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Difference between Mr. Color C46 and Mr. Color GX100 Super Clear III?


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Hi All,

 

I've seen the same question I've posed in my thread title asked in other forums, but as yet have not seen a definitive answer.  It seems to me that Mr. Hobby would not develop/sell a lacquer based clear gloss with 2 different names unless there was some difference in the content or performance of the paints.  I have ended up with both of these, not sure what possessed me to buy both of these, but I have them, and I'd really like to know what the difference is, and if one os 'better' than the other.

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According to Mr. Color, the GX line is an improved version of the standard Mr Color line. The colors are supposed to have increased covering power and the paint is formulated without the use of Toluene. They use the same thinners. From what I've read, the GX100 Super Clear needs a bit more thinning than the old C46. Otherwise, I guess you can expect similar performance.

So, the GX line is just the new and improved Mr Color lacquers.

 

http://www.mr-hobby.com/en/itemDetail.php?iId=133

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I just received my GX100/GX114 today, bought from SprayGunner (Ebay) with whom I've had multiple reliable orders.   Just in time as I'm nearing the final clear coats stage on my AM SB2C-4.   I will experiment first using my Harder & Steenbeck Evolution .15 nozzle, including various levels of thinning with Mr Leveling Thinner, Psi, etc.

Edited by metroman
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An excellent modeler friend of mine swears by GX100, I swear at it. The first time I tried it, it was thick in the bottle so needed more thinning; no problem, just added more leveling thinner. I normally have been using Tamiya clear as a gloss coat so for the next couple of models reverted back to the Tamiya. When I finally did try the GX100 again, it was gelatinous goo and no amount of Gunze’s restorer could get it back to a nice usable liquid form

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9 hours ago, Chuck1945 said:

When I finally did try the GX100 again, it was gelatinous goo and no amount of Gunze’s restorer could get it back to a nice usable liquid form

 

That is disconcerting. The replenishing agent is probably formulated for the old formula Mr Color with Toluene. Probably doesn't have what the new formula needs to restore it. Hopefully they will release an updated version for the GX paints. I love the Mr Color Replenishing Agent. With it, you can keep Mr Color paints working forever.

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I'm thinking maybe the issue with the GX100 was that you added leveling thinner, rather than the regular (i.e., non-leveling) thinner.  The retarder in the leveling thinner may be the culprit.  Just a thought.

Edited by zeus60
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Wow....now I'm concerned about thinning the GX100!  I"m always ultra paranoid about keeping my airbrushes clean, and if there is a concern about using the most commonly used thinner for Mr. Color Lacquer paints, and getting a gooey mess, I'm inclined to avoid using the GX at all.  At the moment, the only Mr. Color thinner I have is the Leveling thinner, which I"m sure you are all aware has the reputation as the world's best all around thinner.  Darn!  I gather that this kind of problem does not/has not existed with the C46?!  Honestly, I've not had the best luck with Tamiya X22, which seems to be, for so many people, a go-to gloss finish.  Most of the time, thus far, I use my old bottle of Future, which, though very faintly yellowing, still works just fine in providing a smooth, shiny finish.  But I would like to get away from Future, knowing its tendency to darken the paint over which it is placed.

 

So, does anyone have a best choice for a gloss finish, that avoids all the problems that have been brought up here in this rather short thread?

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Sorry, I wasn't clear, and maybe I misread your original post.  Was the paint that turned into goo paint that had been thinned with leveling thinner?  I see no problem using leveling thinner when you airbrush, but I wouldn't add leveling thinner to paint that I was going to store for any length of time.

 

In other words, did you add anything to the bottle that had the paint that turned to goo?  Or did you only remove paint, in order to spray it?  If the first, then that may be the problem. If the second, then perhaps you got a bad bottle.  Mr. Color paints do turn thick, but I don't think I've had one turn gooey.

Edited by zeus60
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Mr Hobby, maker of Mr Color paints, including the new GX line, state specifically "use Mr. Color Thinner for dilution or Leveling Thinner."  Whether there are any ill effects from returning thinned paint to the jar, I don't know and they mention nothing about it. With regular Mr Color you can get away with adding thinned paint back into the jar with unthinned paint, though I try to avoid it if possible. A paranoid holdover from years of enamel paints. Might be best to avoid the practice until we know more about what can and cannot be done with these newer paints.

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I usually add thinner after the paint is in the airbrush cup. However if it is quite thick in the bottle I usually add a bit of leveling thinner directly to the bottle. If it is really thick I switch to the restorer. In the case of the GX100 when I attempted to use it the second time it just globed onto the stirrer (MicroMark battery run) like soft chewing gum. After adding restorer I tried a shaker instead and it never smoothed out to be usable. Perhaps more restorer, don’t know? I tossed the bottle and went back to Tamiya. I’ve tried Hataka’s Orange line clear gloss; it seems to work ok but the bottle contents aren’t clear, there is a tinge to it reminiscent of MicroGloss from the early 70s

Edited by Chuck1945
Fix an autocorrect blunder
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6 hours ago, Chuck1945 said:

I tossed the bottle and went back to Tamiya.

 

Probably a wise idea. Perhaps we'll learn more in the future about what products can and can't be used with the GX line. The do state that you can freely mix all the colors of the old Mr Color and the GX line. Would be nice to know what the story is with the Replenishing Agent. Too me that is the icing on the cake with Mr Color. Not only do the paints preform wonderfully, but you can get a bottle of this magic liquid that will restore old thick or even dried out paint. I mean, what more can one ask for (I know, for it not to smell so strong)?

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  • 6 months later...

You all have been quite helpful. Now I'm stymied again  - I'm (trying to) using the Mr Color clear gloss, and think I may not be thinning or spraying properly. I doing 1 part clear plus 2 parts MC Levelling Thinner, spraying at 15 psi (dynamic), doing a couple of light mist coats first, then when I go to spray a heavier coat, I'm getting a TON of pebbling on any flat surfaces that are in a "valley" of sorts. (Think the underside of an F-14 between the engines, or the underside of a Spitifre near the wing intakes. It's frustrating me to no end. I used half of a 10 mL bottle last night clearcoating the undersides of a 1/48 Tomcat and a 1/32 Spitfire. Argh!

 

Any tips or suggestions?

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Any chance you could show a photo of the pebbling?

I've been using GX112 for a coulpe of years now and there's no going back to Tamiya or similar! This stuff rocks! Usually give one or two light coats followed by one heavier and use roughly one part of GX112 to two parts of MLT. Following the last coat I'll typcally give it a good spray of pure MLT and leave it to gas off/dry for at least 24 hours. This really brings out the gloss sheen. Using half a bottle of this stuff for one 1/48 Tomcat and a 1/32 Spit does sound a bit excessive. I'm on my second bottle now and have completed around 10 1/48 jets on the first bottle. This includes additional coats after applying decals and prior to weathering. I'd say beef it up to 20-25 psi and try that on a paint mule!
HTH

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6 minutes ago, Phantom726 said:

Any chance you could show a photo of the pebbling?

I've been using GX112 for a coulpe of years now and there's no going back to Tamiya or similar! This stuff rocks! Usually give one or two light coats followed by one heavier and use roughly one part of GX112 to two parts of MLT. Following the last coat I'll typcally give it a good spray of pure MLT and leave it to gas off/dry for at least 24 hours. This really brings out the gloss sheen. Using half a bottle of this stuff for one 1/48 Tomcat and a 1/32 Spit does sound a bit excessive. I'm on my second bottle now and have completed around 10 1/48 jets on the first bottle. This includes additional coats after applying decals and prior to weathering. I'd say beef it up to 20-25 psi and try that on a paint mule!
HTH

 

20 to 25 psi - I'll try that. One clarification - is that pressure on the gage with no air moving, or what the gage shows when you've got the air valve open on the airbrush? (I'm using an Iwata Eclipse, usually go to 0.5mm nozzle/needle combo for clear. Curious as to the air pressure, though.)

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That would be the pressure with the airbrush air valve open - so a nice and steady flow of air. I'm using a Badger 200 myself with a fine nozzle although I don't recall the nozzle diameter. 
Also, when applying the thicker coat(s) don't be too heavyhanded. The last spray of pure MLT will bring out the sheen if you don't achieve it during the last coat of varnish
One word of caution: When doing the last spray of pure MLT be very careful: Too much might ruin your entire paint job - too little may have no or just a minor effect on the sheen. I'd highly recommend testing this on a mule first!

Let us know how it pans out!

Edited by Phantom726
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14 hours ago, Phantom726 said:


Let us know how it pans out!

 

The higher pressure worked! I was around 22 - 23 psi, thinned as discussed above, and I'm quite pleased with the results.

Here is pic of the underside - it may not be readily apparent, though. I'll probably do some light sanding in the troubled areas with 1500 grit paper, then re-spray the gloss.


And you're right, I was using too much. I did the entire upper surfaces of the Spitfire and ancillary parts of my Tomcat with 2 mL of the gloss (with 4 mL of MLT).

I appreciate the help!

20210322_180047.jpg

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Good to hear! Glad it worked out for you.

 

Re. the troubled area you may not need to do a complete respray with the gloss. I'd sand it down gently and possibly just give it a light spray of pure MLT. This will re-hydrate (is that the right word?) the paint and could possibly be enough to restore the sheen. HOWEVER, it may also ruin you paint job if you sand too much of the gloss varnish off so proceed with caution!

 

Phantom out

 

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Hi guys, I’m the original poster of this thread and have read the responses with interest. I’m getting close to the need for a gloss coat in prep for decals on my 1/48 Eduard Fw190 A-6.  I think I’m going to give the GX series a try.  Hoping it works!!

Edited by Curt B
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