Acrylic Clear recommendations

[Holeinthehead2]

In an effort to avoid purchasing BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH (Vallejo Surface Primer) and the inherent problems. What do people recommend? I’d like to stay water-based as I’m not set up (ventilation) to spray solvent based. 

[bluestringer]

I use Tamyia X-22 or sometimes Future floor polish.

[D.Pack]

On 10/5/2023 at 10:00 PM, Holeinthehead2 said:

In an effort to avoid purchasing BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH (Vallejo Surface Primer) and the inherent problems. What do people recommend? I’d like to stay water-based as I’m not set up (ventilation) to spray solvent based. 

Well Tamiya is a solvent acrylic.

It's why it's flammable, smells funny needs dedicated thinner and a poison control centre if swallowed. Hellfire.

And it might still be banned in California as a cancer risk.

Certainly don't see that info on Revell's aqua acrylic. 

Acrylic doesn't mean water apparently. Water acrylic paint is the most common, so everyone assumes that all acrylics are aqua based.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by D.Pack

[Oldriginal86]

The beauty of Future is it can be applied with a brush, airbrush or dipping.

[bobss396]

I ran across a decent one at Ace Hardware, Krylon non-yellowing Crystal Clear #1303. It goes on well, I have used it on stock cars over decals with no harm to them. Lighter coats are the way to go with this product.

[Holeinthehead2]

Thanks, practically go to Ace everyday ( it’s close)

[bluestringer]

23 hours ago, D.Pack said:

Well Tamiya is a solvent acrylic.

It's why it's flammable, smells funny needs dedicated thinner and a poison control centre if swallowed. Hellfire.

And it might still be banned in California as a cancer risk.

Certainly don't see that info on Revell's aqua acrylic. 

Acrylic doesn't mean water apparently. Water acrylic paint is the most common, so everyone assumes that all acrylics are aqua based.

 

 

I've never noticed a funny smell with the X-22, and I just use cheap walmart lacquer thinner with it, or sometimes Mr. Hobby leveling thinner. Works fine. Never had a need to swallow any of it.

[D.Pack]

 Drinking of it, must be a Cali thing.

Aaaah! Using thinner not water. That's the difference of Tamiya and Revell acrylics.

TruColor paints from Arizona are also the same. Need a dedicated solvent thinner.

 

[bluestringer]

18 hours ago, D.Pack said:

 Drinking of it, must be a Cali thing.

Aaaah! Using thinner not water. That's the difference of Tamiya and Revell acrylics.

TruColor paints from Arizona are also the same. Need a dedicated solvent thinner.

 

I have used water to thin Tamiya paints, it works fine as does isopropyl alcohol . Besides the Tamiya I also use Testor's enamel, and I have the lacquer thinner for it, and since it's right there I just use it for the Tamiya also. But water works also.

[peteski]

Tamiya makes multiple lines of paints.  The old standby X- series is what most modelers call "water based" acrylic  paint.  It is low odor (alcohol based) and it can be thinned with water, but isopropyl alcohol works too.  I suppose any polar solvent (like lacquer thinner) will also work. Never tried that though.  Of course it is always best to use the dedicated thinner made by Tamiya. 

Tru-Color paints are whole different thing.  The are organic-solvent-based (acetone and few other solvents).  What I call "stinky" paint.  Totally different chemistry than the Tamiya X- paints. I would never think of using either water or alcohol to thin it.  Acetone can be used, but it makes the paint dry too quickly. As mentioned, dedicated Tru-Color thinner is the best choice to use.

It is always good idea to use dedicated thinners, which are usually a specific blend of different solvents, unless the manufacturer themselves specifies another solvent (like water).  Following manufacturer's directions saves a lot of incompatibility headaches.

Edited October 11, 2023 by peteski

[Dave G.]

On 10/8/2023 at 3:35 PM, D.Pack said:

Well Tamiya is a solvent acrylic.

It's why it's flammable, smells funny needs dedicated thinner and a poison control centre if swallowed. Hellfire.

And it might still be banned in California as a cancer risk.

Certainly don't see that info on Revell's aqua acrylic. 

Acrylic doesn't mean water apparently. Water acrylic paint is the most common, so everyone assumes that all acrylics are aqua based.

 

 

Tamiya acrylic has the potency when opened of a watered down pickled egg brine. Spraying it, the fumes don't last ten minutes, unlike wiping a stained wall down with Fantastik that takes your breath away and gives a headache.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Dave G.

[Skip]

On 10/9/2023 at 12:23 PM, D.Pack said:

 Drinking of it, must be a Cali thing.

Aaaah! Using thinner not water. That's the difference of Tamiya and Revell acrylics.

TruColor paints from Arizona are also the same. Need a dedicated solvent thinner.

 

If you’ve tasted the water in and around a lot of Southern California then you know why they try drinking paint thinner, it probably tastes a whole lot better! LoL!!

[Roy L Frost III]

kind of hard to argue with  future. I guess it depends on the finish you're looking for. Not everything has a custom finish on it.  Nascar is shiny but not glass finish  shiny. Future seems to be the right level for most things

 

[Holeinthehead2]

Do you shoot Future? Dilution?

[Roy L Frost III]

you can straight from the bottle, brush it on self levels looks great

[bobss396]

Eh.. not so fast on the 1303 Krylon clear over decals. Since my post I had a bad experience with it over kit stock car decals. It reacted with one on the roof, I had to strip the whole car and do it over.

[Holeinthehead2]

bummer ?

[peteski]

12 hours ago, bobss396 said:

Eh.. not so fast on the 1303 Krylon clear over decals. Since my post I had a bad experience with it over kit stock car decals. It reacted with one on the roof, I had to strip the whole car and do it over.

Decals are not all made the same.  Different brands might use different decal film chemistries, and different types of inks.  Different brands/types of clears will affect different types/brands of decals.  Only safe clear to use on all decals would be water-based acrylic clears.