Tamyia TS-13 is back

[JPS_Lotus]

the other thing I forgot to mention above was also touched on by others: Tamiya seems to have the spray nozzle design down to a T. Testors nozzles tend to clog real easy even when I try to clear them but Tamiya nozzles seem to last the life of the paint in the can.

I have used the Testors lacquer system and my luck with it was pretty good too, but it seems it was nearly as expensive as Tamiya and again the nozzle just wasn't up to the task. I know its not a big deal for those who decant and airbrush, but if all nozzles were like Tamiya's, there kind of wouldn't be much need for an airbrush.

jb

I agree about the Tamiya nozzles...actually I'd stretch it to the entire can design.

Not sure how Tamiya does it, but their cans have to be the most predictable and comfortable spraying cans out there. It's a shame there are colors I need that they don't have in spray can form. Guess I will be getting an airbrush soon.

[Marcus M. Jones]

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! Whelp, there goes the eBay value of those 3 cans I've been hoarding right down the drain. Was planning on using them to fund a Caribbean vacation (or maybe just lunch at Mickey D's). Lord knows I don't make it to the clear coat stage of a project often enough to ever use up 3 cans of clear...

Old formula its worth even more now. you could go on you Caribbean vacation and get a Maserati... model.

[Doctordarryl]

I doubt very much it was "pulled from the market"...more likely they (Tamiya Japan) stopped distributing it to the USA...was it still available via HobbyLink Japan? The USA is a fringe market for Tamiya. They probably had to relabel it or something stupid for the yanks so little johnny would know not to stick the nozzle up his nostril without "protection".

Tamiya clear gives a really nice smooth thin clear...not a "wet look" phony clear look, just a nice thin clear mostly to protect the finish and decals. I use it all the time and never ever have had a problem with it that wasn't of my own making. never cracks chips or attacks the finish like most of the cheap stuff (cough duplicolor cough) seems to do every time I have used it. Nor does it seem to have problems over other company's paint. perhaps problems come when you try to simulate a wet look by really dumping it on, but in light to moderate coats...never had a problem.

so I think its a great thing it has or will return (to the US market). there is nothing similar if you want a gloss clear without the super gloss wet look...and I find myself wanting that all the time.

jb

I have the same experience as William. I have not had problems with it. I used all the clears (Dupli-Color clear, Testor's Wet Look and Testor's Ultragloss Clearcoat) and none are as easy to work with as TS-13. I de-can it (look up decant - most use the word decant incorrectly when talking about removing paint from a spray can but only a chemist would know this distinction) and airbrush it cut 1:1 with Dupli-Color lacquer thinner. The Dupli-Color Clear does not yield as good a gloss as TS-13 and is not as hard when cured as TS-13.

The bubbling problem is due to the fact that 20-30% of the volume is propellant (propane or butane). I de-can the paint (note I said de-can) and then de-gas it and NEVER had a paint bubbling problem. The bubbling problem is caused by too much propellant in a film that is too thick.

Here is a picture of my de-gassing process showing the propellant coming out of TS-13.