How do YOU clear coat?

[dreadpyrat]

Hey all, did a deep search and couldn't find an answer. I'm getting back into car modeling and want to get a strong clear finish I can polish safely to a glassy smooth. 

I airbrush in Arcylics generally and I really don't want to get into 2K Clear for the health risks. What do you recommend for clearing a model painted in Acrylic? Or should I switch to Enamels perhaps? 

 

What is your recipe for a glassy smooth surface? Thanks!

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

Lacquer.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[peteski]

Over (water-based?) acrylic color coat?  Safe to do?

[StevenGuthmiller]

47 minutes ago, peteski said:

Over (water-based?) acrylic color coat?  Safe to do?

No.

I’m suggesting lacquer throughout.

 

 

 

Steve

[JollySipper]

The DupliColor 1K clear in the large cans can be used over practically anything.........

[Dave G.]

Over water based acrylic paints, to include Vallejo, Craft Paints and Createx paints, I've settled on Createx 4050 thinned a bit with Createx 4021 reducer, which has a little retarder in it. In my experience this buffs up quicker and easier than some others and it's UVLS protective. But note that it does not dry with full gloss, you have to polish it. Not really wet sand but buffed and polished.

For Tamiya or alcohol acrylics, I use Tamiya X-22 thinned with Mr Leveling Thinner. That's if I use clear at all on the glossy X series. Because the paint itself buffs up pretty well right in the color coat. Both color and X-22 level well using Mr Leveling thinner.

If it's an auto/car I'm finishing, pretty much I only use clear if base coating flat colors. Or if there is a decal situation, but that's a little bit rare in the classic and antique era I build.

Edit: by the way, half the time I don't use acrylic, water or alcohol borne. LP lacquer by Tamiya comes out gorgeous if sprayed right, to the point that to me, polishing is an option. Then there are enamels, which come out right up there in terms of finish as well. But that wasn't the thread question.

Edited March 24 by Dave G.

[eldo60]

On 3/24/2025 at 8:47 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Lacquer.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

nice chrysler, is that a resin kit or original?

model companies should look into producing such kits, probably sales would jump significantly,  releasing same kits over and over.

btw, where did you purchase this kit?  would love to build something like this.

[Dave G.]

3 hours ago, eldo60 said:

nice chrysler, is that a resin kit or original?

model companies should look into producing such kits, probably sales would jump significantly,  releasing same kits over and over.

btw, where did you purchase this kit?  would love to build something like this.

Russ, till Steve replies, I'll just say that how his builds turn out in most cases has little to do with the kit itself. But how he implements the builds. There are many kits out there in this era to build, maybe not that specific convertible or Chrysler but a lot available.

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, eldo60 said:

nice chrysler, is that a resin kit or original?

model companies should look into producing such kits, probably sales would jump significantly,  releasing same kits over and over.

btw, where did you purchase this kit?  would love to build something like this.

It is an original kit from Johan produced only in 1962.

The hardtop version was available for many years in the "USA Oldies" series, but the interior in that kit is incorrect for a '62 300-H.

I believe that they used a promo interior tub from a 1965 Chrysler 300.

 

Unfortunately, as has been discussed on this forum many times, the vast majority of Johan kits will almost certainly never return for a number of reasons, so in order to build one of these kits, you will likely have to rely on finding a vintage kit or re-builder.

In order for this kit to ever return, someone would have to produce an all new tooling, which is highly unlikely.

The only other options are if the original tooling would happen to still exist, which is probably not the case, or if someone were to offer it as a 3-D print.

 

I was lucky enough to acquire this kit in a trade with one of our very own forum members some years ago, (Thanks again to Al Rich, (thatz4u) as a complete re-builder in fairly good condition, and felt that it was a good candidate for a resurrection.

I have had a number of the USA Oldies hardtops over the years, but felt that this convertible with the correct interior was worthy of being restored.

 

This is how it started out before restoration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

Edited March 27 by StevenGuthmiller

[gtx6970]

Same here. I use Lacquer almost exclusively 

Primarily due to color options avail in rattle cans ( thank you Duplicolor touch up paints ) 

[eldo60]

On 3/27/2025 at 11:23 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

It is an original kit from Johan produced only in 1962.

The hardtop version was available for many years in the "USA Oldies" series, but the interior in that kit is incorrect for a '62 300-H.

I believe that they used a promo interior tub from a 1965 Chrysler 300.

 

Unfortunately, as has been discussed on this forum many times, the vast majority of Johan kits will almost certainly never return for a number of reasons, so in order to build one of these kits, you will likely have to rely on finding a vintage kit or re-builder.

In order for this kit to ever return, someone would have to produce an all new tooling, which is highly unlikely.

The only other options are if the original tooling would happen to still exist, which is probably not the case, or if someone were to offer it as a 3-D print.

 

I was lucky enough to acquire this kit in a trade with one of our very own forum members some years ago, (Thanks again to Al Rich, (thatz4u) as a complete re-builder in fairly good condition, and felt that it was a good candidate for a resurrection.

I have had a number of the USA Oldies hardtops over the years, but felt that this convertible with the correct interior was worthy of being restored.

 

This is how it started out before restoration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

thanks, I'll have to find 3-D versions, I've seen/did enough 55 and 57 chevys, 67-69 camaros, mobieus has some subject matter. I have enough I'm my stash,  but dwindling.

[Radretireddad]

I’ve been using Tamiya X-22 thinned 50/50 with Tamiya X-20 thinner and have been pretty happy with the results. It polishes and buffs out well but its biggest drawback is that it takes forever to fully harden. Even after a sitting couple of weeks you can still leave fingerprints in it if you hold the part too tightly. I’m told using Mr. Color leveling thinner solves this problem but I haven’t tried it yet. I just finished spraying my latest build with Createx 5604 gloss top coat and I’m very happy with the results. It polished and buffed out beautifully and is fully hardened when dried.

[Dave G.]

3 hours ago, Radretireddad said:

I’ve been using Tamiya X-22 thinned 50/50 with Tamiya X-20 thinner and have been pretty happy with the results. It polishes and buffs out well but its biggest drawback is that it takes forever to fully harden. Even after a sitting couple of weeks you can still leave fingerprints in it if you hold the part too tightly. I’m told using Mr. Color leveling thinner solves this problem but I haven’t tried it yet. I just finished spraying my latest build with Createx 5604 gloss top coat and I’m very happy with the results. It polished and buffed out beautifully and is fully hardened when dried.

I shoot Createx, never heard of that top coat number. I'll have to look that up. But I'm using 4050 or sometimes 4053 high gloss, both are UV protective, Personally I think polished 4050 is a dead ringer for polished Nitro lacquer though. IMO, either polishes up easier than X-22. In fact 4050 if put down right, you can go right to buffing without sanding. then polish. I'm one who thins X-22 with lacquer thinner, or the Mr Leveling thinner, it's generally ready to buff in a couple of day, maybe 3 days but Createx buff easier for me still..

Is that 5604 a new product ?

[TransAmMike]

7 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I shoot Createx, never heard of that top coat number. I'll have to look that up. But I'm using 4050 or sometimes 4053 high gloss, both are UV protective, Personally I think polished 4050 is a dead ringer for polished Nitro lacquer though. IMO, either polishes up easier than X-22. In fact 4050 if put down right, you can go right to buffing without sanding. then polish. I'm one who thins X-22 with lacquer thinner, or the Mr Leveling thinner, it's generally ready to buff in a couple of day, maybe 3 days but Createx buff easier for me still..

Is that 5604 a new product ?

Looked it up Dave, yeah, they say its high gloss clear.  

[Dave G.]

2 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Looked it up Dave, yeah, they say its high gloss clear.  

Ya its a high gloss clear coat for use with fabrics, or in fabric painting. Thus I imagine has flexibility. I'll stick with what I'm using, as they are designed for hard surfaces. Or in the case of 4050, to convert the standard color line from a flex type coat to poly acrylic hard coat. Or as top coat. 4053 is top coat only. 4030 is inter coat only.

[slusher]

I use Testors clear and going to use some acrylic floor shine also..

[Radretireddad]

On 4/5/2025 at 3:09 PM, Dave G. said:

Ya its a high gloss clear coat for use with fabrics, or in fabric painting. Thus I imagine has flexibility. I'll stick with what I'm using, as they are designed for hard surfaces. Or in the case of 4050, to convert the standard color line from a flex type coat to poly acrylic hard coat. Or as top coat. 4053 is top coat only. 4030 is inter coat only.

The 5604 was all my local Hobby Lobby had in stock so I thought I’d try it and it worked great. I plan on using up the bottle I have but I will look for the numbers you’re using in the future. Thanks.

[Dave G.]

7 hours ago, Radretireddad said:

The 5604 was all my local Hobby Lobby had in stock so I thought I’d try it and it worked great. I plan on using up the bottle I have but I will look for the numbers you’re using in the future. Thanks.

If what you have works for you, that's great. You should know that the ones I mentioned need polishing to reach full gloss. But it is a lacquer look alike once done.

But I've never used 5604, so can't comment beyond it's description.  So I asked if 5604 can be converted, here is what I got :

"Yes, Createx 4030 Balancing Clear can be used with Createx 5604 Gloss Top Coat. In fact, it's often recommended as an additive to improve flow and adhesion when airbrushing, and it's also used as a carrier for candy2o dyes, according to Createx Tech. When used with the 5604 Gloss Top Coat, it can help create a smoother, more durable finish, according to Airbrush Paint Direct"