Dullcote query?

Hi Chaps,

Okay, the first model I made I glossed the interior :screwy: simply because I needed to put decals on. I didn't know about dullcoating at that point.

Now, I've got a wee bit more experience (aswell as Tamiya paints!!) and my next interior will be a mix of flat & semi-gloss.

So, when it comes to decal time I know I've to put on clear coat, then decals and then dullcoat. BUT, which brands? If I'm painting with acrylic which type of clear coat & brand should I use? Obviously lacquer clear coat will have an adverse effect on the acrylics. Is there any such thing as acrylic lacquer (gloss & matt) or am I making myself sound like a complete fool!!!! :loser:

I've heard you guys talk of Testor's Dullcote before but with that being lacquer based surely this can't be used on interior acrylics and decals?

P.S. Freakray, please dont say, "read the FAQ", I've just spent the last half hour searching the forums with "dullcote" "matt coat" "dull coat" and I'm still not anymore enlightened!

Testors sells some clears of each kind in their Acryl acrylic line; gloss, semi-gloss, and flat.

I've used Testors Dullcote lacquer over just about every paint imagineable and actually never had any problems with it. Over acrylics on wargaming miniatures, over enamels on airplanes, and over lacquers now. Someone here will probably hollar bloody murder at my comments, but, the stuff seems pretty innocuous to me. The only problem is slight hazing if you spray it on too thick.

it's true, acrylics being a water-based paint will not harm any paints. so SPRAY AWAY!

Testors sells some clears of each kind in their Acryl acrylic line; gloss, semi-gloss, and flat.


:iceslolan That's great news!!!! :iceslolan

:banghead: BUT I can't get Testor's in the UK (unless someone tells me otherwise!!). I tried www.ehobbies.com and, sure enough, they had it in stock (only in lacquer and enamel versions) but when I tried to place the order I was told that it can't :nono: be shipped outisde the USA :swear:

If any UKers out there are reading this could you let me know what you use for dullcoating AND which brand AND where you bought it (you'll be rewarded in heaven for this!!)

Oh and I just noticed :bananasmi I HAVE got Acrylic Gloss (it's in a jar, I take it this just get's brushed on, as opposed to airbrushed?). So, I just need to know about that dullcoat.

Cheers, for the help anyway guys

www.towerhobbies.com has no such warning on the clear-coat there, so check and see if they can ship it. Since it's acrylic, it might not be a problem to ship overseas.

I would airbrush it, but I supposed you can use a paint brush too if you wish.

:iceslolan That's great news!!!! :iceslolan

:banghead: BUT I can't get Testor's in the UK (unless someone tells me otherwise!!). I tried www.ehobbies.com and, sure enough, they had it in stock (only in lacquer and enamel versions) but when I tried to place the order I was told that it can't :nono: be shipped outisde the USA :swear:

If any UKers out there are reading this could you let me know what you use for dullcoating AND which brand AND where you bought it (you'll be rewarded in heaven for this!!)

Oh and I just noticed :bananasmi I HAVE got Acrylic Gloss (it's in a jar, I take it this just get's brushed on, as opposed to airbrushed?). So, I just need to know about that dullcoat.

Cheers, for the help anyway guys

I just checked ehobbies site and they list the following in the Model Master Acryl line.

TES-4636 Flat Clear
TES-4637 Semi-Gloss Clear
TES-4638 Gloss Clear

These are the water-based acrylics like Tamiya. Marc

I just checked ehobbies site and they list the following in the Model Master Acryl line.

TES-4636 Flat Clear
TES-4637 Semi-Gloss Clear
TES-4638 Gloss Clear

These are the water-based acrylics like Tamiya. Marc

Really? Didn't see those but I spose I just typed dullcoat into the search engine.

Maybe they'll ship these. I'll give it a try.

PS, SteveK, I'll try that site you left too.

Thanks for the help guys, tis appreciated. :p

Really? Didn't see those but I spose I just typed dullcoat into the search engine.

Maybe they'll ship these. I'll give it a try.

PS, SteveK, I'll try that site you left too.

Thanks for the help guys, tis appreciated. :p

They'll ship the bottles but I doubt they'll ship the aerosol version. I too have been trying to get ahold of Dullcote but it seems the Uk has stopped selling Testors paints and its impossible to have it shipped internationally.

I use Polyscale Matt varnish, awesome stuff. However Dullcote is the only aerosol matt varnish thats any good. You could try the Games Workshop stuff but I don't think it dries very matte, more semigloss.

The polyscale stuff though, airbrushes and handbrushs wonderfully and gives a really great matt finish.

Cheers

Farrokh

:bananasmi

Weyhey, I done it!!

Just got myself a jar of testors acrylic flat clear and acrylic semi-gloss from towerhobbies (cheers for the link Steve)

Bit of a long drawn out affair when ordering but who cares, within 2-6 weeks I'll have my hands on the goods.

Ehobbies were still having none of it. Funny how one US seller refuses to send it international but the other has no problem with it.

Once again, cheers for the help guys. Consider this thread CLOSED

That all you ordered? Jeez, you should have gotten some more stuff to make it worth the shipping charge.

Tower is one of the best websites I've found, in selection, price, and ease of use of the website. Definitely bookmark that thing.

Testors Dullcoat is great stuff, been using it for ages. Although it is a lacquer it seems to be very mild and will not affect decals or enamel paints. Or at least I've never had trouble spraying very thin coats, which is all you need.

:bananasmi

Weyhey, I done it!!

Just got myself a jar of testors acrylic flat clear and acrylic semi-gloss from towerhobbies (cheers for the link Steve)

Bit of a long drawn out affair when ordering but who cares, within 2-6 weeks I'll have my hands on the goods.

Ehobbies were still having none of it. Funny how one US seller refuses to send it international but the other has no problem with it.

Once again, cheers for the help guys. Consider this thread CLOSED

You mean you just got the bottled stuff, not the aerosol? In that case I don't see the point in getting it shipped all the way from the States. Theres loads of quality matt varnishs available here in the UK, its just that none of them are in aerosol. Hell, you could just go down your local hobby shop and pick up some Tamiya or even better the Pollyscale stuff and it would be with you a hell of a lot quicker than 2-6 weeks.

Cheers

Farrokh

Testors Dullcoat is great stuff, been using it for ages. Although it is a lacquer it seems to be very mild and will not affect decals or enamel paints. Or at least I've never had trouble spraying very thin coats, which is all you need.

Thing is he hasn't ordered Dullcote. Hes ordered Testors acrylic Flat Clear. Dullcote is lacquer like you say, and Tower Hobbies has a 'Flammable- Cannot be shipped Air' warning, just like Ehobbies.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHF87&P=7

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHH14&P=7

Cheers

Farrokh

Thing is he hasn't ordered Dullcote. Hes ordered Testors acrylic Flat Clear. Dullcote is lacquer like you say, and Tower Hobbies has a 'Flammable- Cannot be shipped Air' warning, just like Ehobbies.

Thing is I never said he did, just commenting on Testors Dullcoat, which is good stuff in my experience. Don't know about the availability in the UK but down here in Australia it's relatively common.

Thing is I never said he did, just commenting on Testors Dullcoat, which is good stuff in my experience. Don't know about the availability in the UK but down here in Australia it's relatively common.

Thing is I never said you said he did ;)

I just hope he didn't think he was getting dullcote (which is the correct spelling if you want to find it at Tower Hobbies).

Cheers

Farrokh

Then why did you quote me before your statement to that effect? :dunno:
Anyway lets move along, nothing to see here...

Then why did you quote me before your statement to that effect? :dunno:
Anyway lets move along, nothing to see here...

Yours was the last message, it had dullcoat in it, plus its 2:00am in the morning, nothing major. :D

Cheers

Farrokh

Sorry guys,

I know I said, consider this thread closed but you guys have added some replies which have got me thinking.

Okay, so the stuff I ordered isn't dullcote but surely the acrylic clear flat will give me the effect I wanted. For example, I add my acrylic gloss to the dashboard then add decals, then acrylic clear flat to dull the surface back to non-gloss.

Also, when I saw the images of these bottles, the 'clear' flat actually looked white! Is this normal? Will it dry clear (like krystal kleer)?

One more thing, when using the airbrush to apply these flat & semi-gloss finishes do they need thinned like Tamiya acrylics (3parts acrylic to 2parts thinner)?

If someone could please answer these queries we could then consider the matter closed.

Thanks again for you help, remember I'm a newb so I ask dumb questions. But most of my queries have been answered recently so it won't be long before I stop asking dumb questions and start producing better models!!!!

PS, SteveK, I wanted bottles to be honest in the first place, so that I could apply it with an airbrush. The whole price was $14 (including postage from US to UK), don't actually think that's too bad seeing as it will be of use to more than a few models.

I have that clear, but haven't tried it yet. My experience with Acryl paints has shown they don't really need much thinning, if at all. I've seen everything water to isopropyl alcohol to Testors Acryl thinner recommended for thinning them. Give it a try straight before thinning it.

So shipping was about $7? That's not TOO bad.