General Discussion (Model Railroader)

 Hey guys. So, I'm startign to run out of model master semi-gloss. I remmber a thread on here a while back about using spray paint clear finishers such as Krylon brand to seal locos and cars. So my question is, which have you sued and which one in your opinion works the best and which ones do I want to stay away from? Thanks in advance!

 I am a long term Testors DullCote user.  I use it to seal in decals and make the decal film invisible.  And to kill the gloss on things needing same.  Long time ago I tried a spray can of something clear and it made the decals go all crinkly.  Since then I went back to DullCote and am still with it.  

   I'd love to find something a little cheaper.  The hobby shops charge as much for a little can of DullCote as the hardware stores charge for a big can of anything else.  

I've also had good success with Testor's Dullcoat.  I tried that first and didn't have a need to try anything else.

Sawyer:  this is a bit off-topic, but now are you a packers fan or a b.f. fan?  It's kind of hard to be both these days...

 I use Krylon Matte Finish.  Works like a charm, but as with anything new, it's wise to test on a throw away first.

Nick

sschnabl:

I've also had good success with Testor's Dullcoat.  I tried that first and didn't have a need to try anything else.

Sawyer:  this is a bit off-topic, but now are you a packers fan or a b.f. fan?  It's kind of hard to be both these days...

I know about Dullcoat, just wanted to find something cheaper.

Nick, thanks, what I was looking for. I had heard about the Krylon on here before, just wanted to check

As to the packers fan vs. Brett Favre fan, I loved him in Green Bay, pulled for him in New York, I wish him nothing but the worst in Minnesota, lol. I will NOT pull for a divisional rival, no matter who is under center. Only way I will pull for him is in the playoffs if the packers don't make it. But if they face the Chargers in the Super bowl, GO CHARGERS!

 You can´t seriously recommend Testors dullcote as a good replacement for semi-gloss clear? I mean the dullcote is so low on the gloss-scale that it hardly registers, it almost eats light. The Krylon on the other hand, yes. I have used Top Flites LustreCote spray. the semi-gloss is very nice.

Graffen:

 You can´t seriously recommend Testors dullcote as a good replacement for semi-gloss clear? I mean the dullcote is so low on the gloss-scale that it hardly registers, it almost eats light. The Krylon on the other hand, yes. I have used Top Flites LustreCote spray. the semi-gloss is very nice.

I really would prefer to have been using dullcoat instead of semi-gloss, but my LHS was out of dullcoat when I started buying clear finishes.

I'm using them as a weathering finisher, I might even re-shoot all my finished projects with some if it takes that new paint shine off instead of do like the semigloss and give it that shine, lol.

It sounds as if we're talking about spray cans here.  If you have an airbrush, Dullcote (and GlossCote) are both available in bottles, and can be thinned with lacquer thinner.  The airbrush will allow a thinner coat (using less product) and you can combine the Dull- and Glosscote in varying ratios to get semi-gloss finishes to suit each particular job.

Wayne

doctorwayne:

It sounds as if we're talking about spray cans here.  If you have an airbrush, Dullcote (and GlossCote) are both available in bottles, and can be thinned with lacquer thinner.  The airbrush will allow a thinner coat (using less product) and you can combine the Dull- and Glosscote in varying ratios to get semi-gloss finishes to suit each particular job.

Wayne

I'm talking about spray paint, like what you buy at wal-Mart

 I picked up two cans of Krylon Flat Clear. A member on another forum suggested that i spray enough into the bottle of my airbrush so I can just use that to apply it. I'm going to try just using the can first though, because that is much simpler than dragging the airbrush out and having to clean it after use.

I've had a few situations with Dullcoat where it went cloudy and wouldn't clear up. Someone suggested it might be because of high humidity, or the paint not being completely dry yet. Anyway, I often use gloss and flat acrylic spray cans from Michael's (I'm sure other art supply stores carry something similar), since I almost always use acrylic paint I figure it's best to go all acrylic. 

Packers#1:

 

doctorwayne:

It sounds as if we're talking about spray cans here.  If you have an airbrush, Dullcote (and GlossCote) are both available in bottles, and can be thinned with lacquer thinner.  The airbrush will allow a thinner coat (using less product) and you can combine the Dull- and Glosscote in varying ratios to get semi-gloss finishes to suit each particular job.

Wayne

I'm talking about spray paint, like what you buy at wal-Mart

 I picked up two cans of Krylon Flat Clear. A member on another forum suggested that i spray enough into the bottle of my airbrush so I can just use that to apply it. I'm going to try just using the can first though, because that is much simpler than dragging the airbrush out and having to clean it after use.

You have an airbrush, why not use it and learn what it can do!  You will get a better finish than with a spray can; it's cheaper; and you can mix the two and get the finish you want.

Silver Pilot:

Packers#1:

 

doctorwayne:

It sounds as if we're talking about spray cans here.  If you have an airbrush, Dullcote (and GlossCote) are both available in bottles, and can be thinned with lacquer thinner.  The airbrush will allow a thinner coat (using less product) and you can combine the Dull- and Glosscote in varying ratios to get semi-gloss finishes to suit each particular job.

Wayne

I'm talking about spray paint, like what you buy at wal-Mart

 I picked up two cans of Krylon Flat Clear. A member on another forum suggested that i spray enough into the bottle of my airbrush so I can just use that to apply it. I'm going to try just using the can first though, because that is much simpler than dragging the airbrush out and having to clean it after use.

You have an airbrush, why not use it and learn what it can do!  You will get a better finish than with a spray can; it's cheaper; and you can mix the two and get the finish you want.

true. hmm, I'll try the airbrush. idk when I'm gonna get a chance though.

Sawyer, if I'm correct, you have an airbrush, go buy some dullcoate laquer, and thin it for your airbrush, apparently, it doesn't have that haze like the stuff with the cans.

demonwolf224:

Sawyer, if I'm correct, you have an airbrush, go buy some dullcoate laquer, and thin it for your airbrush, apparently, it doesn't have that haze like the stuff with the cans.

I do, but spend the amount of money for a little bottle of dullcoat when, for about the same price (I paid $3 per can) I can get 11 oz. of the spray paint.

Take that much more reasonably priced can of spraypaint from wally world and plop it in to a bowl of hot water till the can feels warm all the way to the top and you will get a much finer spray mist.Also be sure to spray only light coats on your model.

Much cheaper money wise and cleaning you spray gun is done by inverting the can and expelling a few short blasts of propellent.