Which is a better clear-coat?

I have a Testors spray Glosscote, or I
can get Mr. Hobby spray gloss top coat
from Hiroboy.com.

Which should I use for the best shine?

>and Hiroboy, DON'T ANSWER!:rolleyes: :lol:

-Matt

I would stray from the testors stuff. Lots of stories of it "yellowing" over time. When I was restricted to Rattle can I used Duplicolor clear. Available at Wal Mart and various auto parts stores, less than $5 a can....for a big can. I could do 3 to 4 models with one can, depending on how many coates I hit them with. It is also safe to use with auto products to buff and shine. However if you are spraying enamels, I dont recommend it. I have had some success with the Acrylic Enamel that they use, but one must be EXTREMELY careful when using it...I guess that doesn't offen an answer to your question, sorry, just thought I'd throw another option in the mix

A forum search will tell you that Testors is the last thing you want to be using. The same forum search would also tell you that the Mr. Hobby clear coat comes highly recommended.

Mr. Hobby rules all as far as clearcoats go. (in my opinion anyways)

Once you get practice with some automotive bicomponent clear coat you'll get high shine and perfect finish with no need of sanding or polishing.

Mr. Hobby rules all as far as clearcoats go. (in my opinion anyways)
:1:
But I haven't used 2-part automotive clear coat yet, In other words.. that'll be my next target.:lol:

Thanks guys, I will get the Mr. Hobby and chuck the Testors.
I knew Testors was bad, But it was my only alternative, as my
LHS doesn't carry Tamiya spray, and i'm too cheap to get an
airbrush. Guess I'll be ordering Tamiya spray from their site from
now on. I won't use Duplicolor as I've heard it has many side-effects.

as long as the proper precautions are taken duplicolor is fine. It was all I used until earlier this year when I got an Airbrush. Save up the cash and invest. Once you use a 2 part auto clear.....there is no looking back

Tell me more about the 2 part auto clear

i'm too cheap to get an
airbrush


Aw man.. I consider the airbrush/compressor combo the single most important piece of modeling equipment i've ever bought.

Tell me more about the 2 part auto clear
That's the way to go if you have AB :grinyes:

I have Glasurit one and I can say that I won't use any other again.
Two pats mean there is clear and hardener you have to mix them in exact ratio and add a bit of thiner and that's it. Take faster type of hardener to avoid dust in clear.

Tell me more about the 2 part auto clear


You get two bottles. One is clear coat. The other one is hardener. The manufacturer tells you the ratio to mix them. You mix them and you airbrush it.

Only "problem" is that you need some practice to apply it correctly. You usually have to airbrush it with slow movements, waiting for the surface to look wet. When you let it dry the clear coat stretches and levels out itself.

Once you have some practice you get a perfect finish easily, without sanding and polishing.

Thanks guys, I will get the Mr. Hobby and chuck the Testors.
I knew Testors was bad, But it was my only alternative, as my
LHS doesn't carry Tamiya spray, and i'm too cheap to get an
airbrush. Guess I'll be ordering Tamiya spray from their site from
now on. I won't use Duplicolor as I've heard it has many side-effects.

I personally get better results with Mr. Hobby's B-513 "Mr. Super Clear". Tamiya's Ts-13 (clear) is too hot for most decals and (at least for me) doesn't give me as good results as b-513...
As with everything else in this hobby, try it for yourself. What won't work for some works for others.

Tell me more about the 2 part auto clear

Its expensive, risk to your health, tricky, and requires an airbrush.

But it sprays on nicely, and has a pretty good shine before polish. If you do a search on Urethane Clearcoat you will find some stuff. Actually, there was a thread on some PPG clear just recently.

Tell me more about the 2 part auto clear

It can kills you :-S

Well, maybe not, if you have a good ventilation. I didn't believe it until I smell it, lacquer paint smells like berries juice near urethane clear. But yes, the results looks nice, but it smells too bad to paint inside my house.

It can kills you :-S

Well, maybe not, if you have a good ventilation. I didn't believe it until I smell it, lacquer paint smells like berries juice near urethane clear. But yes, the results looks nice, but it smells too bad to paint inside my house.


It’s the reason I don’t use it. I spray in my garage, but the garage is part of the house and I’ve no extractor to get the fumes removed.. I can fling the main garage door open, but some of the fumes still make it back into the house, no matter how hard I try..

Therefore, I’ve tried a few clears, Halfords Lacquer clear, Acrylic X22, TS-13 and recently Mr Hobby Top Clear. I can tell you, from these, Mr Hobby Top clear is fantastic, it just saved me from a bad silver paintjob, as I was able to lift it off using oven cleaner, and not affect the paint underneath.. but, Mr Hobby Top coat comes in small cans, and it takes quite a few coats to get a gloss… Its like X22 in some ways, just VERY fast drying. The first couple of coats do nothing really, but you get to the third and forth, and it really does gloss up nicely..

So, if you don’t have a proper spray booth, with fumes extractor, get Mr Hobby Top coat. It’s the safest option, and it smells better then 2pk clear… I’d love to use 2 pk clear, but until I get a spray booth set up, with fumes extractor I’ll stick with acrylic clears.

I didn't find it all that hard to use at all. The brand I am using is Omni, which I believe is PPG. It required no reducer, set the pressure at about 40 psi. It dries fairly quick.

While two-component automotive paint and coats may carry some danger to your health, proper breathing protection and a ventilated place will avoid any "mishaps". ;)
Definitely NOT the solution to use in an apartment or with a simple "paper" mask... :roll:

I'm getting an airbrush, never mind.

I'm getting an airbrush, never mind.
lol... the best decision you've made so far modeling wise :lol:

Still, an AB is just a tool. You still have to decide what paints to use.
Paint coming in a spray can doesn't mean it can't be AB'ed.

This will be your best investment. Just make sure to do your research and buy a good quality gun, it will pay off! For My omni clear, I was set back about $25 for clear and hardener. I've cleared my 1/12th Camaro (about 4 or 5 coats), and 5 coats on a stock car, and Have enough to last me....another year or 6....lol

I recommend you buy a compressor as well, as I used an airbrush without a compressor for about 12 months, and the cost in aircans was ridiculous.

Since getting a compressor, I’ve saved on average £10 per model. Even more actually, as I can now use my airbrush more, and clean it correctly so in comparison I’d be using two large cans of air per model if I’d used my airbrush the same as if I was using cans. Plus the pressure is the same, and don’t buy a hobby compressor. I bought a standard tank compressor and get fittings for it off ebay.

A decent airbrush and compressor is the single best investment in model building.. In six months of owning my compressor I’ve save on average around £70, yet my compressor cost just under £100…. In 12 months, it will be £140 on average saved, meaning I’m already £40 in true savings…

and as soon as I get a spray booth and extractor set up, I'm switching to 2pk clear as well, to save even more money if I can..

I reccomend you search through the dozens of threads on airbrushes here to find exactly what you want, and get exactly what you need. :)

Plus the pressure is the same, and don’t buy a hobby compressor. I bought a standard tank compressor and get fittings for it off ebay.
Like mickbench said, get a proper compressor. I've used Tamiya's Spray work HG compressor that cost me around 25us and the small compressor I've got now which cost me around 100us. Tamiya's only put out around 15 psi, not really enough for car modeling but still better than air cans. The 1/8hp compressor I use now can put out around 55 psi and is pretty quiet. If you can afford the noise (which I can't:banghead: ) then get 1 that has 1 or 2hp at least. The ones I've seen are around 120us each.

This is the one I use:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3529/207416too-spar-air-tc6101.jpg

I went expensive on the compressor and bought an Iwata. it was about 250 has put out up to 60 psi for me. It fills the tank and shuts off, only runs to keep the tank cool

mickbench:

Could you explain the "I was able to lift it off using oven cleaner, and not affect the paint underneath" result? I ask this, because for my experience, when one use an over cleaner like Easy- Off, everything that has been sprayed, like primer, paint, and clear, goes off. I can't image how you remove the clear but no the paint. Also this clear from Gunze it's the one that I use most of the time on their Mr. Super Clear II version.


Thanks!



It’s the reason I don’t use it. I spray in my garage, but the garage is part of the house and I’ve no extractor to get the fumes removed.. I can fling the main garage door open, but some of the fumes still make it back into the house, no matter how hard I try..

Therefore, I’ve tried a few clears, Halfords Lacquer clear, Acrylic X22, TS-13 and recently Mr Hobby Top Clear. I can tell you, from these, Mr Hobby Top clear is fantastic, it just saved me from a bad silver paintjob, as I was able to lift it off using oven cleaner, and not affect the paint underneath.. but, Mr Hobby Top coat comes in small cans, and it takes quite a few coats to get a gloss… Its like X22 in some ways, just VERY fast drying. The first couple of coats do nothing really, but you get to the third and forth, and it really does gloss up nicely..

So, if you don’t have a proper spray booth, with fumes extractor, get Mr Hobby Top coat. It’s the safest option, and it smells better then 2pk clear… I’d love to use 2 pk clear, but until I get a spray booth set up, with fumes extractor I’ll stick with acrylic clears.