I`m close to finishing my EF111 and would like to prep it for decals
I`ve read things here that people use “Future”
What is it and how is it applied?
What are other methods that work well
Thanks
Phil/Rt4957
Go to the techniques forum and read “the complete future” sticky that is provided to answer this question.
Future is the clear liquid acrylic floor wax intended for making you linoleum floors shine. You can find it in the housewares section of the grocery store, hardware store or mega discount store. It gives the models the smooth surface needed for decals to stick to. It can be brushed or sprayed on, 1:1. Spraying is best , but the brushing usually works too. Let it dry a day or two, put the decals on, let them dry, clean off excess glue and solvents, then apply a coat of dull clear. check out, www.swannysmodels.com for a detailed explanation. Clean your airbrush with warm water and maybe a dab of liquid soap.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Future is my favorite, but any gloss clear can be used.
Regards, Rick
One great thing about Future other than the gloss cote it gives you, there is a way to make it semi-gloss and flat. Just mix it with Tamiya’s Flat Base. Go easy on the mixture and test it before you shoot it on the model, but I have used this and it works well. It is also cheaper than the laquer overcoats and less aggressive on the paint and decals.
Klear / future - it rocks [;)]
Tamiya Clear Lacquer… from a can! Works great for me.
I use the new gloss coat from testors in their automotive paint line it drys quick with a good gloss.
The type of clear coat you use depends upon the results you want. To get a great glossy clear for the application of decals, to hide the clear decal film, Future works great. Let it dry for a good 24 hours before handling it.
Testors lacquer clear coat and flat coat also work well for a gloss finish or a super flat finish. Mix the two for a semi-gloss finish. They dry very quickly and can be handled within an hour or two depending on the conditions eg temperature, humidity, etc. They should be applied in light coats and let dry between coats or the lacquer can attack the paint under it.
Testors Model Master gloss enamel will give you a very glossy finish but it needs several days to completely dry before handling (some say a week or more). This will give you an “automotive” type gloss.
Testors Metalizer sealer will also give you a slightly glossy clear coat. It is a more subdued finish and great if you want a gloss finish but not an automotive type of gloss.
Tamiyas gloss finish is an acrylic and gives a high gloss finish. It can also be mixed with a clear flat to get a semi-gloss finish.
Try several of the clears and see what works for you. Remember that you need to be very careful if you apply one type of clear over another type of paint. This is especially true of lacquer over any other type of paint. rangerj
Gloss coat before applying decals (I like Future). After decals are dry seal with a dull coat like Polly Scale Clear Flat or if you need a gloss finish use another coat or two of Future.
I apply two coats of Testors glosscote, then apply the decals, then two more coats of glosscote (this evens out the sheen other wise the decals will be flatter than the paint when dullcoted) Then 2-3 coats of dullcote to finish it off.
My favourite right now is Krylon Crystal Clear. I usually apply 2-3 light coats to get the model just smooth enough to apply decals. It dries lightning fast. After the decals are dry, I’ll apply another light coat to seal the decals and then overcoat with flat or satin. I used to use Humbrol but I recently switched to Testor’s Acryl.
I’ll second that.