Claude Thibodeau Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Hi! I've been a devoted user of Testor's Wet Look Clear for many years. Tops in my book: smooth shiny look even before polishing, fast drying, no restrictions as to re-coat time, etc. Now that I'm told Testor's will not offer it anymore, I raided every Michael's store inventory in my neck of the wood, but alas, now all is gone. So, let me pick your brains, fellow modelers... I know the actual paint was made by Rustoleum, as stated on the labels for about a year. So, I tried to identify and bought any Rustoleum spray can CLEAR LACQUER to carry out tests. I figured they may sell the same "blend" under a different label. Somehow, the best I foud was a HIGH GLOSS LACQUER, avail in black and clear at WalMart (designed for furniture). I carried tests, and even if it is fairly glossy on application, and appears to be of "medium viscosity", as the WetLook is... It is so hot a lacquer that, in order to obtain a good gloss on test panels, I ended up "washing away" Tamya's various lacquers, and some Testor's also. Obviously, it is a good product, but doesn't really give me the shine I was used to with medium-heavy coats. Just too hot. Now, I do custom painting in the 1/1 world on rods and bikes, so, I'm familiar with HOK clear, which is a fabulous product. But you have to mix it, catalyze it, and once rock hard, it requires mucho friction (therefore heat) to flow to a glass shine. And fragile scratch-built cars in styrene don't like heat, isn't it? SO, my question to you is: any othe rspray-can hobby paint (outside of Tamya's TS 13) to substitute to the Wet Look clear. TS 13 is great, but you can't stack it without waiting 30 days, or risk wrinkling. I've been there. My best scenario so far: build up my clear coating with Testor's regular less shiny lacquer clear (I stacked-up on it), as an intercoat, if you will. Then, use my precious remaining cans of Wet Look to put the final flash coat. Or do so with TS 13 once i run out of Wet Look for the flash coat. Some fellow builders on this site advised Minwax urethane clear, avail in hardware stores. But I'm warned that it is VERY THIN, therefore, prone to runs. What is your two cents? Thank you! Clauide Thibodeau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Roberto Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Tamiya X22 clear with buffing.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesG Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Just getting back into the hobby myself so I don't have any first hand knowledge of a replacement as testors was is what I used in the past. I was however wondering if you have tried createx clears they have 2 lines, regular and uvls or spray max 1 and 2 part clears? Both products can be found on coast airbrush site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 1 hour ago, El Roberto said: Tamiya X22 clear with buffing.  Ya X-22 put down right is pretty much wet look going on. But he wants spray cans, that was going to be my suggestion too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Huh - I’ve never seriously considered the X-22 - you all got any examples of how it looks? Like Claude I’d be interested in rattle can options too though - the WLC is probably my favorite lacquer clear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 4 hours ago, El Roberto said: Tamiya X22 clear with buffing.  Hi! Thanks fo chipping in with ideas. I'm familiar with Tamya's line of X paints. I've never tried X22. I gather it is acrylic, like the rest of their x range? I will try it with my trusty Badger Crescendo. Any other idea for spray can stuff? Today, I saw the VALEJO line at my LHS. Anyone with experience of their Glossy clear (acrylic) in spray cans? CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoRover007 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi! Thanks fo chipping in with ideas. I'm familiar with Tamya's line of X paints. I've never tried X22. I gather it is acrylic, like the rest of their x range? I will try it with my trusty Badger Crescendo. Any other idea for spray can stuff? Today, I saw the VALEJO line at my LHS. Anyone with experience of their Glossy clear (acrylic) in spray cans? CT I've used the vallejo gloss clear in spray cans. It's okay but takes longer to dry and I think would be inferior to wetlook clear. Perfect to clear coat other parts though, CF interiors for example. I hope they don't discontinue wetlook clear. I've been using ts-13 for a good while now though. It's a hotter paint but leaves a finer finish, not at tough as WLC though. You might want to stock pile it in case it isn't remade. Edited July 21, 2020 by DiscoRover007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills72sj Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Wow, now I am really glad I bought 7 cans when I had the chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vietnam Vet67 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 One left on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Testors-TLACQUER-1834-Aerosol-Lacquer-3oz-Wet/dp/B000UF6Z1S/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=testors+wet+look+clear&qid=1595310216&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 I found nothing on Testors site saying it was being discontinued unless i over looked it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimguy Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Claude, I have been using TS 13 with good results but I have only been modeling now for a few years. I am curious what you mean that TS 13 can't be stacked without waiting 30 days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 12 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi! Thanks fo chipping in with ideas. I'm familiar with Tamya's line of X paints. I've never tried X22. I gather it is acrylic, like the rest of their x range? I will try it with my trusty Badger Crescendo. Any other idea for spray can stuff? Today, I saw the VALEJO line at my LHS. Anyone with experience of their Glossy clear (acrylic) in spray cans? CT Did Testors announce ti was discontinuing the one coat line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCostello Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 4 hours ago, slusher said: Did Testors announce ti was discontinuing the one coat line? I thought it was the Model Master line that was going away, not the Extreme Lacquers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 4 hours ago, slusher said: Did Testors announce ti was discontinuing the one coat line? No, but someone recently posted that it has been reformulated and is now BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. IIRC several others backed him up on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Yes, I recently had a can of One Coat Wet Look Clear spray nothing but foam out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCostello Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 1 minute ago, Bucky said: Yes, I recently had a can of One Coat Wet Look Clear spray nothing but foam out. I just used some, and it seemed fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 I had two cans that day. The first one sprayed great, but ran out. I opened the new one, and it foamed. First time I ever had a problem with WLC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 8 hours ago, slusher said: I found nothing on Testors site saying it was being discontinued unless i over looked it.. Hi Carl! Well, there was a thread on this very forum last october about that. And my local Michael's stores started discounting the paint line at clearance prices (1.74$ per spray can!). Asked about it, they said it was formely discontinued. This morning, I called Rustoleum (Canada) directly to inquire if any was left in stock ( I REALLY want to get some more). They said they had none in stock for 2 months now, because discontinued. If the manufacturer says it, I guess it's quite official. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 8 hours ago, Slimguy said: Claude, I have been using TS 13 with good results but I have only been modeling now for a few years. I am curious what you mean that TS 13 can't be stacked without waiting 30 days? Hi David! It is a common problem, so much so that many articles from various magazines confirmed it. I had first-hand experience of that myself. The rule of thumb is: If you want more than one application, you must proceed with your second coating within about 1 hour... or wait 30 days (!), otherwise, you will most likely see your finish "boil" or wrinkle. I guess it has to do with slow gassing-out time. Wet Look doesn't have that problem. TS 13 is great if ou use it as a clear coat over another TS colour. You can stack as much as you want, within reason, in ONE session. But if you do a panel painting scheme on a car, or custom effects, and you need successive application as an INTERCOAT, to protect your work as it progresses, the 30 day curing time for TS13 is a pain. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Bojaciuk Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 (edited) Rustoleum bought out Testors. I have had nothing but problems with Rustoleum. Problem with buying up cans for your stock is that they can and will go bad. My paint locker has had it’s share of Testors cans, oozing out a schmegeggie. Contents are then rendered useless.  Edited July 21, 2020 by George Bojaciuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 1 hour ago, George Bojaciuk said: Rustoleum bought out Testors. I have had nothing but problems with Rustoleum. Problem with buying up cans for your stock is that they can and will go bad. My paint locker has had it’s share of Testors cans, oozing out a schmegeggie. Contents are then rendered useless.  Hi George! I have an extensive stock of Testor's One coat lacquers, and only once in many years did I encounter a can that was leaking by the nozzle. It was glossy black. I figured it was a faulty valve, or me not cleaning the tip correctly before storing it after use. Who knows? CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuilderX Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 4 minutes ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi George! I have an extensive stock of Testor's One coat lacquers, and only once in many years did I encounter a can that was leaking by the nozzle. It was glossy black. I figured it was a faulty valve, or me not cleaning the tip correctly before storing it after use. Who knows? CT It's not the nozzle normally were they leak. It's around the seam of the can, lost alot of money because of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 14 minutes ago, BuilderX said: It's not the nozzle normally were they leak. It's around the seam of the can, lost alot of money because of this. Hi Pete! I see. Sorry to hear you lost many of them. Here in the Great White North, the weather is so punishing, maybe it has unintended effects in spray-can conservation...That would be one rare side-benefit... CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCostello Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 23 minutes ago, BuilderX said: It's not the nozzle normally were they leak. It's around the seam of the can, lost alot of money because of this. I've had a few leak like this, and I still used them, and they seemed to work alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuilderX Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 8 minutes ago, RichCostello said: I've had a few leak like this, and I still used them, and they seemed to work alright. Yep had a few that worked good and others that gased out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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