Problem with Clear Coating?

[DARTHTODD]

I've been building models for a while now and I came across something wierd. After applying some decals, I sprayed me clearcoat (Testors) on to "seal" the decals in. Everything looked fine, I let it dry.......my clear coat turned extremely cloudy, basically white. It looks almost like I sprayed it with white paint.

The wierd part is that when I respray the model, while the clear is wet, my model looks great and the white goes away. When it drys though it comes back. Anyone have this happen before? It seems as if some sort of chemical reaction is happening. Anyways I can fix this?

[mslz22]

I've had this problem when i used clearcoat on a very humid day, or used clearcoat that had been corupted by humidity. Is it acrylic? if it is you may want to strip it if you think you can strip it without harming the decals, otherwise you may want to think about sanding the whole model with some 2000 grit sandpaper and try a different clear, perhaps some future followed by a dullcoat. I'm sure others will have some good ideas, but if you try any of the 2 above please do so with caution.

mike

[Grayson72]

That's what I was going to suggest, moisture, have you drained/aired out your compressor lately?

[HWR MKII]

Try using Ronseal acrylic varnish. Its a concentrated version of the PollyS/Testors formula. It comes out of the can milky in color but dries crystal clear. 2.50$ goes a long way too. Just use water or alcohol to thin it and airbrush it on. It even dries smooth if applied with a brush. It wont fog like testors glosscote since its not a laquer base.

[jonwayne]

something similar happen to my clear top coat when i spray on rainy days or at night, where humidity lever is high. but it's only slightly cloudy, not white as what u mentioned.

i manage to salvage it back by using tamiya polishing compound.

but before u try using polishing compound, do read up more about it.

[Guppy]

exact same thing happened to me with Mr.Hobby clearcoat. What really sucks is you've finished your fantastic kit, finish it off with some clearcoat and... ruined.

I had to start all over again.

[Vince]

apply in thinner layers might help.

[kazuki]

Dude, if it's the matt (flat) clear coat, that means that you applied too much clear coat in a single layer. It happened to me before. I sprayed too much flat clear coat at one time but the white effects will only appear when it has dried.

[HWR MKII]

Has anyone used the clear matt coat that Humbrol makes? does it turn out really flat or does it come up semigloss like most oil based matt coats?

[DARTHTODD]

Well, I ended up stripping it down, repainting it and using different decals. It turned out this time. Thx for the tip, I may have applied too much at one time and I'll keep these tips in mind for the future.

[Vince]

Has anyone used the clear matt coat that Humbrol makes? does it turn out really flat or does it come up semigloss like most oil based matt coats?

324748[/snapback]

it's been a long time since I use anything from Humrol, your problem is the top layer is too quick.

[HWR MKII]

I dont have a problem with it i just havnt ever used it. I wanted an opinion before i go spraying it on a 250 dollar resin valk kit.

[jadefalconguard]

Sean, be afraid, be very afraid I've sprayed several planes with the Humbrol Dull Coat.

The problem DARTHTODD describes is typical for Humbrol. Spray it on to thick and you'll get a milky finish once completely dry (Happened to my Mad Dog). It's very good once dry, a very dull finish, but apply it very gently and allow time to completely dry (see my problem on the build up of the VF1, I was luckily able to brush it out).

[HWR MKII]

So basically i should mist it on EXTREMELY lightly? This stuff doesnt seem laquer based or the typical humbrol enamel base either what do you thin it with Jade?

[jadefalconguard]

I took the save route and bought a bottle of Humbrol thinner to thin it with. I applied it VERY gently in order to get an even finish.

An extra note I'm not sure if I didn't close up bottle to good or what the reason was, but after a few weeks my flat coat was completely white in it's bottle.

[Vince]

yeah, thin and even layers.

Is there any chance you could get some acrylic? Maybe Model Master? I perfer the MM acrylic flat clear for airbrushing, even over the Gunze stuff.

[Vince]

Oh, Future is great too.

[Ido]

I took the save route and bought a bottle of Humbrol thinner to thin it with. I applied it VERY gently in order to get an even finish.

An extra note I'm not sure if I didn't close up  bottle to good or what the reason was, but after a few weeks my flat coat was completely white in it's bottle.

324824[/snapback]

Hubrol bottles sucks, after a while they doens't close perfectly and dry just in the bottle if they aren't already dried in the bottles when you buy them.

Another reason cause I like modeling Lacquers is cause I will never trash them cause they ruined right in the bottle, so I can keep a lot of them without worries.

[magicsp00n]

I live in Florida, where it's crazy humid right now. I've never been able to have good results with a clear coat. Sometime when my wife isn't around to get upset with me, I'll try spraying inside my air-conditioned house.

[MechTech]

I just moved from South Georgia and had the same problem. I usually watched the Weather Channel and shelved my stuff untill the blasted humidity went down. I read one guy in Fine Scale Modeler put his stuff in a dehydrator (like for drying fruits and making jerky). It sounds like it would work...