The SAAF Forum

hi guys.
please can you guys assist with a problem.i always used to do my clear coat with modelmaster 2017 lacqer clearcoat.i cant find more of the stuff.the guys in sa,what do you guys use?i used tamiya x22 gloss clear,but if u have a matt camo finish you rather get a satin finish than a gloss finish.it helps if you use micro sol & set.but you tend to use alot.what do you do before you do the decals?

I have/am using the humbrol set of coats... naturally you must gloss coat your model before applying decals....

One should let the coat dry thoroughly before applying decals. I have heard of guys in the US using future floor polish and clear coating with that and allowing the model to dry for 2-3 days.

After decal application, I believe another coat of gloss is required (should you do any weathering)... otherwise go ahead and shoot whatever finish you want.

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Portamus, you're on the right track, but Future floor polish only requires a few hours to dry. I use the technique myself: Future, decals, future and then the desired gloss, satin or matt finnish. I even use the Future as an adhesive for decals. Nothing wrong with the good old Humbrol matt, satin and gloss though. They just require a real good stir. The only down-side on their gloss, is that it might slightly discolour light colours due to the orange colour to it. So caution when used over white and very light blue.
Hope this helps you, bigdaddy.

Cheers

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thanks portamus.do you get a good gloss finish?

Correct decals must always be applied to a gloss surface.

Reason being gloss is smooth and the decal adhere well, matt is rough and the decals do not adhere well to rough surfaces.

Once the decal has been applied, it must always be sealed in, with either a gloss or matt coat of clear, just depends on the finish etc you want.

Future works wonders on clear parts like the canopy to make it look more realistic. Future goes under a number of brand names. Just dip the canopy in Furure and let the excess run off and let it dry, makes it crisp and clear.

It is also important to put barriers (coats) between your weathering layers of different paint types ie oils, enamels, pastels and acrylics. Pencils (graphite) is great for showing worn paint to metal.

For clear I use humbrol Matt, Satin and Gloss cotes. I use future for applying decals as per a guide on the ARC. This is what I used on my F1CZ.

Biggles

sounds to good to be true where can one buy the wonder cure for silvering decals in sa

I have used normal Humbrol gloss clear as a base for decals and then toned it down with humbrol matt or satin.No silvering at all.Granted, I do aply the decals with some "decal fix"

Theuns

What part sound too good to be true?

Future floor finish by S.C. Johnson is a wonder, versatile product for modellers around the world, and has done wonders for me, once I understood what this mysteries product they kept referring to called Future. It is also a lot cheaper than a jar of Tamiya etc.
It saved the Sabre Mk.6 from the dustbin that I posted on this forum, the canopy had hazed over, Future was the last step to clear it up.

Future can be used for:
Canopies, making them clearer, hiding scratches.
Deckling adhesive.
Gloss or Flat final coating.
Instrument glass.
Tinted clear parts.
Seam filler.

I will admit that I have not used it for all the above.
If I may, (hope this is not considered hijacking), give some ideas that I have after using this product on 15 models in varying degrees. I'm still learning!
It is a water-soluble product, you can thin it with water, but water won't clean your brushes etc. For cleaning tools, thinning & stripping Future from canopies (when I'm not happy with the result), I use Windex or other similar glass cleaner.
I used to use Future strait & found it dries too fast leaving uneven areas, now I have two jars of thinned Future, one with 40% Windex for clear parts, the other with 25% Windex for decaling & clear coating.
The 40% thinned Future, I use an all clear parts, it makes canopies look clearer, hides fine scratches, protects the plastic from super glue fumes, (that's what went wrong with my Sabre canopy). I place it on a paper towel to wick off the excess, ending with a thin layer of Future, it dries to a touch in about an hour, Future takes 48 hour to cure. If it has not cured, decal solvent & water can turn the Future cloudy.
The 25% thinned Future, I airbrush (sometimes brush) for the final coat, and use as a decal adhesive. When brushing, try to make one pass over an area to avoid brush stroke streaks.
For decaling, I coat the area where the decal is to be applied, apply the decal, then brush the decal, squeezing out any unwanted air, avoiding silvering. The brush I like using is rectangular in shape, 3x12 mm.

I have not tried out the following, for tinted clear, add food colouring or acrylic paint. Seam filler, mix with talcum powder which becomes hard, but sand easily. For clear flat, Future with talcum powder or flat base (liquid flattening agent from Tamiya & Gunz Sangyo).

Hope this helps

Some great tips, thanks.

Hi

Under what brand name can we get Future here in SA? I have been trying to find it for while, but came up with nothing so far.

Thanks

Herman

I used to use 'One Step'. It was a white bottle with a blue lid (original - no smellies) and made reference to 'Future' in smallish print on the front of the bottle. It's milky in appearance but dries clear.

thanks to all who has replyed and for the tech tips iv done my first oil wash last night it seams that sometimes you are the one standing in your own way of progress id also like to know under what names the future polish goes.only thing i found was mr mustle future polish.it dint cut it.got a good closs coat for tamiya acrilic over the enamil clear.but still one or two decals got a bit of silvering il try to post my first(what if rafale c)in 1 squadorn coulors
but i dont have the net @home'so i have to do it @work.thanks to all again

Hi All

I only use Tamiya TS-13 clear gloss from the spray can. I find it superior to all other clear glosses. Here’s why:

- It’s tough.
- Durable.
- Long lasting shiny sheen.
- Can be polished to a high shine (wet look).
- Does not dis-colour.
- Provides an excellent protective layer.
- Short drying time

However be careful when applying it straight from the can as it is fairly aggressive and bites into the paint which may cause the paint to wrinkle if over-applied!

Don't panic if this happens, let the clear coat cure for about a week and then polish out the wrinkles. The general rule is always apply layers of thin coats over intervals never allowing the paint to pool in one area. I would recommend decanting TS-13 first and leave it for a day or two, so that the propellant can escape/flash.

BTW, TS-13 and X-21 are not the same. Ts-13 is a lacquer and X-21 is enamel

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What you might try and do to stop the silvering is to aply the decal with clear gloss as a "setting agent" It will take some care to do though but I am sure it will help.

Theuns