Future floor wax on windows.

willimo · 11-01-2005, 10:52 PM

Putting Future on model window glass been mentioned at least a dozen times but I've never really seen the answers to these questions. And I've heard it more in the relm of model airplanes than model cars. So here goes:

What exactly does this do? I've heard it "makes the glass clearer." How? Does it fill in scratches and other imperfections, smoothing the surface so it's easier to see through? Doesn't the clear-paint-on-clear-plastic cause extra light diffraction that makes it even harder to see inside the car? The methode is supposedly to "dip" the part; do you fill a container with enough to immerse the whole part? Do you dip it in and take it out like icecream in sprinkles, or do you wait a bit? How do you dry the part and how do you avoid runs?! Does it really work? Doesn't Future yellow? Doesn't it add thickness to the already thick glass making it even harder to see through?

Sorry for the question barrage. I am thoroughly disgusted with the window glass in my Hasagawa EG kit, and need to find some way to improve it, so this might be a great reason to try this Future stuff on window glass. If no one can answer my questions, I'll just go ahead and report the findings, it's just that I'm reluctant to mess up the glass since it's the one part you can't build a model withouth, and so I'd have to buy another EG to waste, just for the glass.

OMGTHXDooDS!

D_LaMz · 11-02-2005, 12:10 AM

Its MAGIC!!!

j/k but it does make the clear parts looks thinner, clearer, and shiney

bvia · 11-02-2005, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willimo

Putting Future on model window glass been mentioned at least a dozen times but I've never really seen the answers to these questions. And I've heard it more in the relm of model airplanes than model cars. So here goes:

What exactly does this do? I've heard it "makes the glass clearer." How? Does it fill in scratches and other imperfections, smoothing the surface so it's easier to see through? Doesn't the clear-paint-on-clear-plastic cause extra light diffraction that makes it even harder to see inside the car? The methode is supposedly to "dip" the part; do you fill a container with enough to immerse the whole part? Do you dip it in and take it out like icecream in sprinkles, or do you wait a bit? How do you dry the part and how do you avoid runs?! Does it really work? Doesn't Future yellow? Doesn't it add thickness to the already thick glass making it even harder to see through?

Sorry for the question barrage. I am thoroughly disgusted with the window glass in my Hasagawa EG kit, and need to find some way to improve it, so this might be a great reason to try this Future stuff on window glass. If no one can answer my questions, I'll just go ahead and report the findings, it's just that I'm reluctant to mess up the glass since it's the one part you can't build a model withouth, and so I'd have to buy another EG to waste, just for the glass.

OMGTHXDooDS!

1. Yes, it fills in minute scratches and also self-levels making the surface a more uniform thickness

2. That all depends on the manufacturer. Recent Tamiya "glass" is great, but earlier stuff and most of the N.A. "domestic" manufacturers are not good to begin with...

3. You fill the clean container with Future, dip the part, let the excess drip off and then wick up any left-over excess using a paper towel on the edges of the piece. Then cover the piece with a clear glass bowl. There are 2 tricks to this process. 1 is to make sure you don't have any drips or runs. 2. To make sure you keep the piece covered as it dries...

4. Yes, it really works

5. No, future does not, will not, has never for me, yellowed

6. No, Future dries to an incredibly thin coating

7. The obvious thing is to practice, practive, practice on a piece of scrap glass first. Also ammonia/Windex will completely remove the Future coating if you mess up.

hth,

Bill

deepraj · 11-02-2005, 07:44 AM

Hi

More info on future + modeling.....

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

Deep

willimo · 11-02-2005, 10:43 AM

Excellent!! Thanks guys.

p9o1r1sche · 11-02-2005, 02:59 PM

Future has yellowed on one of my models, but it is only noticeable if it is very thick, where it has pooled up from a run. Ordinarily, it is a very good clear coat for paint and windows. One watchout is if you use a permanent marker like a Sharpie marker to do the black trim around windows, the Future has made the black ink run, even after the ink was dried.

Got Boost??? · 11-03-2005, 03:29 AM

so is future safe to use on the reast of the car (the body)?

p9o1r1sche · 11-03-2005, 07:33 AM

Yes, Future is a very good clear coat. I have sprayed it on and even brushed it on and gotten good results. Just put it on quickly to avoid brush strokes and sparingly so it doesnt run. Like anything else, you have to work with it to find the best ways to apply it.

white97ex · 11-03-2005, 08:03 AM

when airbrushing it.....how did you go about thinning it?

ZoomZoomMX-5 · 11-03-2005, 08:08 AM

Future is a decent clearcoat and it smells good too

It is not...NOT...a floor wax! It's simply a mild clear acrylic covering.

It's tricky; you can get good results brushing it, you do have to get the right rhythm going to keep it wet and to keep it from getting too thick, or too dry, or getting brush marks. It airbrushes well, but it seems to spray pretty wet so you must proceed w/caution to avoid potential runs. It buffs out nicely as long as you do NOT use any water if you sand/polish it. It'll hold up under mild dry-polishing w/Micromesh and a light duty polish.

willimo · 11-03-2005, 11:07 AM

I tried the dip method last night and was pretty disappointed. I need to give it some practice on glass I don't care much for (the hood from an R32?), because it's pretty clear to me I don't know what I'm doing. I did however bust out some Novus #2 and some elbow grease and it turned out well after that.

p9o1r1sche · 11-03-2005, 02:46 PM

When dipping a windshield in Future, I have held the part by the edge (if it is still on a sprue, it works well). Dipped it in the Future, then touched the bottom edge on a paper towel to let the excess wick off the part, then layed the windshield so it is flat. You will see there are areas where the Future is still thicker than other areas, but dont let that worry you. Future will dry to a very thin layer, so the differences in thickness is not an issue. At first, it may look like crap, but dont panic until you see what it looks like the next day. Again, it may take a little practice to learn the best method.

When I have sprayed it, I have thinned it with about one part denatured alcohol to two parts Future. You still have to be careful not to put too much on at once or it runs.

ImolaEK · 11-03-2005, 05:01 PM

I have a question too, Will putting the pieces in a dehydrator help them level out better?

ZoomZoomMX-5 · 11-03-2005, 05:12 PM

I can't say for sure, I would think it would just let it dry faster, and Future already dries rapidly.

However heat does tend to make some acrylics flow in a manner unseen in lacquers...I had a roof painted w/clear Acryl and intentionally put a thumbprint in the roof when checking to see if it was dry. It wasn't. I put the body in the dehydrator and when it was dry the thumbprint was 100% GONE! I've had some models clearcoated in Gunze B501 clear acrylic from a spray bomb, and wetsanded prior to polishing, and putting it in the dehydrator took away most of the sand marks.

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