I had to use a tremendous amount of thinner (I actually lost track of the ratio, but it was easily 2.5:1), but the results weren't actually bad. I'm sure had I airbrushed the mix, it would've been better still.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 8:01 pm

I use Polyscale's thinner, AKA diosol.
You can thin a little bit with water, the paints are pretty thin to start with.

Polyscale is different stuff, and will gunk easily if not treated well. If you treat it well - thin coats, proper thinning, thorough mixing, their paints are VERY nice. I've used them on a number of military aircraft, they make a nice range of colors. They're not as forgiving as Gunze or Tamiya, but they cure buttery smooth.

Oh, if you do buy their thinner, also buy their Plastic Prep. I don't paint anything unless I wipe first with Plastic Prep. You can really see a difference. I experimented once, with some scrap plastic, wiping only half. The half wiped was nice and smooth with the Mr. Surfacer spray, the half without was gritty. Amazing - I think that's mostly static. Alcohol might do the same, but use the 99% isopropyl.

Gerry · Post by **Gerry** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:05 am

Pledge?

I'm reading throught this and I don't understand the application of Pledge at all.

Where I come from Pledge is sold in a spray can, comes blobby [not a fine mist] and smells like a damn lemon. eww I hate lemon.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:08 am

Gerry wrote:Pledge?

I'm reading throught this and I don't understand the application of Pledge at all.

Where I come from Pledge is sold in a spray can, comes blobby [not a fine mist] and smells like a damn lemon. eww I hate lemon.

It's Pledge with Future Shine. Comes in a bottle and is a clear gloss acrylic.

Gerry · Post by **Gerry** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:11 am

Glad you cleared that up.

We were out of Pledge and I was about to grab the Endust!

Maschinen Krueger · Post by **Maschinen Krueger** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:05 pm

TER-OR wrote:I very much like the PolyScale dullcoat. It is too thick in the bottle for airbrushing, you'll need to thin it to about 30%. Also, airbrush it VERY THIN. If it looks liquid on the model, it's too thick, and can crackle. You airbrush it so you can see the glosscoat reflection go away. Stop then. If you need more, you'll know soon enough, and can apply a second coat.

Hands down, it's the best acrylic dullcoat I've used. Those of you who have seen my work, you know how it looks.

Ter-or, I have to agree with Polly Scale Matt. Love the stuff and is the best Matt acrylic out there, but the last two bottles I have purchased produced a frosted finish and not the nice Matt it use to.

I'm going to try Microscale Micro Flat

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:20 pm

I'll have to keep an eye open for the frosting effect when I open a new bottle. Thanks for the heads-up.

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:44 pm

Has anyone tried Mr. Color Clear Flat? I've had great success with Mr. Surfacers 1000 and 1200, so I nagged a bottle CCF from the LHS.

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 5:15 pm

*Bump*

Anybody?

Joseph C. Brown · Post by **Joseph C. Brown** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 6:09 pm

If you are looking for negative data... no, I haven't tried it. I'm still using Testor's Acryl Dull Coat because I like it.

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 6:29 pm

That's a start, Joe

I am a little surprised no one here's at least tested Mr. Color Clear Flat in lieu of the traditional Testor's fare.

For what it's worth, I'm quite sure I applied my own Mr. CCF too heavily, so the result was appreciably flat if granular.

Is this product worthwhile? Or am I giving it undue credit because it's Japanese in origin?

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:16 am

I'll add more negative data just to prove I monitor discussions...

I've found PolyScale's Matte acrylic is the best I've ever used and haven't used a rattlecan in ages. I take that back - I have used Testors to fix some pastel dust. For that I spray the air and pass the model through - kind of like we used to do with charcoal drawings when we put the paper on the floor and sprayed the air above, letting the tiny droplets fall onto the paper. It worked suprisingly well...

All I can recommend is you be a scientist. Test the stuff. Take some old crapped-out parts, paint them, weather them etc. just like you would with a "real" model and hit them with the stuff using different techniques. Then report your data and conclusions.

Pandaphil · Post by **Pandaphil** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:59 pm

Help! I hope someone can aswer this quick as I need to get this project finished and I'm hitting the craft store tomorrow.

Can you guys recomend a good dullcoat over Acrylic? I hit my latest project with Testors from a spray can and it actually turned it glossy! Even pastels can't seem to knock down the shine.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:05 am

Airbrush, Testors Acryl Matte Coat.

Rattle can... try a matte spray fixative.

Pandaphil · Post by **Pandaphil** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:09 am

Okay, I've tried three different types of matte finish and they've all turned glossy. There must be some wierd chemical reaction going on here.

Even grinding pastels into it with a stuff brush hasn't killed the gloss completely. At this point I'm on the verge of stripping and repainting the damn thing.

Matty1973 · Post by **Matty1973** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:44 am

Ok so i sprayed Tamiya Semi Glos over some decals and it ate away some of the edges, what can i do to avoid this happening again, especially since i will be doing the Polar lights 1/350 enterprise with all those aztec decals

Callandor · Post by **Callandor** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:41 am

I usually spray some future over the decals before spraying my final clear coat.

Matty1973 · Post by **Matty1973** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:28 pm

Callandor wrote:I usually spray some future over the decals before spraying my final clear coat.

Apparently we don't have Future in Oz, renamed and reformulated, the semi gloss I used was from an aerosol, and I am thinking this may be the cause any more info would be appreciated

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:56 am

Pandaphil wrote:Help! I hope someone can aswer this quick as I need to get this project finished and I'm hitting the craft store tomorrow.

Can you guys recomend a good dullcoat over Acrylic? I hit my latest project with Testors from a spray can and it actually turned it glossy! Even pastels can't seem to knock down the shine.

Rowney's or Windsor & Newtin's Acrylic matt varnish are excellent.

In general, I find that you really have to shake the can vigorously for at least 2 minutes otherwise the matt will come out glossy.

Callandor · Post by **Callandor** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:32 am

Matty1973 wrote:
Callandor wrote:I usually spray some future over the decals before spraying my final clear coat.
Apparently we don't have Future in Oz, renamed and reformulated, the semi gloss I used was from an aerosol, and I am thinking this may be the cause any more info would be appreciated

I think Future is now called "Pledge with Future Shine"

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:18 am

And remember - thin coats! Particularly with the rattle-can stuff.

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:17 pm

Has anyone used Windsor & Newton's Artisan Matte Varnish -- the stuff for their new (?) "water-mixable" oil paint line?

I nabbed a bottle yesterday. I shook the life out of the bottle and brush-painted it onto a spare part. It's flat, alright! No say on its durability just yet.

SJM · Post by **SJM** » Mon May 30, 2011 3:32 am

Is it recommended that I spray Tamiya TS-13 clear over my decal sheet in a thin coat before I cut out and apply the decals to my model?

Also, after applying the clear coat to my model, is 24 hours the best time to wait before applying my decals?
Should I also wait 24 hours for the thin coat of gloss on my decal sheet to cure?

A lot of my models are getting to the decal stage now (it's taken years) and have never really applied decals in this fashion.

Any help would be really appreciated.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:50 am

Dukat, S.G. wrote:Has anyone used Windsor & Newton's Artisan Matte Varnish -- the stuff for their new (?) "water-mixable" oil paint line?

I nabbed a bottle yesterday. I shook the life out of the bottle and brush-painted it onto a spare part. It's flat, alright! No say on its durability just yet.

It's VERY permanent once cured (that can take a few days to cure really hard). If you apply too much at once it can dry a bit mlky, but if you're careful with it this should not be a problem. It can be airbrushed without thinning, but do not have your airbrush too far away (the mist will dry before it gets to the model and will give a white powdery effect).

iSteve · Post by **iSteve** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:10 pm

I've been using Microscale Microgloss and find it easily clogs up my airbrush. I've been thinning with water as suggested on the bottle, but don't want to overdo it.

Anyone use this stuff and what thinning ratio do you use?

Dukat, S.G. · Post by **Dukat, S.G.** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:28 pm

seam-filler wrote: It's VERY permanent once cured (that can take a few days to cure really hard). If you apply too much at once it can dry a bit mlky, but if you're careful with it this should not be a problem. It can be airbrushed without thinning, but do not have your airbrush too far away (the mist will dry before it gets to the model and will give a white powdery effect).

Many, many thanks for the information. I tried it on a part and, sure enough, once cured, that stuff would NOT come off. I soaked it in oven cleaner -- nada. Even lacquer thinner barely made a scratch.

lzqqqq · Post by **lzqqqq** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:06 am

Moderator zapped Spambot links.

FatherRob · Post by **FatherRob** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:05 am

So I sprayed the saucer of my 1:1000 weefit with dull coat yesterday (shot over gloss coat), and the effect is a bit milky looking. I am afraid I laid it on too thick. I don't suppose there is a way to strip just the dull coat off without stripping all the way, is there?

Or, perhaps it will look different when I get home tonight.

Rob+

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:42 am

Not unless the gloss coat & dull coat are dissimilar enough (acrylic over lacquer or some such).