Is it just me...

[John Rixon]

...but is Vallejo Matt varnish meant to be so incredibly milky? I shook seven shades out of it, and took the top off to make sure the matting agent hadn't all settled to the bottom, but even with the lightest misting coat, I could see the colour underneath slowly disappearing! I certainly wouldn't dare to use it as a Matt varnish, or am I missing something?

 

[papa 695]

I use it all the time John it is milky but I find it works for me

 

[Ian M]

If you are in any doubt John you can test it out first on a test card...but yes it a bit cloudy when you pour it out it does though dry clear, the gloss one is even funkier. Milky white in the pot, a good wet coat on a model and its violet. It still dries clear though, so that's fine by me!

Ian M

 

[spanner570]

Works fine with me too - and I brush paint only!

 

[Alan 45]

I had a similar problem with humbrol I found out afterwards that the colour returned when I put a coat of gloss varnish over it

This was humbrol though so I couldn't say for sertain it will work on Vallejo

 

[yak face]

Like you Ive had mixed results with the Vallejo Matt John. It never seemed to mix thoroughly no matter how much i stirred it (even with a motorised stirrer) , leaving tiny white bits of the matting agent which all too easily cause spatter when airbrushing and leave white specks on the model, I now use Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic Matt varnish , it works better for me and is probably the same price if not cheaper than the Vallejo, Im sure being an artist youll know where to get it from ! cheers tony

 

[John Rixon]

Oh my, I'd completely forgotten about that stuff, well, in this context anyway! You genius, I used to use tons of that stuff, and it was as predictable as you'd ever want. I'll persist with experimenting with the Vallejo, and think it might be good for tilted varnishes, but I'm going straight back to an old friend. Have a virtual beer!

 

[Laurie]

John it is the best matt about. If you think that Vallejo matt paint is matt then give it a coat of Vallejo Matt Varnish. Then that is a matt finish matt as matt can be.

Do not worry about the foggy look John it is the dryers in the varnish and they disappear.

Laurie

 

[John Rixon]

Well, I'll continue to explore its possibilities Laurie, but that Winsor & Newton is a varnish I'm very familiar with (how did I forget about this??) and at under £7 for 125 ml, is seriously cheaper! As an aside, I am loving the H&S ultra, I really feel in control with this bad-boy

 

[Laurie]

Well, I'll continue to explore its possibilities Laurie, but that Winsor & Newton is a varnish I'm very familiar with (how did I forget about this??) and at under £7 for 125 ml, is seriously cheaper! As an aside, I am loving the H&S ultra, I really feel in control with this bad-boy

Not sure if the W & N is quick drying like the Vallejo John.

Having just meandered into the weathering game using Vallejo Matt varnish has, from what I can see, good properties using the pigment powders. Dries quickly which enables more coats to be applied with out all the waiting around.

Great news on the Airbrushing scene. Opens up many avenues.

Laurie

 

[John Rixon]

Not sure if the W & N is quick drying like the Vallejo John.

Nope, and to be honest, that's a plus for me, when talking about final coats, less chance of drying before it hits the surface - this will be handy in the summer, when acrylics become a bit of a 'mare - and levelling properties are better. was thinking about the Vallejo now as an extender, or glazing medium, i.e. it increases transparency of a colour whilst maintaining its physical properties.

I'm also guessing that my final varnish coats will have a dash of satin mixed in, used to use this for varnishing paintings, and think it'l look perfect for aircraft (yes, am building one next,!).

 

[Dave W]

When I first used Vallejo matt varnish a few years ago I thought it was brilliant stuff.Worked perfectly every time.But the last few bottles I've had have given me the problem you are talking about.ive even decanted the whole bottle into a plastic shot glass and mixed it thoroughly.Didnt make any difference.Maybe my bottles were from a bad batch,but I won't use the stuff now.Ive bought some Alclad matt clear and it's great.A bit expensive,but better than ruining a model.

 

[Laurie]

Nope, and to be honest, that's a plus for me, when talking about final coats, less chance of drying before it hits the surface - this will be handy in the summer, when acrylics become a bit of a 'mare - and levelling properties are better. was thinking about the Vallejo now as an extender, or glazing medium, i.e. it increases transparency of a colour whilst maintaining its physical properties.I'm also guessing that my final varnish coats will have a dash of satin mixed in, used to use this for varnishing paintings, and think it'l look perfect for aircraft (yes, am building one next,!).

Yes I use a lot of the Vallejo Glaze medium. Do not know why but the matt medium does not do the trick for me. Not had any problems with the varnish drying before it hits the surface. But it will look dry on the surface after 5 mins or so depending on the thickness applied.

Drying retarder, or air brush flow improver, not had to use yet and Jersey is much warmer than the UK. But also the humidity is high, approx 10% higher on average than the UK, so that makes a difference.

When I first used Vallejo matt varnish a few years ago I thought it was brilliant stuff.Worked perfectly every time.But the last few bottles I've had have given me the problem you are talking about.ive even decanted the whole bottle into a plastic shot glass and mixed it thoroughly.Didnt make any difference.Maybe my bottles were from a bad batch,but I won't use the stuff now.Ive bought some Alclad matt clear and it's great.A bit expensive,but better than ruining a model.

I wonder if your paint Dave has not well cured properly as unless it is you will get problems. Always leave at least 48 hours and usually longer. Have not had any problems in the 4 years I have been using the Vallejo varnishes except for the one previous to the new range which went gloopy.

Vallejo also market othere varnishes. A range which you can wash off with ammonia with out affecting the underneath paint system. Also a polyurethene range which are more resilient but I found take longer to dry.

Laurie

 

[Laurie]

Should also have added.

It needs a really good shake. a thickish deposit around the inside of the top tands to accumulate. Nothing wrong with this provided a good shake mixes it with the reminder. If it is not shaken and mixed then you will get a thick first squirt into the airbrush.

If there is a problem with any of Vallejo Paints etc. email their customer care, which is first class, with the batch number and they will send a relacement.

Laurie

 

[Stevekir]

I have had white spots too, despite very vigorous shaking. Such shaking should have dispersed the white matting agent. The fact that white spots remain (and in my case they were much bigger than I would expect the matting agent particles to be) I guess that the particles clumped together sufficiently strongly to resist shaking. In that case more than shaking is needed but I can't think what. Perhaps a steel ball (John sells them) in the bottle might help to break them up.

 

[Laurie]

I have had white spots too, despite very vigorous shaking. Such shaking should have dispersed the white matting agent. The fact that white spots remain (and in my case they were much bigger than I would expect the matting agent particles to be) I guess that the particles clumped together sufficiently strongly to resist shaking. In that case more than shaking is needed but I can't think what. Perhaps a steel ball (John sells them) in the bottle might help to break them up.

Have you unscrewed the lid and had a look inside the lid ?

Best to email Vallejo Steve. See what they have to say. Give them the batch number.

Laurie

 

[Stevekir]

Have you unscrewed the lid and had a look inside the lid ?Best to email Vallejo Steve. See what they have to say. Give them the batch number.

Laurie

No, I didn't unscrew the lid. Will do next time. Perhaps filtering the matt varnish through fine stockings or tights (I have sought advice on that) before each use might help but what a fuss! Incidentally, when taking the top off a Vallejo Air bottle I always wipe the spout before replacing to minimise the risk of some paint drying and causing a block.

I contacted Vallejo and gave the batch number but they said that batch was OK. I have come to the opinion that if a commercial company (including good ones like Vallejo) has a product with a small fault which can't be cured without unacceptable expense, they accept it within their company and are as friendly and helpful to customers as they can but without admitting the fault, and soldiering on. I think the white spots problem is in that category. As are any infernal product that has a microprocessor like TVs and recorders. Even my shower crashed, and my hospital bed crashed (the feature that allows the surface to move in three sections). Tech help had to be called and he took 10 minutes!

 

[Laurie]

think the white spots problem is in that category. As are any infernal product that has a microprocessor like TVs and recorders. Even my shower crashed, and my hospital bed crashed (the feature that allows the surface to move in three sections)

Ouch Steve. Think I will stay well away from Shropshire

Actually Steve it is not the top of the spout it is in side the spout ie in the paint area itself. On the big bottles the top unscrews and the same applies. If you are having to filter then there is some thing drasticly wrong with the varnish and not worth the trouble.

Laurie

 

[Stevekir]

I have just done some airbrushing for the first time since about last September—Vallejo Model Air Grey Primer. I opened the flap and unscrewed the top and using a stiff brush cleaned all the stuck primer. I was surprised at how difficult it it was to remove all of it (which is good for modelling). Having thoroughly shaken the bottle before, I shook it a second time. (It has a rattle object in it—an M4 nut). On shooting AB cleaner through my brush (a Harder and Steenbeck CR Plus, 0.4 mm) the flow fell to half during spraying. On cleaning it, I pushed as usual an interdental brush wet with cleaner into the nozzle and a worm of quite stiff primer came out. The AB had been thoroughly cleaned last time—cup cleaned, body brushed inside with cleaner (the tiny bottle brush being inspected in a bright light against a dark background and under a magnifying lens to detect hairs before every use of it), nozzle cleaned and inspected under a magnifying lens against a bright light, put into an ultrasonic cleaner, re-assembled in clean conditions.


Despite this rigorous cleaning every time, I get blockages quite often (say every 5th session), many showing evidence that thick paint was the culprit. Any paint that had hardened blow the neck of the bottle (which perhaps I did not detect) would probably have formed a flake (like I found on the cap when cleaning) rather than produced a worm which is what I found.


How often to you others get blockages? What causes them? Are they something that we must accept?

 

[john i am]

I have just done some airbrushing for the first time since about last September—Vallejo Model Air Grey Primer. I opened the flap and unscrewed the top and using a stiff brush cleaned all the stuck primer. I was surprised at how difficult it it was to remove all of it (which is good for modelling). Having thoroughly shaken the bottle before, I shook it a second time. (It has a rattle object in it—an M4 nut). On shooting AB cleaner through my brush (a Harder and Steenbeck CR Plus, 0.4 mm) the flow fell to half during spraying. On cleaning it, I pushed as usual an interdental brush wet with cleaner into the nozzle and a worm of quite stiff primer came out. The AB had been thoroughly cleaned last time—cup cleaned, body brushed inside with cleaner (the tiny bottle brush being inspected in a bright light against a dark background and under a magnifying lens to detect hairs before every use of it), nozzle cleaned and inspected under a magnifying lens against a bright light, put into an ultrasonic cleaner, re-assembled in clean conditions.
Despite this rigorous cleaning every time, I get blockages quite often (say every 5th session), many showing evidence that thick paint was the culprit. Any paint that had hardened blow the neck of the bottle (which perhaps I did not detect) would probably have formed a flake (like I found on the cap when cleaning) rather than produced a worm which is what I found.


How often to you others get blockages? What causes them? Are they something that we must accept?

I use Iwata tr2 and tr0 airbrushes I've never had a blockage as described by yourself .My normal practice is rinse paint cup after use wipe with kitchen towel.About 6 drops of Vallejo airbrush cleaner blow backwards and then spray reminder of cleaner through airbrush.next about 10 drops of h20 sprayed though airbrush.On next use I put about 5 drops of airbrush thinner into the cup blow back and spray reminder of thinner through airbrush.Using this method seems to keep my airbrush in good working order with no issues or problems whatsoever it's the perfect cleaning method or I'm just lucky I'm not sure which one but for now I'm a very happy airbrusher