Why I decant Testors Clear Coat

[Mike 1017]

A while ago I sprayed Testors Clear Coat right from the can. My beautiful red metallic paint job was gone. It looked like I used Dullcoat on it. Checked the can it was Clear Coat.

The pictures were taken a couple of days ago.  This is why I decant.  Mike 1017

[1972coronet]

I avoid Testors Lacquer clear coat --- in the old standby can as seen in your image --- like the plague . I've used their Enamel Glosscoat numerous times throughout the decades , and have recognised only excellent results (best results are when sprayed-atop Tamiya's 'TS' paints --- the glossiness looks wet when fully-"cured" , as though it's "sitting-on-top-of" the colour coats .) .

Testors aerosol Lacquer Glosscoat always dried dull , no matter the colour coat . That stuff requires colour sanding and polishing .

[1972coronet]

*AMENDMENT*

The enamel glosscoat doesn't require tedious wet sanding , at least in my experiences . No orange-peel + high gloss = no need to tediously wet sand and polish .

[Nacho Z]

2 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

I avoid Testors Lacquer clear coat --- in the old standby can as seen in your image --- like the plague . I've used their Enamel Glosscoat numerous times throughout the decades , and have recognised only excellent results (best results are when sprayed-atop Tamiya's 'TS' paints --- the glossiness looks wet when fully-"cured" , as though it's "sitting-on-top-of" the colour coats .) .

Testors aerosol Lacquer Glosscoat always dried dull , no matter the colour coat . That stuff requires colour sanding and polishing .

Man, Mike, that sucks! I’m sorry to read that your paint job was ruined.

 

John, have you tried Testors Extreme Lacquer clear? I’m assuming what you are talking about is different from the Extreme Lacquer clear?

[935k3]

Allot of clears look like that but go on clear. I believe that is the old gloscote. That stuff was more a shellac than  lacquer and thins with denatured alcohol. Try using Wet look clear instead, it can be thinned with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner.

 

[1972coronet]

9 minutes ago, Nacho Z said:

John, have you tried Testors Extreme Lacquer clear? I’m assuming what you are talking about is different from the Extreme Lacquer clear?

I haven't tried their Extreme Lacquer Clear . I certainly am referring to the ancient "regular" lacquer clear --- the stuff from the era of High Button Shoes and Sears catalogues . That stuff stinks on ice .

I must recant ( ha ! ) my assertion that I avoid Testors lacquers , as I've recently used their One Coat Clear on a 1971 'Cuda hardtop that I built for my girlfriend . I painted it FM3 Moulin Rouge / Panther Pink , as she loves that colour . After the colour coat set-up , I laid down the One Coat ---- I was pleasantly surprised at its 'flash-off' time , and the resultant finish ( close to factory-level gloss ! ) . 

The 'Extreme Lacquer' is good ? I don't like wet sanding and polishing IF it can be avoided (arthritis is fun !) .

[Nacho Z]

8 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

I haven't tried their Extreme Lacquer Clear . I certainly am referring to the ancient "regular" lacquer clear --- the stuff from the era of High Button Shoes and Sears catalogues . That stuff stinks on ice .

I must recant ( ha ! ) my assertion that I avoid Testors lacquers , as I've recently used their One Coat Clear on a 1971 'Cuda hardtop that I built for my girlfriend . I painted it FM3 Moulin Rouge / Panther Pink , as she loves that colour . After the colour coat set-up , I laid down the One Coat ---- I was pleasantly surprised at its 'flash-off' time , and the resultant finish ( close to factory-level gloss ! ) . 

The 'Extreme Lacquer' is good ? I don't like wet sanding and polishing IF it can be avoided (arthritis is fun !) .

I have recently decided to clear over decals.  In the past I didn’t do this, (I’m primarily a race car builder), and I have read that Tamiya clear TS-13 is a little hot and can eat decals. I had read that Testors Extreme Lacquer was safe so I tried it and have had no problems with my decals and the shine is decent.

[peteski]

3 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

A while ago I sprayed Testors Clear Coat right from the can. My beautiful red metallic paint job was gone. It looked like I used Dullcoat on it. Checked the can it was Clear Coat.

The pictures were taken a couple of days ago.  This is why I decant.  Mike 1017

I guess a test spray before applying it to the model would have also revealed the problem,  but then again, why would you do with a can that is clearly labeled as to what is inside?  I venture a guess that the can is simply not labeled properly. I wonder if it was just a on-off mistake, or a larger batch of mislabeled cans is out there in hobby shops ready to ruin bunch of models?

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, 1972coronet said:

I avoid Testors Lacquer clear coat --- in the old standby can as seen in your image --- like the plague . I've used their Enamel Glosscoat numerous times throughout the decades , and have recognised only excellent results (best results are when sprayed-atop Tamiya's 'TS' paints --- the glossiness looks wet when fully-"cured" , as though it's "sitting-on-top-of" the colour coats .) .

Testors aerosol Lacquer Glosscoat always dried dull , no matter the colour coat . That stuff requires colour sanding and polishing .

Well, I will throw out this warning about Testors enamel clear.

Don't use it over any lighter colors.

It will yellow horribly over time.

 

This '37 Chevy was a pale beige.....until it turned this glorious yellow after a couple of months under Testors clear enamel.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[1972coronet]

4 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Well, I will throw out this warning about Testors enamel clear.

Don't use it over any lighter colors.

It will yellow horribly over time.

 

This '37 Chevy [ image in original post - Shoe ] was a pale beige.....until it turned this glorious yellow after a couple of months under Testors clear enamel.

I've heard about that ! I typically only clear coat metallic and pearl colours (which is , by nature , necessary) , and rarely over solid colours (unless they dry dull or semi-gloss , and I don't want to burn-through while polishing) . 

I will take your expertise -- your expert advice -- to heart . 

[1972coronet]

 

4 hours ago, Nacho Z said:

I have recently decided to clear over decals.  In the past I didn’t do this, (I’m primarily a race car builder), and I have read that Tamiya clear TS-13 is a little hot and can eat decals. I had read that Testors Extreme Lacquer was safe so I tried it and have had no problems with my decals and the shine is decent.

I think that I've used the TS-13 maybe twice (one instance was a big mistake ! I'd sprayed it over Testors Turbine Bronze [ 1968 Dodge colour ] on an AMT 1976 Matador... And it never cured !) . 

I love Tamiya paints , and I use them almost exclusively . The only time that I don't use them is if there's a colour that they don't make (e.g. , American Car colours) , or if the comparable Gunze paint is available .

[Snake45]

On 1/23/2020 at 10:42 PM, peteski said:

I venture a guess that the can is simply not labeled properly. I wonder if it was just a on-off mistake, or a larger batch of mislabeled cans is out there in hobby shops ready to ruin bunch of models?

That was my first thought, too, because it looks exactly like the Dullcote I've used. 

You might be able to remove it from your body with 92% rubbing alcohol without damaging the underlying paint, depending on what kind it is. (If the red is Testor lacquer, the alcohol will take that off too.) 

[DiscoRover007]

You gotta get testors one coat lacquer clear. That is a great product.

[Larry Rose]

On 1/23/2020 at 11:00 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

"This '37 Chevy was a pale beige.....until it turned this glorious yellow after a couple of months under Testors clear enamel.

Steve

Wow. It even yellowed where you wouldn't have sprayed clear, like the inside of the body and fenders...very curious.

[StevenGuthmiller]

54 minutes ago, Larry Rose said:

Wow. It even yellowed where you wouldn't have sprayed clear, like the inside of the body and fenders...very curious.

Well, there goes my credibility.

Oh wait!

Maybe not.

 

You might want to clean your glasses before you challenge someone's integrity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

[Painted Black]

I have to ask, why can't they make lacquer color paint dry glossy and not have to use clear?  I hate using clear, 

[SfanGoch]

It's a vicious circle. So you'd have to buy clear coat.

[peteski]

On 9/4/2021 at 9:07 AM, Painted Black said:

I have to ask, why can't they make lacquer color paint dry glossy and not have to use clear?  I hate using clear, 

Actually most solid color (and even metallics) lacquer's and enamels dont' need a gloss coat, except maybe after decals are applied (to protect them).  The problem is the spraying techniques used by many modelers leave the paint surface rough enough to need to use clear coats.

The only paints that require gloss coats are the ones which specifically state that they do. Those are usually base-coat/top-coat metallic automotive lacquers and the paints sold as hobby paints that are simply small quantities of those automotive lacquers.  Those are easily to recognize because the metallic base coat dries to an even dull satin finish.  But most *GLOSS* hobby paints (such as Testors, Humbrol, Revell and others) should not require a gloss coat.

[StevenGuthmiller]

52 minutes ago, peteski said:

Actually most solid color (and even metallics) lacquer's and enamels dont' need a gloss coat, except maybe after decals are applied (to protect them).  The problem is the spraying techniques used by many modelers leave the paint surface rough enough to need to use clear coats.

The only paints that require gloss coats are the ones which specifically state that they do. Those are usually base-coat/top-coat metallic automotive lacquers and the paints sold as hobby paints that are simply small quantities of those automotive lacquers.  Those are easily to recognize because the metallic base coat dries to an even dull satin finish.  But most *GLOSS* hobby paints (such as Testors, Humbrol, Revell and others) should not require a gloss coat.

That’s true for the most part, except in the case of Testors automotive “Lacquer System” paints, which were designed to be used with their lacquer primer and clear lacquer.

But that’s all a moot point anyway as those paints are history.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[peteski]

7 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

That’s true for the most part, except in the case of Testors automotive “Lacquer System” paints, which were designed to be used with their lacquer primer and clear lacquer.

Well of course. If a paint system being used specifically states that it is designed as a base-coat/clear-coat then anybody using that system should follow the directions written on the can.  I believe that in those paints (just like the 1:1 automotive version) the base coat will dry to a dull satin finish. 

[Brutalform]

I have to agree with Peter, that the cans were possibly mislabeled. Pretty sad though, the way quality control really doesn’t exist in some cases anymore. 
 

From here on out, I’ll be testing EVERYTHING on some scrap styrene, and not just accepting what it says on the label.