🚀 go-pugleaf

In his post of 26 Jan 93, Eric Tang asks:
ET> Can anyone recommend a clear *NON-YELLOWING* protective coating for 
ET> models? 

ET> Thusfar, I've tried Testors Dullcoat and Glosscoat and I don't really 
ET> trust them.  I've also tried airbrushing Future floorwax/acrylic and 
ET> haven't gotten the smooth finish I wanted nor an odorless model - it's 
ET> apple-cinnamon! :P 

ET> Any opinions?  Recommendations / suggestions?
ET> How are the MicroScale products?  Many thanks!  - Eric

Eric, this is one of the most difficult things to answer, along with finding 
the perfect white paint that covers well, won't yellow, and isn't chalky.
I've experimented with several products.  I don't use glosscote anymore, that 
yellow in the bottle scares me, and  it yellows even more with time.  I don't 
like Future either, it too will yellow with time.

Currently for gloss finishing, I use a decoupage glaze called Deep Flex.  
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anymore, but I have a good amount.  
It is crystal clear, and starts out in the bottle with a consistancy like 
molasses.  It is xylene based, so I thin it with DioSol for airbrushing.  It 
produces a gloss good enough for me for decaling.  It is high gloss when 
brushed on crafts, but that xylene base wouldn't be too good brushed on 
models.

Something that I want to try, that one of our club members talked at a recent 
meeting about is using automotive lacquer for high gloss finishes on cars 
models.  It is crystal clear, non yellowing, hard finish, and has a uv filter 
in it so it will even protect the paints under it from yellowing.  It produces 
a good gloss when applied, but to really get the shine you need to polish it 
out with some kind of polishing kit or even car polish.  The automotive 
lacquer is expensive, but the results are great.

Another friend swears by Pactra Acrylic clear finish.  I've seen his work, and 
it is nice.  It is hard, clear, and polishes well.

My suggestion is to try different things.  I try to make every model an 
experiment with some new technique, product, etc.  It's the only way to find 
out what works best for YOU.

Darrel Monroe
dmonroe@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

Modelling is but an illusion, just a shadow of the original.