Go to gloss coat

[Big10]

What is your go to gloss coat. I know people love future but I can not stand it. I can never get the right consistency with it.

I have tried Microscale Micro Gloss, Alclad Gloss Klear, and Model Master Lacqure Gloss.

I am in the middle of decals for my bird and it has really been a pain in the arse. Used some Model Mater and I am not happy with the way it is going.

 

[jknaus]

I like future. I add a few drops of windex with ammonia which helps it flow. I havent used anything else in years. Have you tried Ta,ya clear gloss? Maybe you will find it more to your liking.
James

 

[moon puppy]

I've been using the Testors big square bottle of lacquer gloss. Course you play with fire with that stuff, might be one of the reasons I've had failed finishes in the past.

The Alclad Aqua Clear gloss works well for me.

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Future with just a touch of Windex for me too. I'm trying to find a replacement for the Testors Lacquers (Gloss and Flat) because of what Bob said, but I just haven't yet.

Have you tried MM Acryl Gloss? Some people have good luck with those...

 

[moon puppy]

Oh God! Don't do it cause I said so, haven't you seen the fubar stuff I've done lately?

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Oh God! Don't do it cause I said so, haven't you seen the fubar stuff I've done lately?

Sorry man! What I meant is that the same thing has happened to me!

 

[DanKramer1138]

Please forgive the thread-jack. I've heard of this before, using floor wax as a gloss coat. Is this something you guys mix in a larger container to have it ready, or do you just put some in the airbrush cup and then add the windex? The addition of the windex is one I hadn't heard yet.

 

[Gator]

Model Master Acryl Gloss works pretty good and so is Vallejo. I've used Future or Pledge or whatever they are calling it now.

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Please forgive the thread-jack. I've heard of this before, using floor wax as a gloss coat. Is this something you guys mix in a larger container to have it ready, or do you just put some in the airbrush cup and then add the windex? The addition of the windex is one I hadn't heard yet.

Future floor wax, is really just an acrylic gloss that people put on floors (i'm being a little simplistic here I know). Someone decided to use it on models and it woks great!. I use it for dipping clear parts to get a great shine, as an adhesive for photo etched instrument panels and as a gloss coat.

As a gloss coat, I have had the best results spraying it neat from the bottle at a low-ish air-pressure. I have started to thin it with a drop of Windex in the paint cup with good results. Works just like any other gloss coat and seems pretty bullet-proof. But you do need to be careful - I had problems being a little to heavy and it would leave runs and drips. You do need to clean your A/B with Windex with ammonia though. I follow up with some distilled water to clean out the ammonia which can be pretty rough on the innards of your airbrush.

I saw a tutorial on another site, I'll see if I can dig it up for you...

Mike

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Found the tutorial I was looking for. Its by a guy over at ARC (Chuck540z3), his results speak for themselves and he is kind enough to offer tutorials on how he gets his results.

Link to Future Tutorial over on ARC

I'm not sure where the link will put you but the future tutorial is in post #170. If you read the whole tread he actually offers quite a few tutorials on many different techniques.

Hope this helps ( and really sorry for the hijack )

Mike

 

[ausf]

Future is my go to for everything: AB, dipping, brushing, eyeballs, sealing scratch made decals, etc. I even coat chess pieces with it.

I guess I'm not the guy to ask. :hmmm

I don't thin it at all. Big brush, 12-14 PSI and it's good to go.

 

[phantom II]

Future is my go to for everything: AB, dipping, brushing, eyeballs, sealing scratch made decals, etc. I even coat chess pieces with it.

I guess I'm not the guy to ask. :hmmm

I don't thin it at all. Big brush, 12-14 PSI and it's good to go.

I agree , except that I airbrush mine . Thinned considerably with Windex . Even works as a good primer.

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[Big10]

Thanks gents, I guess I will have to give future another try.

 

[Swordsman]

I wish I could help, I've never gone down the future road ... I think it is called Pledge now - with Future technology ... Show your results ...

 

[matrixone]

Count me in as another one who uses Future as a clear gloss coat.

I have found adding 25% Windex to the Future can give a near glass smooth finish on the model which is really helpful for eliminating silvering when using decals with a lot of clear spaces on them like the late war German crosses.
A few years back on a well known modeling forum I suggested using Windex to slightly thin Future and was shouted down by some 'know it alls' and was told you don't need to thin Future to spray it, yes this is true you don't NEED to thin it but for the purpose of getting a really smooth gloss coat in preparation for decaling thinning Future with Windex does help. ldguy

Using high P.S.I. seems to work the best as it atomizes the spray pattern enough to where it reduces the chance of the Future pooling on the surface of the model...just be sure to airbrush the Future similar to the way Alclad II is sprayed on by steady passes over the model, keep the airbrush moving.

Just like spraying on flat clear coats on aircraft models spraying Future on the wing roots first and then the rest of the model will avoid the pebbly texture that can sometimes occur.


Matrixone

 

[Hawkwrench]

As far as brushing on future, how long does it take to dry before you can add on your decals?

Clear up right!
Tim

 

[moon puppy]

You generally want to give it 24 hours to cure. Funny thing, you can walk on it in 15 minutes but can't work with it on a model for 24 hours.

 

[Hawkwrench]

Well that's about retarded!
Do you know of a quick drying gloss cost that can be brushed on?

Clear up right!
Tim

 

[moon puppy]

Future does dry pretty quickly, enough to handle. The reason you want it to cure is if you use any solvents to get the decals to settle down, they could react to the future if it's not cured.

But as far as what's best to gloss coat with brush? Couldn't tell ya, let us know what you find.