BE AWARE of Testors "one coat lacquer" now "extreme lacquer"

[allecb]

Pictures: 

https://imgur.com/a/hsDpUF9

 

So I order online for curbside pickup for "Testors clear wet one coat" The image online is the exact product I need, and IMO is an AMAZING clear coat that has delivered great results.... When I go to pick it up, it's a completely different label. I question the employee that this is wrong product and I request a refund, but she is confident that because the SKU is the same, it is the same product. 

So I try some investigating. The sku number matched up so maybe Testors just changed the product label, it happens, and the lid of the new can *does* say "wet look clear." 

....yea. it's nothing like the wet look clear one coat Testors used to offer. It comes out in like a foam almost. I will for sure be returning this can, even if I sprayed it once already. I was a dumb dumb and used a side view mirror as a test subject instead of a spare part on a tree. (I did end up spraying spare parts just to make sure it wasn't my error initially) Oh well, I can sand off the mirror and I have just enough paint to fix up my messup, but wow! I'd have been very upset to spend 50 dollars on this kit, 10 on primer, 20 on paints, and this very last final step, the clear coat, puts me in an 70-80 dollar hole. 

 

For the record, that is a light mist. Don't think I just sprayed the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH out of it to where it started to bubble and go crazy. It sprayed on foamy and white. It looks like it ends up dries clear but the extra foam makes it all bumpy and bubbly as an end result.

 

 

For the record, I tried AGAIN today. This time I set the can in warm water and shook the can for five minutes aggressively. Perhaps the contents just settled after sitting for so long. But no luck, this is not the easy point and spray and produce a glossy finish like it used to be. It shakes differently too, as if it's really thick. And when it sprays, the same. Just a thick mess that produces all of this white foam. 

 

 

Maybe I got a bad can? Either way, I'm turned off forever. If I see this can, I will not purchase it. I should probably move over to another clear now just in case I encounter the same situation on Amazon or something (IE: buying the product based on the picture but receiving the updated inferior product)

Edited May 24, 2020 by allecb

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for the heads-up.

Lotsa products get reformulated but still carry the same SKU number. PlastiKote sandable primers were one. The stuff available now is garbage.

I just bought some Model Master (Testors) Aluminum Plate Buffing Metalizer in the new Rustoleum-marked can.

Objective review to follow soon.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Ace-Garageguy

[maxwell48098]

I had the same thing happen to me just a couple of weeks ago.  Went to a website that offered Testers Wet Look Clear, and showed the old Wet Look Clear can and label.  When I went to pick it up, I opened the box before leaving and sure enough it was the "extreme lacquer" clear with the "Wet Look" label and sku on the cap.  Took it home anyway, and used it only to be disappointed by the less than glossy finish. Let it dry several days before I went back to the old polishing kit to get a respectable shine, but not nearly as glossy as the original "Wet Look".  I won't be spending any more money on this product.

 

A.J.

[peteski]

Testors (actually RPM) is probably doing this so modelers will stop buying the products, so they can say that they are discontinuing all the hobby paint lines due to lack of sales. Conspiracy? Maybe . . .

But on a serious note, this stinks!  Not the first time that the "new and improved" product is actually crappier than the original product.

[Plowboy]

Valspar ruined Plasti Kote and now it looks like Rustoleum has ruined Testors. Glad I already made the switch over to Tamiya. 

[Bill J]

I never had any luck with Testor's wet look clear or really any of their spray cans. I once had a race car model that was painted and decaled over 15 years ago, decided to finally finish it up and because it was a red color and not very glossy, I decided to "wetlook clear" it with the Testor's. The paint on the car was Testor's BTW. After a day, the entire car was spider-webbed all over, ruined. Decals were long OOP and the model was a total loss, unless I get around to stripping it and making some other car at some point.

I've tried all the model clear paints with limited success. I prefer not to clear, if possible. Clear had always been a way to ruin all the previous efforts. I usually avoid the risk. I have had some success with the floor polish clear, used to be called Future or the Testor's acytlic clear mixed and sprayed from an air brush.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Bill J

[gman]

I had that problem with one of the original Testor's Wet Look Clear lacquer cans. I warmed the can after ample shaking, and shook it some more for good measure. The first few passes were fine, but the clear ended up foaming as it hit the body on subsequent passes. It was sprayed over the Testors lacquer it was intended to be used with. Imagine my surprise, as the first 2-3 cans of the stuff I used worked fine. As much as I've wanted to like Testors lacquers, results aren't always consistent. I would rate their lacquer base coats more hit than miss, with the clear coats less predictable.

[Brutalform]

Thanks for the info. If I’m using DupliColor I always use DupliColor clear. But the Testors was my “go to” clear for all of my model lacquer sprays, even Tamiya. I really don’t like the Tamiya clears as much as the Testors. It seems the time window has to be followed to have the Tamiya clear lay perfect, either right after your last top coat, or wait until the paint fully cures. I guess I’ll be clearing my Tamiya sprays in that window from now on. 

[Plowboy]

34 minutes ago, Brutalform said:

Thanks for the info. If I’m using DupliColor I always use DupliColor clear. But the Testors was my “go to” clear for all of my model lacquer sprays, even Tamiya. I really don’t like the Tamiya clears as much as the Testors. It seems the time window has to be followed to have the Tamiya clear lay perfect, either right after your last top coat, or wait until the paint fully cures. I guess I’ll be clearing my Tamiya sprays in that window from now on. 

It actually works well Tom. I usually do two coats of paint, sand, one coat of paint / one coat of clear, sand, two coats of clear, sand and polish. 

I have only used the wet look clear one time. It worked OK. But, not well enough for me to stick with it. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Last time I actually got far enough with a model to paint it (using a clear) was back in 2012 or so, I think. I loved the Testors wet-look stuff, and it was such a good product I assumed it would be around forever. Too bad it's followed so many other good products down the same rabbit hole.

I've used Duplicolor clears extensively since then on real parts, so I guess I'll have to look into trying them for models as well. Everything else they make works well at this time, once you understand the limitations of a specific material...like not being able to shoot a wet flow-coat on most styrene with their relatively hot primers.

[forthlin]

Bummer! I've got four cans that say extreme lacquer I haven't used yet. I ordered them last fall so to late to send them back. I'll make sure I try them on some spare parts first.

[Bucky]

I have some of both different labels, too. Gonna hafta pay attention when I spray it!

[cobraman]

I think I just bought a can of that at Hobby Lobby. I have used some Extreme Lacquer without any problems.

[slusher]

19 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Valspar ruined Plasti Kote and now it looks like Rustoleum has ruined Testors. Glad I already made the switch over to Tamiya. 

Roger, does Tamiya clear still have the cracking problem?

[Plowboy]

16 minutes ago, slusher said:

Roger, does Tamiya clear still have the cracking problem?

Carl, I've never had a problem with TS-13 cracking and have sprayed it over other paints besides Tamiya. 

[Rodent]

I too have had issues with the new Testors. It goes on kind of dry, and if you put more on it foams. I was hoping for a finish on this build that I wouldn't have to sand and polish, but to get coverage without foam I wound up with some orange peel.

[james460]

Has anyone tried Krylon crystal clear? I've not used it on paint but on Chrome it works really well and allows you to brush paint where needed say on bumpers where a combo paint chrome is needed. And leaves no brush strokes. When you spray it on chrome don't be alarmed if the chrome mottles at first, nearly scared me to death, but it dries nice and clear.  I know Testors makes are at least use to make two Clears. Is the wet look clear one of these? The top coat clear that goes over the automotive paint colors to make them shine, and their regular clear, dull coat, semi-gloss which can be used over almost any paint. I been told to not use the top coat clear over anything but the automotive paint colors. Tamiya is the best rattle can paint I've ever used at least since Tru-Match. It goes on smooth, dries quickly and their line keeps expanding. if my hobby shop doesn't have the color I need, he can get it, if available, in four day. I've never used their clear but do have a can. Just can't bring my self to clear over such a nice paint job. 

[gotnitro?]

Glad I'm not the only one experiencing issues w the improved wet look clear ! My last 2 cans have sprayed like foam w tiny bubbles and finish was awful. Thought it was just me not spraying it right 

[Bucky]

Just a few days ago, I had the foaming problem with a can of Wet Look Clear that had the old label on it. I was able to wet sand the roughness out, and will try to polish what I have on it. I'm a bit leary to try it again.

[64Comet404]

On 5/25/2020 at 5:06 PM, slusher said:

Roger, does Tamiya clear still have the cracking problem?

The only times I have seen cracking on TS-13 is when it has been sprayed over paint that is still drying. I try to leave my colour coats for at least 24 hours before spraying clear, and I haven’t had any issues. 

If you are using a dehydrator for paint, I still find it’s a good idea to wait at least 6 hours before spraying.

[Metalmad]

From what I have heard through two local Hobby Stores is that the Testers line of paint will eventually be phased out slowly and I also have had issues with the wet look clear and the colored lacquers coming out foamy.

[Bucky]

On a sidenote...I found an OLD can of TESTORS Flat White Enamel in my paint cabinet this morning. I took it outside and sprayed some interior parts that had been coated with semi glass black. It went on very smooth, and covered the black very well. I can't make the same claim with some of the newer TESTORS stuff.

[Bills72sj]

I met someone at a local model show that used wet look clear and it looked so good I went out and bought 6 cans at the first opportunity. I used it on my last two car builds. I loved it.

 

[BlackSheep214]

This is what I picked up at Hobby Lobby a week or so ago. Didn’t experience any foaming you mentioned. Oh yeah, the 40% coupon comes in handy to get a couple bucks off this.

[slusher]

Would heating it up help cause the Foaming ?  I have never heated a can of pair but many builders get better results heating paint...