Varnish help please.
Discussion
My wife bought me a 1/12 tamiya ferrari 512B for xmas and i'm having problems with my gloss coat.
The model was sprayed with humbrol white primer then humbrol gloss italian red and left for 3 days and it looked really shinney,the problem started when i went to spray it with a clear cote (35 ACRYLIC GLOSS VARNISH 150ml GLOSS Modellers Spray ).
It was sprayed at room temperature and went on glossy but after a few minutes it went flat and dull!,I have used this product before on the mini (see pic)
The 1ST 2 pictues are just after it dried and the 3RD is of the unsprayed part.
Any help and advice would be most welcome.
The model was sprayed with humbrol white primer then humbrol gloss italian red and left for 3 days and it looked really shinney,the problem started when i went to spray it with a clear cote (35 ACRYLIC GLOSS VARNISH 150ml GLOSS Modellers Spray ).
It was sprayed at room temperature and went on glossy but after a few minutes it went flat and dull!,I have used this product before on the mini (see pic)
The 1ST 2 pictues are just after it dried and the 3RD is of the unsprayed part.
Any help and advice would be most welcome.
I have had some occasional problems with Humbrol acrylic varnishes, a coat of matt finish sent my "browny-green" colours underneath my Wessex a horrible grey colour and went all wrinkly too. Just because it could… 
Since then I tend to use either Humbrols Enamel varnishes when I can get them or the even more excellenter tamiya Gloss varnishes.
I used their satin varnish to get the shiny glossy look on my SAR Wessex. I don't think that full on gloss looks right on a model, satin shines more like the real thing.
But if I was doing an F1 car maybe megashiny would look good.
Since then I tend to use either Humbrols Enamel varnishes when I can get them or the even more excellenter tamiya Gloss varnishes.
I used their satin varnish to get the shiny glossy look on my SAR Wessex. I don't think that full on gloss looks right on a model, satin shines more like the real thing.
But if I was doing an F1 car maybe megashiny would look good.
How warm was the clear coat? It is always worth popping the rattle can into warm (not hot!) water to warm the contents thoroughly. Also, they really do need a lot of shaking to mix them properly, a good 5 minutes after the balls start to rattle normally.
Have you tried polishing out one of the parts you've already sprayed?
Have you tried polishing out one of the parts you've already sprayed?
Nuclearsquash said:
To the OP, was it humid or cold where you sprayed the varnish? This time of year can be a bugger for varnishing and undercoating.
This.The term is 'blooming' and is down to moisture in the air when the part was being sprayed.
If it was a metal diecast you could put it in the oven and heat it about 180 degrees for 20 minutes or so.
But with plastic, I'm not really sure what the best answer is, even a small amount of heat can distort.
This is what I always do. I never buy modelling varnishes, as the results are always different (from 20+ years of professional model making). I have even tried the Vallejo mat varnishes, but that finish is not ‘eggshell-like’, but more like stain, bordering on varnish – satin or gloss must me mirror like shiny!
I have found one of the best is Ronseal polyurethane varnishes (B&Q!), thinned down with white spirit and sprayed on. I know exactly how the finished article will look using this. It is also a lot more cost effective than over priced crappy ‘modelling’ varnishes.
I have found one of the best is Ronseal polyurethane varnishes (B&Q!), thinned down with white spirit and sprayed on. I know exactly how the finished article will look using this. It is also a lot more cost effective than over priced crappy ‘modelling’ varnishes.
Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 2nd January 10:03
As others have said, I find temperature and humidity are the main culprits for blooming of paints. If you overcoat it now, the bloom will probably just show through any clear coat you put over the top, even if the new top coat is shiny and transparent. Personally Id strip it in brake fluid, re-paint and if it looks shiny straight from the colour spray can (as you said it was) then leave it. Why gloss coat a nice gloss finish unless you want to seal large decals?
The only other thing Id suggest is heating the can first in hot water before thoroughly shaking it and spraying in a hot kitchen under the hob extractor.
Good luck!
The only other thing Id suggest is heating the can first in hot water before thoroughly shaking it and spraying in a hot kitchen under the hob extractor.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the advice but i think i sussed it by using autoglym polish which has a slight cut and with a dremmel + polishing head i bought the fuselage back to life.The nose cone was more stubborn so it sanded it back and resprayed it without using varnish.
I think i will just use johnsons klear in future as it worked good on the McLaren.
For the engine block i used TAMIYA SMOKE for the oil effect and on the steering wheel i used flour for the suede effect.
Happy new year and happy modelling.
I think i will just use johnsons klear in future as it worked good on the McLaren.
For the engine block i used TAMIYA SMOKE for the oil effect and on the steering wheel i used flour for the suede effect.
Happy new year and happy modelling.
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