Good MATT Varnish...

[Bill's Bunker]

HI Folks..

Anyone know of a really good matt varnish! I've tried Humbrol Matt-cote with varing degrees of success but it can go quite shiney! That spanish stuff that I can quite remember the name of is satin at best. Or am I just doing it wrong, I usually airbrush and use Tamiya Acrylics.

Any help or ideas would be welcome. Soon I'll show you my old but newly built Tamiya Mobelwagon, but the crew are a bit too bright (Almost glossy) at the moment.

Regards

Mel.

 

[andygh]

Xtracrylix is very matt, just so long as you thin it with Xtracrylix thinner it airbrushes beautifully. I haven't tried brushing it but I'm sure it would be good for that too

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi Andy,

That sounds good, but I've never heard of it!! Where can I get it, it's got to be worth a try!! I would like to try a change in paint too, but as I work in the house nothing too smelly!! Tamiya metalics are very grainy, whats really smooth and looks like metal??

Regards

Mel.

 

[stona]

Hi Mel,I'm sure John at the forum shop does all the Xtracrylix range,they are (as the name suggests) acrylic and not pongy at all. Is the "spanish" one you can't remember the name of Vallejo? I find their matt varnish pretty good but it really needs a good mixing.

For metallic finishes I like the AlcladII range but it is lacquer based and definitely a bit whiffy. At the other end of the spectrum would be something like rub 'n buff. I can't vouch for it but I've seen some impressive looking results.

Cheers

Steve

 

[andygh]

Some of the Vallejo-Air metalics are quite good

 

[Fenlander]

Must admit I really like Vallejo matt but as said above, it really does need to be well mixed or, like most varnishes but especially acrylic, develop a white bloom. I find that I get the best mat by giving it a good coat and letting it dry then, if it looks a bit satin shiny, i give it a light dusting with the same varnish,not so you get a wet coat though, this usually goes matt as you do it, you can see it dull down, and stays that way. let it spray too wet and it will take on a shine again.

not tried the Xtracrylix yet, but I love their paint as much as Vallejo.

For good acrylic metallic, I don't think you can beat Games Workshop Citadel metal, once you get past the weird names. But Mithral silver (shiny aluminium and Chainmail for steel with Boltgun Metal for gunmetal, you cannot go wrong.

 

[wanna_be_aviator]

I think that Humbrol MatteCote can give a good finish, as long as you do an insane amount of mixing and shaking. Still tired from the last session. :exercise2:

 

[Richy C]

Vallejo matt all day long for me , never had a problem with it (yet) , although when airbrushing I always add a little vallejo thinners

Richy

 

[andygh]

I always seem to get a bit of "shine" with Vallejo matt, guess I don't mix it enough but Xtracrylix is easy, spot on every time.

For good acrylic metallic, I don't think you can beat Games Workshop Citadel metal

I've heard that before, must give them a go, I used a lot of GW acrylics in my previous modelling life but I never tried airbrushing them

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi,

Thanks to all for your replies. Yes Vallejo was the other stuff, not sure if I liked their paints either, but I know a lot do. Regarding the Xtracrylix Matt varnish what ratio do you thin it to, 1:1 or more/less. Need a few paints too so will give them a try. Just read a review of Xtracrylix paints said their a bit on the thin side, airbrush from the bottle, any thoughts!

Regards

Mel.

 

[Fenlander]

I thin Xtracrylix at about 50/50 with their own thinner. Cannot say I have found them too thin straight from the pot. The thing with Vallejo is that there are two, the normal paint and the Model Air range, the model air is thinned ready for spraying straight from the bottle.

 

[snapper41]

Just to be different, I use a 3 to 1 mix of Klear and Tamiya Flat Base. You can adjust the ratio for matt/really matt/satin as required.

 

[T. van Vuuren]

I have to say that I have not tried the other paints, but for a NMF there is realy only one way for me to do it. Mask off different pannels and paint it with humbrol #11 Silver ,do other pannels in Humbrol Alluminium (it is slightly darker)When dry scuff the pannels in one direction, usually spanwize and on the fuselarge lengthwize with different grades of scochbrite to simulate the grain that bare Alclad sheet metal has. Don't over do it though.It is really very close to alluminium.

As for Matt. I use good old Humbrol Matt. The best way to stir it I have used is to cut a T-piece of sprue and use it as a stiring stick in my coardless drill for a minute or two untill the "goo" on the bottom of the can has desolved. This gives a good matt.

Theuns

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Just to be different, I use a 3 to 1 mix of Klear and Tamiya Flat Base. You can adjust the ratio for matt/really matt/satin as required.

Hi Snapper... I found it! I'm sure I threw that Klear away did'ent really work for me. But went shopping at dinner time and got some Tamiya gloss varnish and flat base, about 60:40 does it, a nice matt finish, might need a bit of fine tuning. Just shows often the answer is there all the time......

Tamiya thinner is now £5.99 locally, just tried Methylated Spirits! first mix a bit on the thin side, thow in a bit more paint, seems OK anyone else use it... Is it safe??? health wise that is? (I'v always used meths for brush cleaning, etc..)

Here's my Tamiya Mobelwagon, the crew were shiny after the Vallejo incident, just used the above on them)

Thanks again to all Regards

Mel.

View attachment 28698

View attachment 28699

 

[noble]

Vallejo matt varnish shake well and mix with alittle water then brush on it goes quite matt and it's easy to clean the brush afterwards a doddle and looks good to.

scott

 

[Bill's Bunker]

Hi,

Just found ISOPROPANOL IPA Isopropyl Alcohol 99.9% Pure (1 Litre) on ebay at £5.30, (Carriage paid) I know lots of folks use this as a thinner and cleaner, so ordered myself a bottle. even meths is £3.75 at Wilks for 500ml. Hopefully this will do both jobs, but never tried it before, may dry very quickly...

Regards

Mel.

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I think this is one of the most interesting threads I've seen in a while. I've always had problems getting a really good matt clear finish and there are a couple of good suggestions here to try. Thanks gents.

 

[AlanG]

So can i just ask a simple basic question? What do you use to clean your airbrush/brush when spraying;

Xtracrylix Matt

Vallejo Matt

Humbrol Mattcote

Tamiya Matt Flat

 

[Fenlander]

All acrylics I clean with Medea AB Cleaner first followed by a blow through of thinners, I use Xtracrylix for all my acrylics now. For enamels, I use a bit of Humbrol enamel thinners to do the initial bowl clean and then blow through with Halfords Cellulose thinners. Very rare I use enamels though. For Alclad, it is Cellulose thinners all the way.

If I find the AB is getting a tad messy (OK, I know it shouldn't) I give it a clean out with Cellulose thinners. No matter what, I then do a very small blow through with a drop of the Medea cleaner as it has a bit of a 'soapy' feel to it and I believe it helps protect the seals and nozzle but I have no evidence of this, just my gut feeling.

Also, I use a drop of Iwata Super lube on the needle and trigger after cleaning with cellulose on the basis that it would have stripped away any lubrication

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I'm actually a great advocate of using the correct manufacturers thinners for all brush and airbrush cleaning. I know it's more expensive but it was made for the job and generally it does it better than any alternative.

Much as I know it is used by many I never use water for either cleaning or thinning, unless it's water colour of course!