Future Floor Wax?

First post - new BAR from Canada now in Tennessee.
I have read posts about finishing with Future Floor Wax.
Is this effective?
How to you apply it?
What are the pros and cons of using this finish?
Thanks in for your input in advance!

Excited about the hobby as I was 40 years ago!!!

Scale Modelers have been using Future for years as a gloss coat over the flat camouflage to apply the decals, since decals adhere better to smooth glossy surfaces rather than a flat paint surface. Decal silvering usually occurs. The Future is airbrushed on straight from the bottle. It usually takes 1-2 coats. Also, some modelers use Future as a top coat to seal the decals after they have dried. Finescale Modeler runs articles on how to use Future. As with all other ways to finish rockets, many have their own personal preferance.

See this link for The Complete Future.

Greg

I apply Future to my LPR rockets after the decals have set. I use cotton T-shirt 'rag' to apply it. Dip the T-shirt in Future (just barely wet it) and carefully apply a light coat of the future over the entire surface of the model. Be sure to avoid bubbles...if you get them, just go over the area again and "wipe" them away. I usually only apply one coat. You can apply more coats but be sure the first coat is dry first; future is very sticky until it's dry. The cotton rag will stick to partially dried Future and you get a nice, clean coat.
YMMV, but this technique is easy & works great for me.

Welcome to Knoxville. I apply using a Q-Tip, but sometimes it leaves little cotton fibers behind.

I apply with cotton wool balls. usually 2-3 coats.
don't apply one heavy coat as it can pool and leave a darker patch where the pool was.
the results are worth the extra effort.

I have found it most effective to air brush Future. I use 5 to 6 light coats with about a 5 to 10 minute dry time between each.

bradycros said:

Thank you for the really basic basics.

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If Future dries, it can clog an airbrush. If this happens, soak the parts in Windex (or similar window cleaner) to disolve the dried on Future.

I started using Future to get a really good gloss finish. I still try for the gloss finish, but I'm now happy with a 15' finish. I use what ever rag is around that doesn't have too much sanding dust in it. Pour on rag and wipe on the rocket, let dry. If it looks good from 15 feet away, I'm done.

Jim Fustini implies correctly that airbrushing is an art that takes much study, practice and time. Results can be out of this world.

On the other hand you are asking about something completely different as airbrushing Future is a pedestrian task. There is very little finesse. Just have enough pressure and the proper needle combination to get a true mist. Go slow. Your first coat or two may show some beading, but Future is self-leveling, so additional coats will combine with earlier coats and smooth out. If you get an occasional drip, just have some paper towels on hand and dab the drip--again if there is a little undulation left, it will smooth out on the next coat. Clean up is simple with diluted ammonia cleaner (I use lemon scent diluted 50-50 with water) or "original" Windex and then water. Let all the disassembled components of the airbrush dry thoroughly after cleaning.

The thing I really like about Future is not (just) the finish (which is typically smooth/shiny and reasonably tough), but the ease of repair. If you have a mishap simply spray the area with the above ammonia solution and rinse (a couple of times typically) and you will expose the original paint for filling/sanding and re-shooting. Then simply apply Future again and the rocket is good as new. Try doing that with other enamel or acrylic clear coats!

jim fustini said:

Recent airbrushed rocketView attachment 28632

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Very nice finish on that rocket!

One thing I can figure out from the picture: How is it being supported?

Greg

The "Rustoleum" (Bright Coat) Metallic Finish can states a clear coat is not recommended. What about Future Floor Finish over that paint? Will it work? Has anyone done it?

gary7 said:

The "Rustoleum" (Bright Coat) Metallic Finish can states a clear coat is not recommended. What about Future Floor Finish over that paint? Will it work? Has anyone done it?

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I have. For the chrome/gold chrome I wouldn't recommend it as it will "dull it out." Other varieties of Bright Coat such as the aluminum seem to work fine. Saying that, I find the Bright Coat product too finicky for my taste and wouldn't use it unless I was looking for a chrome finish, even then I'd opt for a Krylon chrome. For normal metallics I prefer the Stops Rust Metallic. Attached is that paint in copper with Future applied.

Just a word of warning when using Future - it can act as an adhesive if you apply it to a model with the nose cone or adapter inserted into the airframe! I learned that the hard way. I foolishly applied it to a model with the balsa nose cone on, it wicked into the seam, and once it dried there was no way I would get the cone off.

Rocketcrab said:

Just a word of warning when using Future - it can act as an adhesive if you apply it to a model with the nose cone or adapter inserted into the airframe! I learned that the hard way. I foolishly applied it to a model with the balsa nose cone on, it wicked into the seam, and once it dried there was no way I would get the cone off.

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Interesting. Never had that happen. But then, it's been years since I used it on balsa.

Rocketcrab said:

Just a word of warning when using Future - it can act as an adhesive if you apply it to a model with the nose cone or adapter inserted into the airframe!

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Some scale modellers take advantage of its adhesive properties to attach clear cockpit canopies or car windows. Regular model cement will ruin any clear surfaces it touches, and CA gives off fumes that will cloud the clear plastic. Future is much more forgiving. If a little gets on the clear plastic, it is transparent and rarely noticeable.

Future is nice for fixing scratches in stuff like that too...

I recently "acquired" a rocket-shaped clear plastic cup for a project I'm working on... it looks really cool, except for the kinda ugly restaurant logo emblazoned on the side of the cup... I guess it was silkscreened but it didn't want to come off... I finally got it off by carefully scraping the ink away with the edge of an X-acto blade, but it left the cup surface slightly marred where the ink was, kinda cloudy-- didn't remove any plastic, but I guess either the blade or the ink itself kinda 'etched' the plastic so that it was no longer transparent...

A few coats of FUTURE carefully applied and polished got it back to about 98% of clear and undamaged... if you REALLY look closely, you can see the affected area, but from a couple feet away it's virtually invisible and the cup looks completely clear.

I was looking for that "Lens Doctor" stuff they used to advertise on TV to fix my clip-on sunshades-- driving a bus and doing farm stuff is pretty hard on my clip-on's... they're constantly off and on, especially when I'm working in the shop or on equipment or a vehicle and driving to get parts or do farm work... and the clip ons are rediculously easy to scratch when carried bare in a shitr pocket... The things end up SO hazy it's hard to see through them, especially in direct sunlight. Despite looking at every store I could think of, I NEVER could find any of the Lens Doctor stuff or any functional equivalent... My old clip-ons were SO messed up they were practically beyond repair- so as a last resort before tossing them, I tried wiping on few coats of FUTURE and polishing them gently with a clean soft rag... worked pretty good... I'd say it improved them at least 50-60%, and might have done better if 1) they hadn't been so heavily and deeply scratched to begin with, and 2) I had put on more than a couple coats and spent over 5 minutes polishing them out...

Later! OL JR

What about putting Future over decals to "seal" them? Is that ok or am I going to ruin the decals?

It's ok. Do it all the time.

"Chrome in a can" materials do not play nice with ANY clearcoating materials, paint or FUTURE...

IMHO chrome in a can stuff doesn't play nice PERIOD...
If in doubt, ask pemtech...

Later! OL JR

gary7 said:

What about putting Future over decals to "seal" them? Is that ok or am I going to ruin the decals?

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I do that all the time and it has never damaged any decal.

Rocketcrab said:

Just a word of warning when using Future - it can act as an adhesive if you apply it to a model with the nose cone or adapter inserted into the airframe! I learned that the hard way. I foolishly applied it to a model with the balsa nose cone on, it wicked into the seam, and once it dried there was no way I would get the cone off.

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Been there done that. But only once.

Future can also be applied with a cheap foam brush. Lightly dip the foam brush into the Future, I usually put it in a throw away plasitic cup. Use light long strokes to avoid bubbles. The foam brush can even be cleaned in hot water.

any techniques for polishing it out?

I don't think you can polish it out. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong or I didn't do something correctly leading to my poor results.

When I tried to polish it, the stuff just got gummy and melted and smeared around. A little Windex cleaned that right up, then I just mopped some more on and left it alone after that.

kramer714 said:

any techniques for polishing it out?

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There is absolutely no need for "polishing it out". Applied with any of the suggested techniques, just let it dry and your good to go.

Like mark I generally use a 1" poly-foam brush. Even on large models they are just set it up & checked every so often for any build-up or drips that may develop until it's completely dry.

One interesting thing that has be observed it that JUST before Future hardens we're talking seconds before. Future seems to become thinner I guess the self leveling??? then about 20 seconds later it's cured. I generelly let the model set for an hour just to be sure.

If she looks like it needs another coat It's applied right over top. But second coats are rarely ever needed.

RangerStl said:

I don't think you can polish it out. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong or I didn't do something correctly leading to my poor results.

When I tried to polish it, the stuff just got gummy and melted and smeared around. A little Windex cleaned that right up, then I just mopped some more on and left it alone after that.

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Yes, Future can get scuffed up (we abuse these things in flight). With the occasional bump/scuff, I have found that a combo of 3M rubbing compound followed by Finesse-It II will usually get me back to the "shine" I like.