Vallejo flat varnish has been mentioned and IMO as good as Testors #1260 rattle can.
I received 2 weeks ago but have not tried it yet VMS flat varnish that I hope has less smell then the #1260 Testors DullCote.
When my LHS owner said last Fall (2021) that he was having issues getting Testors rattle can I started looking around
I have tried other rattle cans with spotty results. I use the airbrush now and it seems to make a difference
TomO
Yeah did a test with the Krylon crystal clear flat and it looked good.
I have gone from using Dullcoat on rolling stock to Krylon Matte Sealer w/ chalky finish. It gives my rolling stock a dead flat finish which is very easy to weather. Dullcoat is a great product, but I am using it only on engines and pax equipement.
Don; Prez, CEO or whatever of the Wishram, Oregon and Western RR
I have been using Testor's DullCote for many many years and it works for me. The decals stay flat, the Dullcote blends the decals into the model, and it come out nice and flat. I can Dullcote a brightly painted trainset car and come up with a very respectable looking model. One thing, Dullcote bonds with chalk weathering and makes the weathering disappear. Either weather with something else or skip the Dullcote. Testor's recent move to take the Dullcote label off the spray can is discouraging, that's the sort of thing suits will do just before discontinuing a product. I know the feds have been on a war against paint thinners, and I think Testor's dumped the Floquil line because of pressure from the Feds.
It has been a lot of years since I have tried two alternate products that would be more economical than Dullcote. Unfortunately the first alternate product made all the decals on the model go all crinkly. I can't remember what the other alternate product failed to do right, but I made a resolve to stick with, and pay for, Dullcote, it works. If we could come up with a sense of the meeting on a good replacement for Dullcote, I would give it a try. What say all?
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Even with paint I prefer the rattle can. I find that by the time I do all the layers and weathering, that the control on flat paints dosn't mater. Now if you are talking something that runs like an engine or anything other than flat, also if you are weathering with paint, then an airbrush maters to a great extent.
I have had really good luck with the Tamiya flat in a rattle can. I have a few jars coming as I prefer the control of an airbrush.
- Bill Rutherford Lancaster, NH
Central Vermont Railroad
doctorwayne rrebell I mainly used the lusterless flat and a few basic colors in there spray, why break out the airbrush for 5 min or less work. I usually airbrush multiple items in a session, which is often more like five hours-worth of work. Wayne
rrebell I mainly used the lusterless flat and a few basic colors in there spray, why break out the airbrush for 5 min or less work.
I usually airbrush multiple items in a session, which is often more like five hours-worth of work.
Wayne
rrebellI mainly used the lusterless flat and a few basic colors in there spray, why break out the airbrush for 5 min or less work.
rrebell .....why break out the airbrush for 5 min or less work.
.....why break out the airbrush for 5 min or less work.
Because I'm in control of the application process. And, since it's the final layer, it's what I see as it's cruising around the layout; and if I take pics and post them on the internet, it's what people see.
I wouldn't say I've tried them all, but, no matter what I've tried, I keep going back to Testors Dullcote, because it's the deadest/dullest flat finish I can find, that's truly dead flat and dull. I've tried the Krylon Matte Finish (I believe the old version came in a can with blue label), Rustoleum Matte Finish and Rustoleum Dead Flat (just to mention a few) and they didn't give me the results I expected. For some reason, they still left somewhat of a sheen, even though they state "flat or matte". I even de-canned the Rustoleum Dead Flat, diluted it with lacquer thinner, and it still left a sheen. I've even tried diluted matte medium, and wasn't impressed.
Agreed, the spray can of Testors Dullcote can be pricey and wasteful. So, like doctorwayne stated, I purchase the liquid version of Testors Dullcote and dilute it 50% with lacquer thinner. Sometimes, to save on Testors, if I need to protect the current step/phase of weathering, I will shoot the item with the spray can version Krylon Matte or the diluted Rustoleum Dead Flat.
Bottom line, there isn't one "go to" version that we'll all agree on, it's going to be personal preference. Some people swear by the spray can versions of Rustoleum or Krylon.
I did observe, through my experimentation, that applying a layer of Pledge Floor Finish under the final layer of dullcote, I get a more dull/dead flat finish.
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doctorwayne Testors Dullcote, in fairly large (compared to most model paints) glass bottles, is still available. If you have an airbrush, simply use equal amounts of Dullcote and lacquer thinner, which will create a very durable and easy-to-spray flat finish.You can use the same mix of Testor's Glosscote with lacquer thinner, too, for a nice glossy (and tough) finish. I've never cared for spray cans, as they're wasteful of the product, compared to airbrushing (or, for that matter, brush painting). I've never liked Model Masters paint, as I found it greatly inferior to Floquil's water-based Pollyscale...in my opinion, the best modelling paint I've ever used...good for brush-work and airbrush, too. Wayne
Testors Dullcote, in fairly large (compared to most model paints) glass bottles, is still available. If you have an airbrush, simply use equal amounts of Dullcote and lacquer thinner, which will create a very durable and easy-to-spray flat finish.You can use the same mix of Testor's Glosscote with lacquer thinner, too, for a nice glossy (and tough) finish.
I've never cared for spray cans, as they're wasteful of the product, compared to airbrushing (or, for that matter, brush painting).
I've never liked Model Masters paint, as I found it greatly inferior to Floquil's water-based Pollyscale...in my opinion, the best modelling paint I've ever used...good for brush-work and airbrush, too.
I've had great luck with Vallejo Flat Varnish.
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Greg WilliamsCanterbury, NBCanadahttps://www.gregstrainyard.com/
Yeah, that is why I use the Model Masters. Good news though, tried Krylon crystal clear flat and can not tell the difference even sprayed sprayed right next to each other (just happened to have a can of that one too).
Testors #1260 Dullcote is still available in the small spray cans, but it is getting way up in price.
There was a change years ago that resulted in less "flat" but also less color shift.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Just did a test spray of rustolium, love the stuff on 1-1 stuff but not good on models, darkens them considerably and took away the brick wash on the test peice.
Never liked Dullcoat, some say it is the same formula but know people who used both and they all said they were different but who knows, things have changed. The last I bought was some time ago. Some of the modeler sites recamend Rust-oleum universal dead flat, just happen to have some which is good because that line seems hard to find now in the clears as I recently went looking for some semi gloss clear to replace a can that ran out for a 1-1 job in that line and could not find.
Last I looked actual DullCote is still around in rattle cans but oddly Testors has taken the name off the can, and you only see the name on the paper sleeve that holds the cap on the can.
I do believe Tamiya has a similar product. Our counterparts in the military modeling realm seem to use sources for paints that we do not,
Dave Nelson
Just like the title says, need to dulcoat the carfloats I been working on. I have 3 to do.