Recommend Acrylic Clear to Airbrush

[TransAmMike]

As a few on here may have read I am a Rustoleum Clear Acrylic Lacquer (rattle-can) over craftpaint advocate.  But, with my recent screw-up with sagging due to extreme thinness of this product, especially when the temp is a bit warmer,  I'm wanting to maybe try air-brushing acrylic clear. Of course I know about (and have used) Future.  Any other products I can consider??

Thanks for looking,

[Painted Black]

I think instead of changing, I would try some practice with air pressure and distance before changing. Just before you think you've sprayed enough stop and let cure for the recommended time.\, then shoot the next coat.. HTH

[TransAmMike]

1 hour ago, Painted Black said:

I think instead of changing, I would try some practice with air pressure and distance before changing. Just before you think you've sprayed enough stop and let cure for the recommended time.\, then shoot the next coat.. HTH

Well the Rust is rattlecan so can't adjust air pressure.  I sprayed a light coat but it looks grainy so in my impatience I just go overboard to get a deep looking shine. I know, PRACTICE?

[NOBLNG]

3 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Well the Rust is rattlecan so can't adjust air pressure.  I sprayed a light coat but it looks grainy so in my impatience I just go overboard to get a deep looking shine. I know, PRACTICE?

You can decant the Rustoleum and spray it through your airbrush at what ever pressure works. There are various ways to decant it. I have some large plastic party straws that I just spray the paint through and let it drip into the cup or jar. Some say to let it sit for a while to degas, but I don’t.

[Painted Black]

10 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Well the Rust is rattlecan so can't adjust air pressure.  I sprayed a light coat but it looks grainy so in my impatience I just go overboard to get a deep looking shine. I know, PRACTICE?

My bad, for some reason I thought you were airbrushing. So, and its a big so, if warming a spray can makes it spray better, what would cooling the can do?? Just a thought!!

[Zippi]

I'm in the same boat as far as getting away from rattle cans.  I'm going to spray my next build with some Ceramcoat Acrylic paint which drys flat so I'll need to clear coat it and I want to use my new Paasche H airbrush that I just purchased.  I'll be watching this thread.    

[El Roberto]

Tamiya clear works great.  

[Zippi]

13 minutes ago, El Roberto said:

Tamiya clear works great.  

Thanks.  Does that have to be thinned to airbrush?

Edited March 15, 2021 by Zippi

[TransAmMike]

4 hours ago, Painted Black said:

My bad, for some reason I thought you were airbrushing. So, and its a big so, if warming a spray can makes it spray better, what would cooling the can do?? Just a thought!!

Thought the same thing Robert.  Pop in fridge about 10 min.  Gonna be few days tho before I can try it.

[Painted Black]

Let us know if that works..

[TransAmMike]

10 minutes ago, Painted Black said:

Let us know if that works..

Will do Robert, maybe tomorrow.  Rain all day today in my part of Tennessee. I have to pull the "garage queen" out the garage to paint.?

[Dave G.]

I have a few clear coats I've used over craft paint ( including quart cans of lacquer), be that on models, in my test shoots  or my wife's ceramics projects. In the acrylic lineup for model car bodys though my go to is Tamiya X-22 clear gloss thinned with DNA or hardware store lacquer thinner. You need to put this down in progressively wetter coats and the 4th coat should do the trick.

If I don't use that I use Pledge floor care straight from the bottle.

And then there is Liquitex Varnish ( mostly used this in test shoots in terms of model body finishes but extensively for the ceramics, we stocked it specifically for that purpose because its very resilient and UV safe. Really for me the satin shoots plenty glossy enough but we always have had all three in stock. My wife passed back in Dec so no more ceramics. I do use that liquitex on model car interiors, a mix of matt and satin and just a couple light coats over flat acrylic paint give the perfect sheen for some materials according to the blend mixed up.. And it protects from chipping. I've also mixed it into craft paint to that same end plus it bumps up the adhesion. But I have not done a full body in the stuff. Great on engine blocks too over weathering. Very good product to have on hand but then I have much of the Liquitex line here at my disposal so easy for me to say where my wife was an artist. I have several of the additives, paints etc....

Edited March 15, 2021 by Dave G.

[Belugawrx]

I really like the Alclad II Aqua Gloss Clear # ALC 600

Airbrushable right out of the bottle...

I've used it over craft paint, enamels, lacquers,..no problems

Water clean up, crystal clear, and can be used over their chrome products without losing alot of effect.

Edited March 15, 2021 by Belugawrx

[Belugawrx]

23 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

.

 

[TransAmMike]

4 hours ago, Dave G. said:

 

If I don't use that I use Pledge floor care straight from the bottle.

 

So Dave you still use Future?  I have a very old bottle (and I do mean old) and it is still clear like new.  I know I sprayed it on a model  a couple years ago (and it was very old even then).  I do still use it with brush occasionally on parts and over small decals.

[Dave G.]

7 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

So Dave you still use Future?  I have a very old bottle (and I do mean old) and it is still clear like new.  I know I sprayed it on a model  a couple years ago (and it was very old even then).  I do still use it with brush occasionally on parts and over small decals.

Sometimes. If you can get your hands on the Tamiya try that Mike.