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I've just airbrushed a USN early-WWII airplane with Model Master blue-grey enamel.   Came out dead flat, almost chalky.  I'd like to clearcoat the airplane with a satin clear coat, offering a step-off-from-flat sheen, but the only clearcoat I found that was neither glossy or flat was Tamiya's 'semi-gloss' lacquer.  Does anyone know how far removed from full gloss and dead flat this finish is?  And is anyone using any rattle-can lacquers from the mainstream, like Deft's satin lacquer (I already own it), to accomplish what I'm trying to do? 

 

Thanks,

 

Much obliged.

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Tamiya's lacquers can be 'problematic' over decals. (melting, wrinkling, destroying)  I would imagine hardware store varieties would be even more so.

 

Model Master and Humbrol both have satin clears.  Alclad has a wide range of aqueous clears in a variety of sheens, from matte to gloss.  Vallejo will have a number of clears in different sheens.  Or you could add a drop or two of Tamiya's matte agent to some Future to make whatever sheen you're looking for.

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  • 1 month later...

Exactly so.  The magic words 'setup' and 'cleanup'. Setup before and cleanup after each session take time that rattle cans just plain don't.  Rattle cans take me far less time and cleanup than my airbrush.  And wastes a lot less paint. 

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Also there are different types of airbrushes. A single action external mix airbrush like the badger 350 is excellent for this type of application, as it can spray a fine coat over quite a broad area, so it covers well. It also can hold larger volumes, and is more tolerant of the mix. For large areas it is great, and is also very easy to clean afterwards.


Double action internal mix airbrushes are great for finer detail, but for large areas are slower, and yes they take a bit more cleaning

 

Les

Edited by lesthegringo
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On 4/30/2017 at 11:43 PM, peter havriluk said:

I own and use airbrushes.  Each one is a monumental PITA to set up and clean up afterwards.  An hour to do a minute's work. 

Really..... Getting paint in the color cup. 30sec paint 30 sec. clean up 30sec. so in the time it takes you to Shake the rattle can I am done and on to the next....okay  a bit of an exaggeration but I know it takes me less than 5 minutes to do such a task.

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