Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 There really is no more effort to mix urethane clear than enamel or lacquer. Urethane- mix clear with hardener/activator Lacquer- mix clear with thinner Enamel- mix clear with reducer Hobby paint or DupliColor clear in a can: Remove cap. Shake. Spray. No thinning, no reducing, no muss, no fuss, no cleanup afterwards.
Psychographic Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 Hobby paint or DupliColor clear in a can: Remove cap. Shake. Spray. No thinning, no reducing, no muss, no fuss, no cleanup afterwards. And pay through the nose for it. Also you have basically no control of the paint with a rattle can. The idea that it's sooooo much work to clean an airbrush cracks me up. I can clean any of my airbrushes in about 2 minutes with minimal work.
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) And pay through the nose for it. Also you have basically no control of the paint with a rattle can. . I dont know, a $7 can of Duplicolor clear, or Around $25 for a 32oz quart of their clear is still a lot cheaper then $160 Edited July 14, 2013 by martinfan5
Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 And pay through the nose for it. Also you have basically no control of the paint with a rattle can. The idea that it's sooooo much work to clean an airbrush cracks me up. I can clean any of my airbrushes in about 2 minutes with minimal work. That's why God invented chocolate and vanilla ice cream. So we didn't all have to like the same flavor.
Ace-Garageguy Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) Everyone who's posted has made valid points, and as Chief said early on, it CAN be worth the effort for those who want to use it. Psycho's cars look great, and don't exhibit the 'syrupy' look a lot of models finished with it get (you can see some examples on this forum). As with every material, experience, attitude and proper application are the requisites for getting outstanding results. There IS a downside nobody has mentioned yet, and this has happened to me several times. Moisture in the air will cause some hardeners to become a solid block IF the container is repeatedly opened and / or not sealed properly. Repeatedly opening and closing the container, while only mixing a small amount of material, over an extended period of time (for me, it can be years between using a particular product on my shelf) will make many hardeners gel. In general, this is another product that works very, very well for some people, and it's not what others want to deal with. As Harry said... chocolate and vanilla. Edited July 14, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy
mikemodeler Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 After reading all of the posts here so far, I think it comes down to comfort level. I see where some feel using the spray cans are easier (myself included) while others have ventured into using urethane. And Harry, some of us like Chocolate AND Vanilla!!
Scuderia Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 After reading all of the posts here so far, I think it comes down to comfort level. I see where some feel using the spray cans are easier (myself included) while others have ventured into using urethane. Very much so comfort level, same for the debate on colours as well.
Psychographic Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) I dont know, a $7 can of Duplicolor clear, or Around $25 for a 32oz quart of their clear is still a lot cheaper then $160 Think about how much of that $7 can of clear doesn't go on the model? Like I said, you have very little control with a spray can. Now considering waste (what just goes into the air, not the surface you are painting), I can guarantee you the urethane through an airbrush is cheaper. You do understand that the 160 was for the hobby paint, not the urethane, right? So now the question is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Does that make me chocolate or vanilla? Edited July 14, 2013 by Psychographic
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 Very much so comfort level, same for the debate on colours as well. Just like with primers , glues, and so on.
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 Think about how much of that $7 can of clear doesn't go on the model? Like I said, you have very little control with a spray can. Now considering waste (what just goes into the air, not the surface you are painting), I can guarantee you the urethane through an airbrush is cheaper. You do understand that the 160 was for the hobby paint, not the urethane, right? So now the question is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Does that make me chocolate or vanilla? No, I did not, so , my mistake, But what about strawberry ice cream?
Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 But what about strawberry ice cream? What are you? Some kind of freak???
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 What are you? Some kind of freak??? Well........yes................. I would rather have strawberry ice cream over Chocolate /vanilla, I am not really a big fan ice cream to be honest, only during a few months during the year
Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 Well........yes................. I would rather have strawberry ice cream over Chocolate /vanilla, I am not really a big fan ice cream to be honest, only during a few months during the year But the real question is... do you prefer clear lacquer or clear urethane topping on your ice cream???
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) But the real question is... do you prefer clear lacquer or clear urethane topping on your ice cream??? First off, I dont think its all the healthy to top your ice cream with lacquer or urethane , but I would go with clear lacquer . What about using 1k automotive clear?, besides the obvious, what is the difference ? I have been thinking about trying the Duplicolor clear that comes pre thinned in the 32oz quart, Edited July 14, 2013 by martinfan5
Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 First off, I dont think its all the healthy to top your ice cream with lacquer or urethane , but I would go with clear lacquer . What about using 1k automotive clear?, besides the obvious, what is the difference ? I have been thinking about trying the Duplicolor clear that comes pre thinned in the 32oz quart, Have you tried new Shimmer? It's a floor wax and a desert topping! Tastes great... and just look at that shine!!! (you have to be a fan of vintage SNL skits to get it!)
Psychographic Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 What about using 1k automotive clear?, besides the obvious, what is the difference ? I have been thinking about trying the Duplicolor clear that comes pre thinned in the 32oz quart, 1K? wouldn't that be enamel or lacquer? You will have to thin the Duplicolor a bit to shoot it through an airbrush, it's meant for full size spray guns. Ive also found it takes forever to cure And for the record, I'm actually a Butter Pecan kinda guy.
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) Have you tried new Shimmer? It's a floor wax and a desert topping! Tastes great... and just look at that shine!!! (you have to be a fan of vintage SNL skits to get it!) You got me on that one Harry, I dont think I am old enough, I am guessing you mean from 75 into the early 80s? Edited July 14, 2013 by martinfan5
Harry P. Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 You got me on that one Harry, I dont think I am old enough, I am guessing you mean from the the 75 into the early 80s? Yes, original cast. Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase did that one.
JM485 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 I prefer Mint Chip myself, just wanted everyone to know where I stand.
Mrdarkmonkey96 Posted July 14, 2013 Author Posted July 14, 2013 well alot of really good points were brought up. for those saying i was making a big deal out of it, I was not, Ive just never used the stuff. and I always wear a dual cartridge 3m mask anyways. I personally like testors one coat lacquer clear, but the price is not worth it for that small can. I was thinking of starting to use the 2k but after reading the posts Ive decided to stick with the lacquer. thanks everyone.
martinfan5 Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 Yes, original cast. Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase did that one. Two of my favoirte actors, Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase well alot of really good points were brought up. for those saying i was making a big deal out of it, I was not, Ive just never used the stuff. and I always wear a dual cartridge 3m mask anyways. I personally like testors one coat lacquer clear, but the price is not worth it for that small can. I was thinking of starting to use the 2k but after reading the posts Ive decided to stick with the lacquer. thanks everyone. Do you have a Hobby Lobby , or Michaels near you?, if so, most of them carry the One Coat line, and you can use their 40% off coupons, I do it all the time Or, if you want a really good clear, I think its one of the best in the model world, Mr Hobby Super Gloss Clear, great stuff, just hard to get here at a good price
zenrat Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) A good professional filter mask is free if you "borrow" it and 3 years worth of replacement filters when you get made redundant. So, I mask up when I airbrush 2 pack but don't wear gloves or long sleeves or goggles. I spray in my shed with cross flow ventilation from 2 open doors and I spray 2 pack on average twice a month in the summer. On the other hand I smoked 30 a day for 25 years, have stripped out asbestos cement board and wire brushed asbestos gutters without protection and have cut MDF in confined spaces again without a mask. So which poses the higher health risk? No point in debating which clear is "best" as everyone will have their own favourite opinion. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for me. Edited July 14, 2013 by zenrat
Bruno Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 There really is no more effort to mix urethane clear than enamel or lacquer. Urethane- mix clear with hardener/activator Lacquer- mix clear with thinner Enamel- mix clear with reducer I don't see any more work with any of them. Syrup,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, really? Do these look like syrup? The benefit of the urethane, it won't yellow and it cures faster than lacquer or enamel. I also think it's cheaper to use. I can buy a quart of house brand urethane from my local supply house for about $40. A 1 1/4 ounce of lacquer from the LHS $4, if my math is correct, that puts the hobby lacquer at about $160 a quart. The only lacquer clear for automotive use I can find locally is a Qt. of pre-thinned Duplicolor at about $25. I honestly don't like it, after a few days you can push your fingernail into it and leave a mark. To me that means it's not ready to be sanded and polished. With the urethane, I can sand and buff the next day. If your really in a hurry, there are urethanes tha can be sanded and polished in 90 minutes. As for the health issues, you should be protecting your self no matter what you spray. Exactly. I actually think urethane clear is easier to work with than hobby clears. I only spray one coat of urethane clear on my models, and there's not much polishing required, just remove the few dust spots and it's done. Plus, once the urethane clear is dried/hardened, it's much more forgiving during assembly than other paint/clears; better resistance to scratches and if there's a glue or paint spot on it, you can easily wipe it away with varsol or paint thinner and it won't attack the clear. As for the syrup finish, it all depends on wich clear you use, how you mix it, how you spray it on and how many coats you put on. I always use the cheap 4:1 automotive clear. There's really no need to use a high end expensive urethane clear on a model, those expensive high end clears are heavier and have better uv protection, better resistance to stone chips and scratches, wich is good for 1:1 cars, but overkill for models, plus they are harder to polish than the cheap clears.
Dr. Cranky Posted July 14, 2013 Posted July 14, 2013 My take on these kinds of valid questions is that overtime, as you experiment and try out new products, you realize what works and doesn't work. And out of the WHAT WORKS category, then you form WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU. Personally, I like the tried and true, but also the quick and the SAFE. The older I get, the less chances I like to take with my health.
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