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

[Dan Hay]

I've been having good luck with this product. But now I'm leery to buy anymore. 

[RichCostello]

I just used it and it worked great.

[Exotics_Builder]

Just used recently and was fine

[dmthamade]

Just used it this weekend for the 1st time. Have to say, possibly the nicest gloss coat i've done. Letting it harden to sand/polish next week.

 

Don

[hedotwo]

For me there's a big difference in nozzles between Testors and Tamiya.  The spray pattern with Tamiya in my opinion is much finer and gentler.  I don't use rattle cans too much, but generally use Tamiya when I can.  I've used Testors Wet Look Clear and it never really gave any bad results.  Just seems to come out heavier.

[Dodge Driver]

SDS for Testors Wet Look Clear, followed by the SDS for Extreme Lacquer Wet Look Clear.  Showing a definite change in formulation. 

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Dodge Driver

[Bills72sj]

I too got the foamy clear problem on a hood. The base coat is long cured Testors enamel of which I have no more. Is there any thing that will chemically strip the clear lacquer without affecting the enamel base coat?

[slusher]

22 minutes ago, Bills72sj said:

I too got the foamy clear problem on a hood. The base coat is long cured Testors enamel of which I have no more. Is there any thing that will chemically strip the clear lacquer without affecting the enamel base coat?

I don’t know of anything unless you can San and repair the hood.

[Mike Stem]

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

Roger, does Tamiya clear still have the cracking problem?

I've using Tamiya Clear fro about 2 years now & I've had no problems. I haven't sprayed it over decal though. I use Pledge restore after I'm done with everything.

[Mike Stem]

Is it just the clear that ya'll are having this foaming problem or colors? I just got a can of Testors Extreme Lacquer in Electric Pink for a Marty Robbins Daytona.

[MJO]

This is an interesting problem.  I use to be in Aerospace (34 years) and one of my many functions was vehicle painting prep, priming and top coats.  I see that Methyl Isobutyl Ketone is the same family tree as Methyl Ethyl Ketone, which was banned from use 25 years ago because it was cancer causing and also displayed to wide a variance in results.  To flat, bubbling, and crinkling durning dry out processes.  I do not know if this is the problem, but it could be.  The two examples you show circled blue and red, which one came first, With or without Methyl Isobutyl Ketone. This is a big change in formula.

[Dodge Driver]

24 minutes ago, MJO said:

This is an interesting problem.  I use to be in Aerospace (34 years) and one of my many functions was vehicle painting prep, priming and top coats.  I see that Methyl Isobutyl Ketone is the same family tree as Methyl Ethyl Ketone, which was banned from use 25 years ago because it was cancer causing and also displayed to wide a variance in results.  To flat, bubbling, and crinkling durning dry out processes.  I do not know if this is the problem, but it could be.  The two examples you show circled blue and red, which one came first, With or without Methyl Isobutyl Ketone. This is a big change in formula.

The first (oldest) product has the Methyl Isobutyl Ketone.  The current Extreme Lacquer has the MIBK removed. 

[MJO]

This will effect the drying process and will be effected by the what is under it.  Some paints are not compatible with one another because of the content of the paint.  Once upon a time, there was only lacquers out there to use so compatibility was never an issue.  Welcome to the 21st century.

[TarheelRick]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:41 AM, Mike Stem said:

Is it just the clear that ya'll are having this foaming problem or colors? I just got a can of Testors Extreme Lacquer in Electric Pink for a Marty Robbins Daytona.

Have the same question.  Picked up a couple cans of the Extreme Lacquer at Michael's today. They had about six cans of Root Beer and three cans of Inca Gold that still had the seal around the cap, a hodge-podge of other colors all had the seals broken and one can of clear felt quite light.  Used my 20% off coupon and the remnants of a gift card; total they cost me less than $2.00. So, as far as costs of paint I am not really too worried, but the idea of possibly messing up a build bothers me.  Another question, the label says "paint, primer, sealer, all in one can: Is that realistic or do I need to lay a primer coat before using this stuff? Or is there a possibility of the extra primer causing problems?  So many questions, inquisitive minds want to know.  Guess the answer is to give it a try and see what happens, on scrap of course.  When I get a chance to try it, I will report the results.

[BlackSheep214]

Now that summer is here, isuspect humidity is the cause.  Again, I've never had an issue with it.

[GMP440]

On 5/24/2020 at 3:22 PM, allecb said:

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)

  I stopped using Testor's paints years ago.  I only use the Duplicolor paints that you can get at Advanced, Auto Zone, etc.  Duplicolor engine enamel clear is an excellant clear. 

   Give that a try.  You'll like the results.

[CabDriver]

11 hours ago, GMP440 said:

Duplicolor engine enamel clear is an excellant clear. 

I’d seen that stuff and wondered how it lays down - I imagine it lays down pretty thick?  Looking for a nice off-the-shelf enamel clear for those deep shiny paint jobs…

[GMP440]

1 hour ago, CabDriver said:

I’d seen that stuff and wondered how it lays down - I imagine it lays down pretty thick?  Looking for a nice off-the-shelf enamel clear for those deep shiny paint jobs…

That is very good clear.  Lays down very good.  It's not that thick. Far superior than other clears.  You give it a try.  Experiment with it.

 

[CabDriver]

4 minutes ago, GMP440 said:

That is very good clear.  Lays down very good.  It's not that thick. Far superior than other clears.  You give it a try.  Experiment with it.

 

I’ll give it a try!  Thanks George!

[slusher]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:09 PM, TarheelRick said:

Have the same question.  Picked up a couple cans of the Extreme Lacquer at Michael's today. They had about six cans of Root Beer and three cans of Inca Gold that still had the seal around the cap, a hodge-podge of other colors all had the seals broken and one can of clear felt quite light.  Used my 20% off coupon and the remnants of a gift card; total they cost me less than $2.00. So, as far as costs of paint I am not really too worried, but the idea of possibly messing up a build bothers me.  Another question, the label says "paint, primer, sealer, all in one can: Is that realistic or do I need to lay a primer coat before using this stuff? Or is there a possibility of the extra primer causing problems?  So many questions, inquisitive minds want to know.  Guess the answer is to give it a try and see what happens, on scrap of course.  When I get a chance to try it, I will report the results.

When Testors first came out with one coat lacquer it was designed for use with or without primer. Now I don’t know what’s in the can . I have not bought any more since my cans started leaking and tossed them out. I am about done with Testors and will use their flats and bottles.

[slusher]

1 hour ago, GMP440 said:

That is very good clear.  Lays down very good.  It's not that thick. Far superior than other clears.  You give it a try.  Experiment with it.

 

Does it work with other paints?  Is it a hot clear.

[GMP440]

14 hours ago, slusher said:

Does it work with other paints?  Is it a hot clear.

Yes.  Will work over other enamel and laquer paints.  I even used it over decal paper to seal it.  It is not a hot clear.

[DiscoRover007]

39 minutes ago, GMP440 said:

Yes.  Will work over other enamel and laquer paints.  I even used it over decal paper to seal it.  It is not a hot clear.

Whats the curing time? Typically enamels are slow drying and soft compared to lacquer.

[GMP440]

4 hours ago, DiscoRover007 said:

Whats the curing time? Typically enamels are slow drying and soft compared to lacquer.

Duplicolor engine enamel clear dries to a touch in a few hours. 

[crowe-t]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:57 AM, MJO said:

This is an interesting problem.  I use to be in Aerospace (34 years) and one of my many functions was vehicle painting prep, priming and top coats.  I see that Methyl Isobutyl Ketone is the same family tree as Methyl Ethyl Ketone, which was banned from use 25 years ago because it was cancer causing and also displayed to wide a variance in results.  To flat, bubbling, and crinkling durning dry out processes.  I do not know if this is the problem, but it could be.  The two examples you show circled blue and red, which one came first, With or without Methyl Isobutyl Ketone. This is a big change in formula.

How will not having the Methyl Isobutyl Ketone affect the curing?  Will it keep it from getting hard?