Problems with Tamiya Flat Clear

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:59 am

Just as it says.I'm trying this Tamiya clear for the first time . Having some frosting issues. This is the XF-86 Flat Clear, not the Flat base X21. I have used the X22 Clear Gloss on many kits with great success, but this baffles me. I am thinning with 90% IPA like I always do for the paint,but as the clear coat dries, it begins to frost up.Any suggestions?

geck · Post by **geck** » Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:42 am

Is it an old bottle or batch? Sometimes the clear flats thickens and turns to white over time.

You didn't mention how much you are thinning it and how far away you are airbrushing. I always use Tamiya's thinners as they have some extra ingredients specifically for their paints vs. straight rubbing alcohol. Little more costly, but worth it I think.

If you can get a fresh bottle and test on scrap that might answer your question.

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:04 pm

Thanks for the quick suggestions. New bottle, thinned about 30% ,by eye.
Just thought maybe humidity is the problem.Rained all last night.
The only reason I am trying Tamiya is that is almost all I use,with the exception of metallics.And the color shift when I spray Testors Dullcoat is very noticable,especially on darker colors.

geck · Post by **geck** » Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:04 pm

Ah yes...humidity is a factor as well.

I've used to use Testor's Acryl Clear Flat...which I had pretty good results with.

I've tried Tamiya clear (gloss), but I have never tried their clear flat. I'll have to try it sometime. I stopped using Testor's Dullcoat years ago as it is a lacquer and will attack the underlying paint coat if you don't apply it correctly. Plus the stuff comes out of the spray bottle like Niagara, spitting and drenching anything in it's path.

Amazing how clear coats can sometimes be more difficult to do than opaque colors!

jim · Post by **jim** » Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:18 am

I've been spraying clear blue on the stid bussard cap while it was raining all day and it dried like elmer's glue n spots. Is there a full-proof way of painting these things?

geck · Post by **geck** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:31 pm

Yes...never paint when it's raining unless you're sure your insolated from the extra humidity. You could try getting a de-humidifier if it's really bad. Humidity is a constant problem where I live, but it again also depends on the type of paint, thinner, and ratios you're using.

I would also try to thin the clear color more and build up the paint in layers. Let the layers dry in between coats.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:04 am

It's the Tamiya itself. Their flat does that with ISO. I thin Tamiya flats (dark flats do the same thing sometimes) with denatured alcohol instead of ISO.

I figured out if the frosting isn't too bad a lot of times a light coat of Future will take care of it. Then you can try something else.

I hope this helps.

Kenny