Looking for a good clearcoat.

[mikemechanic]

Can someone recommend a good clearcoat to go over top of a duplicolor enamel. Thanks Mike.

[SonyMobile]

I believe Duplicolor makes thier own clear coat, and I know it works good, I have used it ontop of duplicolor paints before, Tamiya is also a very good clear coat, as well as testors 1320

[pre98zetec]

Don't use duplicolor clear over enamel.. It will eat the paint.. Enamel+lacquer = bad new's...


Josh

[Tommy Gunner]

What color is the Duplicolor because I think most are laquer and Duplicolor's clear should work fine. But Testors makes a really good clear I'm not sure which # but its called high gloss clear.

[Okiemodelbuilder]

Originally Posted by mikemechanic

Can someone recommend a good clearcoat to go over top of a duplicolor enamel. Thanks Mike.

If you used Duplicolor enamel in the black label spray can, I would use Duplicolor Clear ENAMEL in the black label spray can. It's a great hi gloss enamel.

If you used Duplicolor Auto Touch Up spray, use the Auto Touch Up clear.

[blueboost]

Originally Posted by Tommy Gunner

But Testors makes a really good clear I'm not sure which # but its called high gloss clear.

the testors high gloss is a good clearcoat, though I have found it to yellow after a good 5 years or so. thats kinda why I've kept away from clearcoats as of late.

[supermod04]

Duplicolor makes a enamal clear i have some

testors makes great clear

[mike@af]

Heres what not to get, Testors Glosscote. It sucks. It removes any sign of reflection. Might as well be a dullcote. It is even worse on chromes. But this is the usual for testors.

98% of Testors products sucks. Especially their paints. All they seem to make is enamel paints too. Very few people use enamel paints anymore because they do not cure fully for a few months, are extremely thick paints, rubbery, etc.

Enamel paints can ruin a model. Testors paints will ruin a model. I have seen many great projects go to shit after using testors enamel paints.

Testors sucks.

[bvia]

Don't hold back, Mike. Tell us how you really feel ;-)>

As with most things in life, it's not as simple as b&w. Testors makes a great semi-gloss and flat-coat. Also their Acryl line is not bad for touchup painting and their metalizers are some of the best (for anything expect chrome...then use Alcad II).

I try and use a little bit of everything myself.

Bill

p.s. A tip with clearcoats is this...if it looks yellow in the bottle/jar, it'll eventually end up yellow on the car!

[supermod04]

i had testors clear it was crap, i have it on a car an i have had for 3 years and it starts to dull and get finger printy.

enamal paints are good, testors cans and infact and spray cans are super thick paints.

mike, testors has a full line of acrylic and enamal paints, and enamal paints dry nice, when i airbrsuh they dry over night

testors makes real great enamal paints, it is all i use, that and model masters.

[blueboost]

Originally Posted by GTmike400

Heres what not to get, Testors Glosscote. It sucks. It removes any sign of reflection. Might as well be a dullcote. It is even worse on chromes. But this is the usual for testors.

98% of Testors products sucks. Especially their paints. All they seem to make is enamel paints too. Very few people use enamel paints anymore because they do not cure fully for a few months, are extremely thick paints, rubbery, etc.

Enamel paints can ruin a model. Testors paints will ruin a model. I have seen many great projects go to shit after using testors enamel paints.

Testors sucks.

ok, being really specific (brand/type) what would you suggest as far as paints go. I feel basically go tamiya or go home (unless you airbrush) although I had a good experience with 2 of boyd's spray cans before

[supermod04]

i only airbrush, and i have found that, with some thinning and working with testors all my career in modeling i have grown to like it. if i could find tyamia in jars hell i would use it. Boyds is awsome paint, for both airbrush and spray cans

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by blueboost

ok, being really specific (brand/type) what would you suggest as far as paints go. I feel basically go tamiya or go home (unless you airbrush) although I had a good experience with 2 of boyd's spray cans before

Go tamiya.

[shieldwulf]

Originally Posted by blueboost

ok, being really specific (brand/type) what would you suggest as far as paints go. I feel basically go tamiya or go home (unless you airbrush) although I had a good experience with 2 of boyd's spray cans before

My choices (in order):
1) Gunze's Mr Color (lacquer) and Aqueous Hobby Color (acrylic) paints
2) Tamiya's Acrylic and Enamel paints
3) Vallejo (acrylic)

The ratio of Tamiya over Gunze paints in my collection are about 9:1. Not because I prefer Tamiya its because most of the model kits I built are Tamiya kits its easier to refer since the instructions indicate Tamiya paint codes, and Tamiya paints are easily available and slightly cheaper.

I think that Gunze paints are the best in the world in terms of variety of colors and pigment quality. For airbrushing, Gunze paints dry with a smoother finish than Tamiya, I suspect their pigments are much finer. For a more perfect hand brush, Gunze's aqueous hobby acrylic paints are easier to brush than Tamiya's. If applied properly, it will dry with almost no visible brush lines.

Thin Gunzer paints with Gunze's Color Leveling Thinner for the best results.

Anyway, bottomline is, I use Tamiya paints much more often, at least for now, it is cheaper and offers relatively good results. But I am quite sure its pigments are not as fine as Gunze's. I will slowly begin my "collection" of Gunze paints only when I have more spare cash.

I don't know much about Vallejo paints except that they were produced for the armour and figure scale modelling markets. I did bought a bottle or two of Vallejo "Air" acrylics which can be airbrushed directly from the bottles w/o thinning. I was "really stunned" it dries to a thin smooth finish exactly as good as Gunze paints. Vallejo have 2 types, one for airbrushing and the other for both airbrushing(have to thin) and hand brushing. Try it if you have an LHS carrying this brand, I'm confident you'll be surprised how good it is.

Last but not least, I live in Singapore which is a mostly sunny and humid climate all year round. I can't say if the paints will "behave" as well in other temperate climates.