Pledge with Future Shine

[RocketDad]

I plan on finishing up my last coat of paint tonight using Dupli-color metalic (not chrome or clear coat) auto paint. Someone recommended using the Pledge with Future Shine to finish off the rocket to make it as smooth as possible.

The recommendation was to apply it with a 1" brush. I'll do a test run tonight, but I have some questions about how to best use this product.
1. Can I apply it the day after the last coat (tomorrow night)?
2. How many coats are appropriate for this product?
3. Do I buff it after it dries? If so, with what and how long after I apply it?
4. Will it cure within 12 hours? If I apply it Friday night, will the rocket be ready for a Saturday morning launch?
5. Prior to applying it, does the rocket need to be sanded if it is nice and smooth already?


Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[dixontj93060]

I use Future a lot. No expert, but here are my answers:

1. Probably will be fine as Future being a liquid acrylic has little reaction with most enamels or laquers, but saying that, I typically wait the time recommended by the manufacturer before applying.

2. I don't brush, I airbrush 5 or 6 light coats 15-20 minutes in between. I did brush once and wasn't happy with the results. It goes on much thicker with a brush and likely you will only need one coat, at most two.

3. Buffing is not necessary, but when I do, I use 3M Finesse-It II.

4. Future dries fast. I have flown within a couple of hours, but again, I believe the instructions say 8 hours (overnight).

5. I have found that sanding lightly with 600 grit helps the Future lay down and distribute evenly. Without sanding at times you get some beading on high gloss surfaces (I never sand metallic though). The above really applies when airbrushing, with a physical brush it likely makes no difference if you pre-sand.

 

[NjCo]

Since I recommended the brush on method I'll give you my answers as well, even though they are very similar to those above.

1. Can I apply it the day after the last coat (tomorrow night)?

You could. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that but if you can I'd wait the full cure time listed on your paint can.

2. How many coats are appropriate for this product?

One will work just fine with the brush on method since it's going on pretty thick. But Future evens itself out pretty quickly and doesn't dry the same as paint so it's much easier to work with.

3. Do I buff it after it dries? If so, with what and how long after I apply it?

I never did and I need sunglasses to handle the rockets I've used it on!

4. Will it cure within 12 hours? If I apply it Friday night, will the rocket be ready for a Saturday morning launch?

The bottle says 20-30 minutes. This is floor polish after all. Can you imagine a floor polish where you couldn't walk on the floor for 12 hours! Probably wouldn't be a big seller. I think I waited an hour on one of my rockets before I handled it and I had no problems.

5. Prior to applying it, does the rocket need to be sanded if it is nice and smooth already?

If you've already got it smooth then I see no point in sanding again. Keep in mind that this stuff doesn't behave like spray paint. If you have a hole on a fin and you spray over it evenly with spray paint then you still end up with a hole when you are done because the paint goes on in an even layer. When applied with a brush the Future goes on thick and tends to self level. So it should fill in any minor imperfections in your finish.

My first test I did was on an old rocket I build about 25 years ago. I had not done any filling on the fins and very little if any sanding when I built it. Prior to using Future I had sanded off much of the old paint and repainted the rocket. But the finish was still really rough. After Future there was a big improvement in the surface finish. I specifically used that rocket because I wanted to see just how well Future would fill in surface irregularities. I was very pleased.

 

[slogfilet]

If I've already added Nu-Finish, can I put Future over the top, or will it bead?

 

[NjCo]

If I've already added Nu-Finish, can I put Future over the top, or will it bead?

Good question. Since Nu-Finish is a synthetic wax type product I'd hazard a guess that it might affect the coverage of Future but I really have no idea. A quick test should tell you. Spray some paint on a piece of cardboard. Let it dry. Apply Nu-Finish and then coat with Future and see what happens. When in doubt, test it out!

 

[RocketDad]

Thanks guys! I will Future them tonight for tomorrow's launch!

 

[FatBoy]

2. I don't brush, I airbrush 5 or 6 light coats 15-20 minutes in between.

Dixon....

What do you use to clean your airbrush after you've run Future through it?

 

[NjCo]

Dixon....

What do you use to clean your airbrush after you've run Future through it?

Ammonia is the solvent for Future. Some Windex should do the trick.

 

[Gillard]

i've always used a brush and never had a problem, just make sure that you don't overload the brush.

 

[dixontj93060]

Dixon....
What do you use to clean your airbrush after you've run Future through it?

Sorry for the delay (I didn't see the question). I use lemon-scented ammonia 1/2 and 1/2 with water or just original Windex. Cuts through the Future in seconds. BTW, you do have to be careful not to mistakenly clean your rocket with Windex after it is clear coated with Future (I instead use a mild citrus-based cleaner).

 

[slogfilet]

I got some Pledge with Future over the weekend and no, you can't use Future over Nu Finish... it just won't stay put.

Too bad, really... I played with the Future a bit, and really like the finish. Just gotta be careful not to get too much on at once.

Any way of removing Nu Finish?

 

[NjCo]

I

Any way of removing Nu Finish?

Any good wood chipper should do the trick!

 

[Scode68]

Wow, I have to get more and can't find any.

I tried Target, Walmart, Pathmark, Stop & Shop and Shop Rite.

 

[MarkII]

I got some Pledge with Future over the weekend and no, you can't use Future over Nu Finish... it just won't stay put.

Too bad, really... I played with the Future a bit, and really like the finish. Just gotta be careful not to get too much on at once.

Any way of removing Nu Finish?

BTW, where do you get Nu Finish? I have tried auto parts stores - no luck.

MarkII

 

[luke strawwalker]

Ace Hardware has it around here... OL JR

 

[Gus]

Is there a difference between using Pledge with Future Shine versus using the straight Future Floor Polish?

 

[jim fustini]

Is there a difference between using Pledge with Future Shine versus using the straight Future Floor Polish?

I was just going to ask the same question. I have used Future. But not Pledge/ with future. And would'nt pledge be in a spraycan?

 

[Scode68]

Ace didn't have it but the 9th store (A&P/Super Fresh) had it. I was in Home Depot afterwords and they had it also for almost a dollar more.

There is no more Future as it is now packaged as Pledge with Future Shine. Not sure when this happened but the last bottle of Future I bought had to be 10 years ago.

Took a long break from building things.

 

[jim fustini]

Ace didn't have it but the 9th store (A&P/Super Fresh) had it. I was in Home Depot afterwords and they had it also for almost a dollar more.

There is no more Future as it is now packaged as Pledge with Future Shine. Not sure when this happened but the last bottle of Future I bought had to be 10 years ago.

Took a long break from building things.

We have it here in Michigan. I just bought a bottle about 6 months ago at Meijer

 

[slogfilet]

I was in Home Depot afterwords and they had it also for almost a dollar more.

I saw that HD also had a product made by Zep that appeared to by an acrylic floor finish. If you make a LOT of rockets, it was available in 5gal buckets (and 32 or 64oz sizes as well.) Cheaper ounce for ounce than Future, if I recall.

I haven't tried it myself, but it was on the shelf right next to Future.

 

[MarkII]

Is there a difference between using Pledge with Future Shine versus using the straight Future Floor Polish?

I thought that Pledge with Future Shine WAS Future Floor Finish, just with a new name and label. Same product. A couple of years ago, people started remarking that they could no longer find FFF in stores anymore. Eventually it was found that the product was still being made but was being sold with the new name.

Family Dollar sells a comparable product under their own label, called simply "Acrylic Floor Finish."

MarkII

 

[Gus]

I did a little research and it turns out the product has been renamed Pledge with Future Shine. Same formulation, new name.

Way more information than you would ever want to know about this can be read here.

 

[Pem Tech]

I did a little research and it turns out the product has been renamed Pledge with Future Shine. Same formulation, new name.

Way more information than you would ever want to know about this can be read here.

Great info Gus, thanks for the link.

 

[CF-105]

Future is my clear-coat of choice. I've been tempted to try the airbrush method, but so far have only used clean, lint-free cloths. You do need to work fast, and keep the cloth quite wet, but it works great.

 

[Solomoriah]

Sorry for the delay (I didn't see the question). I use lemon-scented ammonia 1/2 and 1/2 with water or just original Windex. Cuts through the Future in seconds. BTW, you do have to be careful not to mistakenly clean your rocket with Windex after it is clear coated with Future (I instead use a mild citrus-based cleaner).

You clean your rockets?



I just dust mine off.

I've always applied Future with a wet rag (wet it with water, wring it out good, squirt the Future on the rag, apply). Makes my hands feel funny, but it works fine.

 

[slogfilet]

I hadn't thought of applying it with a cloth... I've only tried the foam brushes. works relatively well, but is kinda prone to leaving air bubbles behind.

 

[exprditer789]

Is future sticky when it is dry?Alex

 

[Solomoriah]

No. However, it's not slippery either... wouldn't be safe on your floor if it was.

 

[exprditer789]

Whats the best way to apply it?If you put it to thick on a spot does it stick out when looking at it?Alex

 

[Solomoriah]

I use a rag. Wet the rag with plain water, then wring it out, then finally squirt a bit of Future on the rag and wipe it on. Use a painting stick so you don't have to touch the rocket body.