|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jun 16, 2019 17:54:59 GMT -8
I have had great success with spray can Testors Dullcote over my water based paints on plastic shells through the years. I am very happy with the product but it is not always readily available. What are your picks for alternate SPRAY CAN products safe for plastic and available in Canada?
|
|
|
|
Post by 12bridge on Jun 17, 2019 8:16:54 GMT -8
Tamiya TS80 is my go-to rattle can. It is a far, far superior product then Testors dullcoat. Another good one is Vallejo's new matt clear, and it comes in a full size can.
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jun 17, 2019 9:27:02 GMT -8
Do you have a product number or image for that Vallejo can? I am finding many products on google and don't want to waste time and money chasing the incorrect product.
|
|
|
|
Post by 12bridge on Jun 17, 2019 10:16:11 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jun 17, 2019 10:40:02 GMT -8
Thank you. Looks like a great deal but unfortunately does not appear to be available in Canada. Looks like our post office won't handle it.
The TS80 seems to have the same problem.
How about Aleene's 26413 Spray Acrylic Sealer Matte Finish, 6-Ounce? That one is available with free shipping through amazon.ca and seems like it can be shipped by mail.
|
|
|
|
Post by Colin 't Hart on Jun 17, 2019 11:30:14 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jun 17, 2019 13:50:56 GMT -8
They carry it but the shipping cost is $25 to pay for courier shipping, which is impractical out here in the country. They want us to drive 2 hours to an urban airport during business hours to collect parcels if they even provide service out here at all.
|
|
|
|
Post by Colin 't Hart on Jun 18, 2019 1:59:36 GMT -8
They carry it but the shipping cost is $25 to pay for courier shipping, which is impractical out here in the country. They want us to drive 2 hours to an urban airport during business hours to collect parcels if they even provide service out here at all. Wow, that is lousy postal service! Where do you live? Feel free to reply by PM, or not at all :-) |
|
|
|
Post by grahamline on Jun 21, 2019 12:41:41 GMT -8
In the past I have used Krylon Matte Finish Clear Spray 1311. Still have a couple of cans. People tell me the formula has changed, but I have not tried the "new version."
[NOTE: There isn't an MSDS sheet for this product on their site, and there are a boatload of complaints dating from July 2017 from people who say it produces a cloudy finish -- even people from Utah and Colorado where humidity is not likely to be a problem. Cross this off the list.]
|
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jun 21, 2019 17:37:07 GMT -8
I would strongly recommend against Krylon UV-Resistant Clear acrylic. I had severe crazing issues on some models I had painted with enamels. Fortunately the surfaces were flat so I was able to sand and repaint.
|
|
|
|
Post by packer on Jun 23, 2019 15:51:10 GMT -8
Valspar cleat flat seems ok when new. Old paint seems to get or develop fine white specs.
I’ve tried the Adele’s stuff. Seems ok. No mixing ball though. And I’m not 100% certain it’s safe on enamels*.
*I cannot recall if i used a rustoleum clear gloss or Adele’s clear gloss; but after I decaled them and applied Adele’s matte clear, I noticed the lettering on some of my Exactrail cars started to chip or wrinkle. The Atlas and Fox Valley cars I did at the same time were fine though. Luckily the wrinkling/chipping isn’t bad, and in some cases is almost prototypical.
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jul 8, 2019 15:23:35 GMT -8
Thanks to everyone for the feedback provided on my original thread question. After a lot of research, mileage, time and money I am pleased to present herein the results of my findings. Frankly, I am finding Dullcote really expensive and hard to access for those of us without easy access to a well-priced hobby shop. The Testors can is small and (IMO) overpriced, so I started digging for alternates. The Valspar product mentioned upthread is one I did not get but appears to be a good product if you are able to obtain it from a box store near you. Check their websites and local store stock as not all carry all products. The next phase of this research project will entail testing each of these on acrylic-painted plastic HO models. Please post warnings here before I do so (hoping to test these in the next week or two).  |
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Jul 10, 2019 10:37:33 GMT -8
Looking forward to the evaluation results.
|
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Jul 10, 2019 16:20:13 GMT -8
Me too. Dullcoat and most other modelling paints are really getting expensive these days.
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Jul 10, 2019 16:25:05 GMT -8
$14 for a tiny can with 1/4th the paint than what the hardware store sells for is a bit galling. Maybe Dullcote is superior or maybe not, but I intend to find out. Wish me luck that these products do not melt my models as warned above by fr8kar on a different product.
|
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Jul 10, 2019 20:47:41 GMT -8
$14 for a tiny can with 1/4th the paint than what the hardware store sells for is a bit galling. Maybe Dullcote is superior or maybe not, but I intend to find out. Wish me luck that these products do not melt my models as warned above by fr8kar on a different product. I just looked at the Walthers catalog for laughs to see what Dullcoat sells for in the US. MSRP for a spray can is $6.20, but it is currently on sale for $4.98. It is a 3oz/88.7 ml can. Assuming that 1 ml weighs a gram, that is 5.6 US cents per gram. The Rustoleum Painter's Touch 12 oz. Flat Matte Clear General Purpose spray paint is $4.48 per can. Assuming that 12 oz is 4 X 88.7 ml or 354.7 ml. Again assuming that 1 ml weighs a gram, the cost is 1.26 US cents per gram. That is about 22.5% the cost of Testor's Dullcoat. It seems as though paint is considerably more expensive in Canada. I have a can of Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating #1303, that has been sitting in my garage for a couple of years. About a month ago, I used it to cover an Athearn Blue Box gondola that I was going to apply decals to. I still have not applied the decals, but the gloss finish is very nice, smooth, no bubbles or discoloration. The gloss coating was applied over Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Flat Red Primer. My Krylon can looks almost identical to the Krylon Matte Finish can in your picture. I would be interested to see your test results over decals. |
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Jul 11, 2019 17:09:12 GMT -8
I purchased a can of the Krylon matte finish this afternoon. It cost $9.49 at Michaels. I am planning on spraying some Athearn Blue box cars that I will be weathering. We'll see how this stuff works.
|
|
|
|
Post by cemr5396 on Jul 20, 2019 7:18:02 GMT -8
I have used the Rust-Oleum matte finish on a grain elevator model in the past (didn't want to use the expensive Dullcote on such a large piece) and quite liked how it turned out. It went on very even and smooth. It's maybe not as 'dull' as dullcote, but I'm OK with that.
|
|
|
|
Post by grahamline on Jul 20, 2019 9:01:02 GMT -8
One thing to watch with hardware store rattle can paints like Krylon, Duplicolor, or Rustoleum is the fineness of spray from the tips. I have some I like better than others (Krylon is usually finer) and you can also salvage the tips when the can is empty and use it on a new spray can that came with a crude tip.
|
|
|
|
Post by csx3305 on Jul 20, 2019 13:05:08 GMT -8
All this time and money being spent on experimentation and fiddling with spray bombs, and having expensive models wrecked in some cases...... I don’t know why anybody wouldn’t just put that toward a decent little silent compressor and starter airbrush, from eBay or amazon, and watch one of the multitudes of YouTube vids about making spray booths from things like Sterilite totes and low-voltage PC fans. Could probably make it happen, all in, for 200 bucks or so.
You don’t need a deluxe Iwata to lay down a great looking coat of Model Master Lusterless/flat.....
|
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Jul 20, 2019 13:56:48 GMT -8
Still not an option for some, especially apartment dwellers. I think Manny's situation is one of the special cases where an airbrush/compressor/spray booth is out of the question.
I use my airbrushes for painting all the time, and I regularly use tints made from Dullcote or Glosscote, but I still prefer Tamiya clear coats out of the spray can. They go on easy and dry quickly without having to waste time mixing and cleaning up the airbrushes.
|
|
|
|
Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 22, 2019 17:57:07 GMT -8
I have found that I can get a "flatter" clear flat if I let the bottle settle, and pour off a bunch of the clear liquid up top. Of course, then you're airbrushing.
Ed
|
|
|
|
Post by csx3305 on Jul 23, 2019 10:45:37 GMT -8
Still not an option for some, especially apartment dwellers. I think Manny's situation is one of the special cases where an airbrush/compressor/spray booth is out of the question. I’ll take your word for it, but I’m trying to picture the exact situation that would preclude such an application. As long as he has an exterior window and a 110 volt outlet, he should be golden, provided he sticks with acrylic paints. I can’t imagine it being any more of a problem than using a Krylon spray bomb out on the patio or in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Noise is not a factor if one selects a decent compressor, some models are not really any louder than a refrigerator. **shrug** |
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Jul 24, 2019 15:25:12 GMT -8
I sprayed a weathered car with the Krylon Matte finish #1311. The car was weathered with a mixture of Bragdon powders and Pan Pastels. I have used this technique in the past with Dullcoat and have not experienced any issues. Unfortunately, the Krylon paint caused the powders/Pan Pastels to turn white. Actually, I think the Krylon turned white when it came into contact with the weathering materials. This is pretty disappointing.  Another problem is that the decals are flatter than the surrounding area. As part of applying decals, I have been using the Krylon gloss finish (#1303) on top of the pre-weathered paint without problems. I applied decals over the gloss finish and the results closely resemble those from Gloss Coat. When I use the Krylon gloss finish, apply decals and use Dull Coat, the finish over the decals is indistinguishable from the the finish over the remainder of the model. So my takeaway, is if you are not applying decals or weathering to your model, the Krylon 1311 is probably an acceptable substitute, but I won't be using it for most of my models for the reasons stated above. |
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Aug 6, 2019 15:47:33 GMT -8
I did some testing of all products I pictured on page 1 and have found no significant differences between any of them. I followed all directions on labels and did not encounter any of the problems mentioned upthread. I applied all products on painted, unpainted and weathered plastic shells as well as painted metal. I did not test on decalled models or those weathered with powders and chalks. This series of enlarged hi-res digital photos shows the competing products have a very slight grainy texture and are not as smooth but on a painted model this difference is not visible under normal viewing conditions. Product thickness does not appear to be an issue and no detail is obscured even with 3 coats of competing products. MDC Railbox with one coat of Rust-Oleum Matte applied.   Athearn unpainted blue box shell:   Conclusion: Testors Dullcote does seem to provide a thinner, smoother finish but the difference with competing products is minor and does not warrant (IMO) the 3-4x added cost. I will be using any/all of the competing products depending on availability and convenience and will not be making a special trip to a hobby shop for Dullcote in the future. |
|
|
|
Post by Colin 't Hart on Aug 7, 2019 0:25:05 GMT -8
Great! Thanks for doing the leg work for us, Manny!
|
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Aug 10, 2019 8:56:53 GMT -8
sd40dash2--thanks for providing the comments and excellent photo-documentation. It sounds like we are both on the same page. I agree that the differences are minor--except as I noted above. I always like to flatten the finish of new rolling stock even if I don't otherwise weather them. The less expensive sprays work well for that. They also are a good starting point on which to begin weathering. However, for the final coat I still prefer Dullcoat, either from a can or through an airbrush as I am increasingly using PanPastels for weathering.
This has been an outstanding thread, I learned a lot and it got me to try new things!
|
|
|
|
Post by sd40dash2 on Aug 10, 2019 9:33:14 GMT -8
sd40dash2--thanks for providing the comments and excellent photo-documentation. It sounds like we are both on the same page. I agree that the differences are minor--except as I noted above. I always like to flatten the finish of new rolling stock even if I don't otherwise weather them. The less expensive sprays work well for that. They also are a good starting point on which to begin weathering. However, for the final coat I still prefer Dullcoat, either from a can or through an airbrush as I am increasingly using PanPastels for weathering. This has been an outstanding thread, I learned a lot and it got me to try new things! Thanks for your support! I try to add value with each post here and felt that Dullcote was a topic of interest to many in the forum. You are correct that paint in Canada is very expensive -- having it shipped ranges from pricey to impossible depending on the situation. I am envious of those who have well-stocked hobby suppliers near them which doesn't involve a full-day road trip or paying for high shipping and taxes. I am glad to read that you were able to try some new things and learn something from the thread. Happy modelling! |
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on Aug 11, 2019 20:05:21 GMT -8
I spent a considerable amount of time (for me at least!) working on models this weekend. I experimented with a new thought about decals. I covered the decal with Microscale Microscale flatcoat and let that dry overnight. Then I sprayed the Krylon matte finish over that. The results were comparable to using Dullcoat. The combined cost of the Microscale flatcoat and the Krylon matte finish is probably still less than the cost of using DullCoat.
|
|
|
|
Post by loco8107 on Aug 17, 2019 8:25:02 GMT -8
Me too. Dullcoat and most other modelling paints are really getting expensive these days. thanks mainly because less of us out there today that do our own painting. I’m more tired of the loco prices but that’s for another thread..... |
|
