Best Clearcoat over acrylic

[gjorenby]

Looking for recommendations for a good clear coat to go over a Tamiya acrylic red.   Thanks!

[Snake45]

My new favorite/go-to clear is Rustoleum High Lustre Coating clear lacquer from Walmart. But I haven't used it over your paint. Do your own "spoon test" first. 

[Bainford]

Why not Tamiya acrylic clear?

[TransAmMike]

50 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

My new favorite/go-to clear is Rustoleum High Lustre Coating clear lacquer from Walmart. But I haven't used it over your paint. Do your own "spoon test" first. 

Ditto the Rusto?

[hedotwo]

I’ve had no issues with Duplicolor clear over Tamiya acrylics.  Obviously Tamiya’s clear works well too and I’ve just bought a can of the Rustoleum clear but just haven’t had a chance to test it.  Sounds like it works good and you can’t beat the price.

[Slimguy]

Glenn...I would go with the Tamiya clear.  It is a bit expensive I acknowledge that, but it will serve you well and you won't have to worry about compatibility issues.

[gjorenby]

Thanks for the responses...I have tried Tamiya Clear TS-13 in the spray can before and it ate the paint.  I don't recall if it was acrylic or enamel unfortunately, but it was bad.  Is that the same Tamiya Clear you are all referring to?  Got some spoons drying now for some testing....

[gman]

Tamiya makes an aqueous acrylic clear, and if you are looking to clear coat over Tamiya's aqueous acrylic red shortly after initial cure, that will be the one you want to use. 

You may be able to use other types of clear coat overtop of aqueous acrylic once it has completely cured, as they are fairly inert (unlikely to react with top coats) once the paint has fully cured.

[El Roberto]

On 4/4/2021 at 6:25 PM, gjorenby said:

Thanks for the responses...I have tried Tamiya Clear TS-13 in the spray can before and it ate the paint.  I don't recall if it was acrylic or enamel unfortunately, but it was bad.  Is that the same Tamiya Clear you are all referring to?  Got some spoons drying now for some testing....

No..use Tamiya X 22 in the bottle. It's acrylic.  

[Zippi]

The Tamiya X-22 is just what is says.....clear.  The Tamiya clear is a matt type finish and not a gloss.  I just airbrushed it over acrylic craft paint.  

[Bugatti Fan]

Might be worth having a look to see if Tamiya themselves have charts indicating what Clear Finishes of theirs are compatible their own different colour paint types. And also for that matter whether other model paint manufacturers have compatibility charts for their products too.

Other manufacturers clears are just trial and error to a certain extent, and most modellers find one or more that best suits them to use eventually.

[vintagerpm]

X-22 is supposed to be gloss. XF-86 is flat clear.

 

[Zippi]

22 hours ago, vintagerpm said:

X-22 is supposed to be gloss. XF-86 is flat clear.

 

That's what I thought when I bought it but the bottle says clear and that's what it is.  Lesson learned for me to read the bottle and what finish I want.  

[peteski]

X-22 is supposed to be glossy clear.  What surface finish did the underlying paint have?  Maybe you need to apply another layer of X-22?  Try applying X-22 directly onto a plastic spoon to see what it will look like.

[Zippi]

3 minutes ago, peteski said:

X-22 is supposed to be glossy clear.  What surface finish did the underlying paint have?  Maybe you need to apply another layer of X-22?  Try applying X-22 directly onto a plastic spoon to see what it will look like.

I primed it with one coat of RUST-OLEUM Ultra Cover Flat Gray then airbrushed the ceramcoat on with 3 coats.  I then gave it 3 coats of the X-22 Tamiya Clear.   

[peteski]

I don't use craft paints, and the info  you posted still doesn't show whether the  finish is gloss, satin, or matte.  But I have used X-22 and it has a glossy finish. Maybe not as glossy as Testors Wet-Look clear,  or those 2K lacquers, but is is glossy.  I would still be curious if X-22 applied to some smooth surface (like plastic spoon) would dry glossy or have the same sheen as it has on your model.

 

[vintagerpm]

Its possible a bad batch got out, or the flat was mislabeled.

Another question that hasn't been asked, is what did you thin it with? The wrong thinner could cause problems.

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by vintagerpm

[Zippi]

I did the spoon test this morning on two different colors bought at different times.  Each spoon has 10 light coats of Ceramcoat Acrylic paint and 25 light coats of Tamiya Clear.  Yes....25 coats of clear.  someone told me to keep spraying light coats to let it build up until it gets shiny.  I just think the Tamiya Clear is just that, Clear and not a shiny finish.  What do you guys think?  I'm going to buy some of the Pledge tomorrow and do the same test and see how it comes out.  

[peteski]

I'll repeat:  try spraying the clear over bare plastic spoon to see what the "real" sheen is.  X-22 will not be as glossy as Testors Wet Look clear, but it shoudl be pretty glossy.  You migth not be spraying it on wet enough (after few lighter coats).  In my experience (with any paint) you can't get shine from light coats.

Also, as your photos show, Ceramcoat appears to be a flat paint.  Paint is flat because its surface has microscopic roughens. The clear coat has to fill that roughness, and the clear itself has to levell-off to produce smooth glossy finish.

 

As far as the bottle being mislabeled - that is easy to verify. Just look through the jar's bottom. If the paint is water-clear, it is glossy.  Satin or flat paints have flattening agent in them, which makes the paint in the jar look milky, and the flattening agent also settles on the bottom.

[Zippi]

I have given up on the Tamiya Clear.  I tried the Mop & Glo and didn't like the results.  I have ordered a bottle of the Pledge Revive it .  Online video's shows this to be the cat's meow.  We'll see.      

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Zippi

[Michael jones]

5 hours ago, Zippi said:

I did the spoon test this morning on two different colors bought at different times.  Each spoon has 10 light coats of Ceramcoat Acrylic paint and 25 light coats of Tamiya Clear.  Yes....25 coats of clear.  someone told me to keep spraying light coats to let it build up until it gets shiny.  I just think the Tamiya Clear is just that, Clear and not a shiny finish.  What do you guys think?  I'm going to buy some of the Pledge tomorrow and do the same test and see how it comes out.  

The reality is, you could apply 100+ coats and it wont be shiny, if you don't apply the clear wet enough. Also Mr levelling thinner really makes a difference to allow more flow. I would suggest just practicing some more with much wetter coats. Any paint will come out flat, if applied dry.  Usually a couple of coats is enough with most hobby paints like Tamiya and Mr Color.

 

Mike

[FLHCAHZ]

I agree with Mr Jones.  No clear is going to look shiny when you are "dusting" it on.  You have to find the balance of "just wet enough" without running the clear.

 

[peteski]

9 hours ago, FLHCAHZ said:

I agree with Mr Jones.  No clear is going to look shiny when you are "dusting" it on.  You have to find the balance of "just wet enough" without running the clear.

 

We are unanimous on this.

[OldNYJim]

Like the others above said - you’ve achieved the dusted-on clear finish that I’ll use if I want a satin finish to my paint.  Store that technique away for future use, because it’s often useful!

Heavier, wetter applications will give you the gloss finish you seek ??

[Zippi]

I went back and did a little more reading and I do take to heart what you guys are saying and put it to use this morning.  I made sure I got enough paint and Clear/Gloss on and what a difference.