Spray Gloss Overcoat

[billeblurzz]

If anyone is looking for a good spray gloss overcoat, this is what I use....especially over waterslide decals after they have been applied to the rocket. I sometimes use it over self-adhesive decals too. It seems compatible with every brand paint I use....KRYLON, RUSTOLEUM,etc. The only negative is that it has an odor while drying and is relatively expensive in that it only comes in a 3oz. can for about $4.00. I seem to only get about 2 rockets per can....but the finish is very nice. I have had humid paint problems and this spray will bring out a nice glossy finish. Even works well over some silver or metalflake finishes. It is TESTOR MODEL MASTER LACQUER OVERCOAT GLOSS finish. I just used it over my RENEGADE metallic paint.

 

[Micromeister]

Thanks Bill:
Many of us have been using Testors Clears for a long while, the only REAL down side is it Yellows very quickly. the good news is 3M Finesse-it II will remove it completely weather freashly applied or 10years old without removing much paint or the decals it was applied to protect.
Future is another choice, none is even a better choice with nu-finish polymer car polish (not a Wax) to protect the decals. a little extra is you don't have to worryabout runs either.

 

[billeblurzz]

Okay, there are TWO lines of the TESTORS GLOSS OVERCOATS. The 1260 Dullcote and 1261 Glosscote sell for approx. $3.00 can. The 1260 Dullcote looks good on military models and WILL yellow over time. Sometimes this line is listed as an enamel overcoat and sometimes it says lacquer overcoat. What I use is in the MODEL MASTER line of TESTORS. It usually sells for about $1.00 more and the number is 1961 MODEL MASTER LACQUER GLOSS OVERCOAT. For what it's worth, I have models 5-10 years old with NO yellowing. Some of my Dullcote models HAVE yellowed. I have NOT ever seen any Dullcote in the MODEL MASTER line though. If you DO have some yellowing from using the 1961 MODEL MASTER LACQUER GLOSS OVERCOAT, I would very much like to know about it! FUTURE sounds good....but I really am not interested in the sticky mess. I really like the finish of this spray and it seems to be compatible with everything....maybe too good to be true. I do not like the KRYLON clear spray. Thanks for the response and look forward to any additional comments!

 

[Micromeister]

Well aware of the 1961 Model Master series, Just so you understand the chemistry of Spraycan clears... ALL! everyone, all manufacturers, canners and there offshoots. Even Glidden and Sherwin-Williams. Every type gloss, dull , satin, semigloss sparycan packaged clear coat LACKS any UV inhibitors. Not sure if it's a legal issue or a cost issue but NONE...NO NOT ONE have the additive. this WILL not might, or could cause the Clear coat to yellow over time. even if the model is kept inside under artifical light. I love Testors Master Modeler series paints.. use them ALL the time, but Do not kid yourself or other. MASTER MODELER Testors Gloss clear Lacquer is going to yellow!
The only UV additive Clear coat I've found in years of searching is Krylon Workable Fixatif. Which is a semi-gloss or matte finish only.
Asking if anyone has a master series clear coated model that has yellowed.. Sure I have several. One was only a year old. but as I said earlier.. The really good news is the Clear coat can be removed with 3m Finesse-it II. But will not remove the yellowing from the decal clear.
Naz-Dar Decal Clear is the under and overcoat used in Decal Silkscreen creation which is also a Lacquer with some UV inhibitors, however even this material yellows over time.
It isn't weather a clear coat is a lacuqer or enamel or plastizied enamel (most polyurethanes) or a ture Urethane, that keeps them from yellowing...THEY ALL WILL, it's the amount of UV inhibitor ADDED to the mixture.

Heres two products that will keep your models and decals clean and slick as snake snot
Hope this helps some.

 

[Micromeister]

Oops wrong picture

PS "best Wases" is a poor choice of works on my part.. Neither of these products is a wax
the caption should read "two best Model Rocket protective finishing materials.

 

[Steward]

What is the best way to apply the Future or Nu-Finish?

Can you simply place it in a spray bottle and spray? (lightly I would guess)

 

[Micromeister]

Sandman can likely give you a better take on the in's and out's of future applications.. do date I've simply stuck a stick in the en dof the model, squeesed a little onto a lint free polishing rag and wiped the model down. covering evertihing, stand the model in a drying rack and go on to something else untill the next day..

As for the Nu-Finish. before a launch I'll get out the models I want to fly. wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove built up dust dampen a small piece of t-shrit cloth. squeese a small amount on the dampened cloth and apply to about 2 sq feet of model. Most standard size model all at once, some of the bigger LMR's in two or three patches. Wipe on the first section than with a clean dry T-shirt or lint free polishing rag,, Buff to a shine. that's it.. Quick as you can put it on and buff. It's only necessary to do this about once a year or so. Less if the model isn't flown much

But before I do Any of the above, once the model is completed, NO Metallics. I'll spend about an hour removing any surface blemishes, orange peel, imbedded dust, Dog hair or other junk with 3m Finesse-it II finishing liguid. this CAN be done over decals but if your removeing orange peel it wouldn't be effect the paint under the decal. so I finish before applying silver, golds and Decals. Once I'm happy with the gloss, finisl touch Metallics, decals and then the Futrue or Nu-finish.
With the exception of matte clear on Scale models I've completely stopped using Any Clear Gloss Spary on any model I've built in the last 4 years. Decals stay on, colors stay true, and NO more yellowing on white models.

 

[dtomko]

Future goes on easiest with an airbrush; you don't have to thin it and you can clean up with Windex. However, you can use just about anything to brush it on. Those cheap foam brushes work great. Future levels itself out so you won't get any brush strokes no matter what you use to apply it. I use MicroScale Micro Flat and MicroSatin also. You can also mix these with Future to get any degree of semigloss or flat you want.
John, where would I find Finesse-It? Would a Home Depot carry it?
Drew Tomko

 

[Micromeister]

Finesse-it II is an automotive paint supply produce, I've only found it in Places like Harrington Automotive paint supply, Matto's Supply and the like. Not sure in your area?? Look for Places that sell Dupont and or PPG Auto paints. This last time I purchased a couple quarts they were almost $22.00/qt. but worth every single penny!

 

[Quasar]

This is ridiculous! You would think that SOMEBODY in the hobby industry would manufacture a line of non-yellowing clear coats. Microscale claims on their bottle of Micro Gloss to be "non-yellowing", but is it really? I've just gotten back into modeling after about a 20 year absense and I don't want to put hours and hours of hard work into my rockets and have them turn yellow a few years later. It just doesn't seem right that I should have to use a floor-finishing product on our rockets, but I will if I have to.

Also, the automobile manufacturers have been using clear coat finishes for years and you don't see white cars turning yellow. Anyone know what they use?

Thanks.

Mike Fields

 

[limd21]

If you're willing to buy in quarts, auto-body clear can be found in any auto-body paint supplier. There's lots of different manufacturers: DuPont, PPG, Glasurit, House of Kolor, etc. It's expensive, requires organic solvents, good ventilation, and good respirator gear. But as you already stated, it's going to give you the clearest, most durable clear coat that is practically possible.

Future, on the other hand is cheap, safe to work with and cleans up with water. Some say it yellows, other say it doesn't. I've not used it long enough to make a call on this myself. E.g. go read:
https://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html