Clear coat over decals

[astapleford]

I've just finished painting and decaling a loco. It has been a long time since I have done this and have forgotten what final clear finish to use over the decals and loco overall to seal them in. I would prefer not to use a flat finish, because I want the loco to appear somewhat newly painted with a small amount of weathering. Also, I don't want to use a gloss finish because of the "too glossy" look.

I have been using Floquil (oil based) paint and would like to continue this job with a Floquil product (while I can!). I was thinking of applying (airbrushing) maybe Crystal Coat, or Glaze.

Any suggestions?

Al

[Adelie]

Al,

I used Polly Scale Satin Finish on a passenger train some years back to get a finish similar to what you are describing.  I think Floquil says you can mix Crystal Cote and Flat Finish from their product line to get a similar finish.

[MisterBeasley]

I use rattle-can satin finish.  The Model Master stuff from my LHS seems to work pretty well, and it gives a nice smooth finish without looking excessively glossy.

[binder001]

Yes, you really need a clear protective coat even over the best decals applied in the best manner.  The choice of clear coat is as varied as there are modelers.  First, glossy, dull (flat) or in between?  Glossy really looks out of place on a model railroad.  Semi-gloss (satin) is about the shiniest that even new equipment should be.  Flat is most common.  Over the years I have had very good results from Testors Dullcote, which is a laquer and is available in a "rattle can" or in bottles for use in an airbrush.  Some people have had problems with Dullcote drying to a "milky" finish but that was often due to 1) high humidity, 2) poor mixing, and 3) too heavy of a coating.  Model Master makes some excellent coatings as well, plus MM makes a nice satin finish. Both Model Master and Dullcote won't attack a fully cured finish if applied in light coats.  Lately, with the proliferation of nice pre-assembled models, I have been doing renumberings or minor modifications and use a brush for touch-up.    I have had excellent results with the clear acrylic from Vallejo paints (a military miniatures line from Spain).  Thinned with a bit of Model Master acrylic thinner it brushed on easily, leaves few brush marks and dries dead flat. 

[doctorwayne]

If you can still find the original Floquil lacquer-based gloss and matte finishes, you can mix them to obtain a semi-gloss with whatever degree of glossiness you desire.  However, the last time I looked at Floquil's recent offerings, the formula was greatly changed - I'm not saying that it can't be used, but it's certainly a different paint than that to which you may be accustomed, and is likely not compatible with the previous versions.

I usually use Testors Dullcote and Glosscote, mixing them in varying proportions to create finishes appropriate for each particular job.  I've also found that if you use a gloss or semi-gloss in preparation for decal application, a better-looking finished product can be obtained by over-coating the applied decals with the same finish before applying the desired final finish.  Properly applied, there's no overly-thick appearance. 
I use lacquer thinner for both Floquil (original) and for the Testors clear finishes, and they apply easily and evenly over lacquer-based or acrylic paints, although the latter should be fully cured prior to clear-coating.  Also, I almost never apply a clear coating over weathering, as it makes the finish too uniform - even an almost new car or locomotive can get dirty without obscuring the gloss of new paint.

Below is a brass locomotive which I detailed and painted for a friend.  There are three different "blacks" used, all mixed from Floquil engine Black, and four different clear finishes applied to give the look of a recently shopped locomotive:  a fairly high-gloss finish on the cab and tender, a less-glossy finish for the boiler, cylinders, and front end, and an even less-glossy coating on the running gear.  The firebox and smokebox received no clear coating at all, while the pipes passing over those areas were brush-painted the same colour as the boiler and then clear-coated with suitable brush-applied finishes.
(Click on the image for an enlarged view, then click again on the enlargement for an even bigger picture.)

To weather the locomotive, the running gear got a very light overspray of well-thinned matte finish while the locomotive was running, with both loco and tender moving, then very light oversprays of weathering colours, again highly thinned and directed mostly along the lower portions of loco and tender, also with the loco running and moving.  To finish, a light misting of flat black "soot", (90% thinner) along the top of the boiler and cab roof.
Most modellers seem to prefer heavier weathering, but you don't always have to start with a dead flat surface upon which to add the weathering effects.

Wayne

[astapleford]

Thank you all for your speedy response.

I painted an Atlas/Kato GP7 undecorated loco. I painted it for D&RGW using Floquil standard paints mixed with crystal cote for a sheen finish for decals. That process worked out great. Now that the decal job is completed, I want to insure that the decals are fully protected. By the way, I always leave weathering uncoated for that real "dirty" look!

From what I have seen from your responses, it looks like Dullcote/Glosscote (for air brushing) may be the way to go. How about plain Crystal cote thinned with thinner, though as some have suggested? 

Many thanks.

[bogp40]

I also like the finish of the airbrushed Floequil flat. As Wayne suggests, it can be mixed w/ a small amount of gloss to gain a more satin like finish if desired. Even though Floequil is on it's way out of production, there will be product available for quite some time. If you like the product stock up as I have. I have used other various products and do really like that clean, hard, smooth finish gained from Floequil.

[gandydancer19]

The locomotive finish and the completed decal job are two different and distinctive steps and should not be mixed.

For good decals, gloss coat, apply the decals, then gloss coat again. 

After the decal steps are finished, the locomotive can be lightly weathered as desired.  The final clear coat can be whatever you want to use for the over all look you are wanting to achieve.  Either completely flat or semi-gloss. 

However, a semi-gloss finish over weathering may not look exactly right because real weathering on a full scale locomotive occurs after the final paint job on the loco.  So if you are going to air brush the weathering on, I would do it after the final clear coat.  Jut make sure you use flat weathering colors.

[bogp40]

davidmbedard

Future Floor polish.

David B

The Future works great for "spot" decaling, (lettering, passenger especially and renumbering),  but on an overall where numerous decals will be placed (large heralds etc),  I still prefer to airbrush the entire shell w/ Floequil gloss. Future is basically laquer but not actually a super quality "paint" to use for an overall job. Still need that sealing clearcoat of flat or satin.

Weathing  between steps is a preference and depends on your type of weathing itself. I will drydrush, rust streaks, grime (artists acrylics) before final sealing, however weathering powders like a flat finish to gain some tooth and that gloss used for decal application doesn't let the powders work as well. Any weathering w/ the Braegdon powders I do after sealing w/ floequil flat. It has such a good hold, I rarely ever seal in the powder. Just need to be careful w/ excessive oily finger handling. Give it another coat if you find handling problems messing w/ the finish.

[zstripe]

I'll second,the use of, Future floor polish,,,I built and painted,( three color) 1/12 scale R/C Tamiya,tractor trailer model,with two lite coats, air-brushed on,for one of my grandson's and he uses it outside,for the past,five years,with no problem's,,,still looks great....Total invested for the model was 1500 dollars,,so for 5 bucks you can't beat it..

Cheers,

Frank 

[Guy Papillon]

Here is a link for an article about Future Floor Finish which is now manufactured under Pledge name.

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

I used it to gloss a flat paint.  Great results.