I have read several horror stories about Future floor wax with Tamiya acrylics. Some folks swear by future but some say that eventually it will yellow both the canopy and the paint whether acrylic or enamel. Most of all I have read that specifically future and Tamiya don’t mix as that the paint dries much slower than the future causing the paint to shrink and crackle.
I like Tamiya paints and acrylic vs. enamel. I am afraid to try the future idea and am aslo wondering how well Testors dullcote will react with Tamiya acrylic. I am surprised that Tamiya does not have their own dullcote as it seems only their thinner works well with their paint.
I am open to suggestion and looking for experienced information from personal experinces with these products. I am also looking for any safe ideas on creating an effective spray booth on a very tight budget. Thanks for any insight.
The key is to make sure the paint is cured (which is different than drying) before you apply the future. And also make sure the furture is completely cured before you apply paint to it. Those rules apply with enamels as well. Acrylics dry to the touch very quickly but that can be misleading since they haven’t cured yet. Enamels take longer to dry and cure. Also as a general rule, gloss paints take the longest to dry and completely cure. I’m no expert on the subject, so you might want to check out the painting and airbrushing forums or do a search to get more complete information.
I’ve used testors dull coat over tamiya acrylics with no problem. I even buy it in a bottle so I can airbrush or brush it on. Be careful to remember it’s a lacquer though and as such the fumes are stronger and you’ll need a lacquer thinner to clear your airbrush.
Take care,
Doug
Like the others said too, let the paint dry and cure very well. Paint it and put it aside for a while.
I use nothing but Tamiya Acrylics and Testor’s Glosscoat and Dullcoat. I never had any type of problem, and have some kits I built over 15 years ago that still look good with no cracking or yellowing.
I use Tamiya Acrylics exclusively and have used Future together with no problems whatsoever. Allow time for the paints to cure (note difference from dry!) is important for those in more humid areas. I’ve not yet experienced any problems. See Swanny’s The Complete Future for more information.
Tamiya does have a flat base that you mix with their clear coat to achieve the look you want. Satin to deep matte is possible by adjusting the flat base mix ratio.
One last point on this… Careful you don’t go overboard with the flat base when attempting to achieve a deep matte finish. Your model can turn white or cloudy as a result. For general mixing ratio guidelines I have found Swanny’s site to be extreemly helpful in this matter.
Thanks for all the insightful input. I will take it to heart and give each way a try. I live in the midwest and it can get humid at times but not like in the south I’m sure. What is considered a proper time to cure and how can you tell that the paint is fully cured as oppossed to just dry? I have just never attempted a top coat after painting before so am raw at this aspect of the process. I saw the difference in having a top coat as oppossed to none and want my models to have the same quality. i will check out the Swanny’s link offerered too.
Time to final cure depends primarily on type of resin, coating thickness, and temperature. You can do nothing about the resin (fortunately most acrylics, especially flats, are fairly fast curing) coating thickness will vary depending on the colors involved. At an ambient 68°F, with the thinnest possible coat, 24 hours is a good rule of thumb. Some advocate 48 hours, and I won’t argue that point, either.
I have gotten away with less, especially in hot weather. I’ve seen, heard, and tried various schemes to hasten the process: a light bulb in a cardboard box (at least twice the height of the bulb plus fixture, 40 watt bulb, max., placing the model two feet above a space heater, etc. All have the risk of melting or distorting the model, not to mention a possible fire hazard. You only want the stuff slightly warmed. I don’t recommend any of these methods!
What I now use to speed the process is an electric food dehydrator. I can set the temperature low enough not to worry about melting, softening, or fire. The low volume air flow insures against hot spots and removes any potential residual vapor from the heat source.
On the cheap: After the paint is dry to the touch (That means the paint will not stick to an object touching it and is not deformed by a light touch. Test on a hidden part of the model or a scrap painted at the end of your painting session.) put the model in a covered container in front of a forced air heat vent in the winter, or in the sunlight from a window in the summer. Check temperature frequently. Pleasantly warm is fine, any more is too much.