Help clear gloss gone white

[dave]

So, back to Winsor & Newton Acrylic UV matt Varnish, works beautifully, and much cheaper to boot!

John, how do you find the winsor and newton long term, I have seen people recommend it for airbrushing thinned 1:1 with the Liquitex airbrush medium. If I remember correctly you are a brush man but have you tried it through an airbrush at all?

 

[John Rixon]

I do tend to use a brush for most things, but I have briefly tried this, thinned with water, but chose to use my larger needle/nozzle combo, as acrylic matt varnish is always going to have an element of risk! The beauty in it, for me anyway, is that is a slow drier, therefore will level off if applicable, but I tend to use thin coats anyway, and it is very easy to get a really smooth coat with a good brush. But in answer to your question, I'd run tests myself, as I've only sprayed it on a bottle! Matt Varnish is another thing I'd use a rattle can for, if I could find a decent one - I believe Testor's Dull coat is the danglies, but not found it available here yet. And to be fair, much as I moan about Vallejo's varnish, it is a big ask to make a transparent, matt varnish, the laws of physics are against it! For me, the Winsor & Newton is the closest I have found...so far! My quest continues...

 

[Laurie]

Nice for clogging your airbrush even if it's clinically spotless! Grrrrrrrr, mine's gone in the bin, and I'll not be replacing it either, QC is in question here.
its no use saying I must have had a bad one, this is the 21st century, Vallejo is the only manufacturer where I have had dodgy material from (Grey Primer, in case you ask!) for a long, long time. I love their Model Air, but the varnish is too milky (spray some on a clear plastic bottle, and you'll see my point!) and full of tiny little half-cured lumps of goo (and has been from the start) and the Primer is not fit for purpose. Green primer is fine, so, you see where I am going here, I have to take a gamble, so I'm better off going with another manufacturer, where QC has been 100%.


So, back to Winsor & Newton Acrylic UV matt Varnish, works beautifully, and much cheaper to boot!

Trial and tribulations of model making a John. Not like the ease of pursuing a career.


Laurie

 

[dave]

Thanks John, I will need to give it a go. I used to swear by the Tamiya Matt varnish in a spray can but I cannot find it over in Belgium.

 

[Laurie]

Why oh why don't manufactures stick to the same ingredients once they have a good product

You are right Phil.


Just read Cadburys are adding Sultanas to their Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bars.


Laurie

 

[dave]

You are right Phil.
Just read Cadburys are adding Sultanas to their Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bars.


Laurie

Heresy, before we know it they will change the name as well.


I do miss Marathon's and Opal Fruits.

 

[John Rixon]

Why oh why don't manufactures stick to the same ingredients once they have a good product, that way we model makers would not get so many problems. as the the motto say's "if it's not broken don't try and fix it" or some thing like that

Money, basically. We live in a culture that utterly relies upon folks constantly buying new stuff. Throw in a recession, and every company needs to "cut costs" (they don't actually, but it's the line we are fed to ensure that shareholders get their cut of the action) consequently, paints have less pigments in them, the bits in varnishes that make them Matt aren't ground down as much, or filtered as many times, Marathons are smaller and VWs aren't quite as "green" as those little tinkers said they were! And if that wasn't enough, Amazon have introduced "add-on" items, I.e. The primer I used to buy now requires me to buy £20 worth of goods before they can be arsed to post it to me, which nearly had me going "oh, I'll get some more stuff to make up the cost then" before I saw sense and cycled down to Halfords.


Is that my coat over there?

 

[colin m]

That's because it's not mixed sufficiently. The white bits are little clumps of the matting agent - silica or talc is common.
All matt products need to be mixed or shaken again & again ....and then some more ....and more still!


Because a matt product isn't used often, the matting agent settles into a layer at the bottom. With Vallejo, I'd remove the dropper nipple & stir it around - just shaking isn't enough if it's sat doing nothing for a week or longer.

You're quite right, but I'm sick of it. The AK matt varnish has a little ball inside the bottle. So far no white spots during use.

 

[philgashead]

thanks to everyones advice I got a kitchen scouring pad wet it and lightly rubbed the hull and it mostly came off it even looks a bit weathered now.

 

[dave]

Matt Varnish is another thing I'd use a rattle can for, if I could find a decent one - I

John, if it is of any interest whilst in my local art supplies shop I found Winsor and Newton Professional UV Matt Varnish in a rattle can (http://www.winsornewton.com/row/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/oil-colour/varnishes/artists-matt-varnish-5-07-us-fl-oz-150ml-can-3034981) so I picked one up and tried it, so far so good. I don't know UK price but the 400mL can was €12.90 in Belgium.


Only downside it is solvent based so you do need good ventilation