Varnish 101

[eddiesolo]

Well dont quote me Andy, but I would say clear coat is a "term" used for any transparent coating be it varnish, lacquer, or indeed the floor polish called clear. The later being also quite good for cleaning and protecting floors with. Only a rumour though as I have only ever used it as a model clear coat.

That is my definition of a clear coat also Ian, I also use the term seal coat as it...well, seals the top coat.

 

[Bobby Conkers]

Well dont quote me Andy, but I would say clear coat is a "term" used for any transparent coating be it varnish, lacquer, or indeed the floor polish called clear. The later being also quite good for cleaning and protecting floors with. Only a rumour though as I have only ever used it as a model clear coat.

Thank you. I've had a look around, and it seems you're correct. It looks to me that the term 'varnish' is the one slightly askew, as varnish is supposed to be oil based (and possibly tinted).

As far as I can work out then, clear coat should be used mainly to protect any layer of paint (e.g. an enamel clear coat over acrylic paint to allow acrylic weathering - repeat as necessary with further layers). Therefore, a gloss/matt clear coat could be used as a 'varnish', basically protecting the top coat of paint. It would also have the advantage over oil-based varnish as it wouldn't hellow over time.

However, I'm not sure whether clear paint would have the same hard-wearing properties as a "proper" "varnish", protecting sufficiently for any abuse. Static models this doesn't matter, but used models (gaming pieces for example) may require a tougher coating.

Finding this very interesting, and I can see it costing me money very soon...

 

[David Lovell]

Blimy all gets a bit complicated ,as a life long chancer and bodger of kits my short cut failures have led to me to a couple of hard and fasts , I (thats me not you)can put any type of varnish over any type of finish it depends what you put over the varnish ,dont throw thinners type products at enamel varnish acrylic stuffs ok ,acrylic varnish will take all the abuse thinners/enamel type products can put its way.
I can under stand with the jumbo scale wingy things the chaps need a perfectly smooth surface with roundels as big as a ten pence I often think more skill needed to apply than what has been used to build the kit ,but from a chancers view (thats still me not you) all that varnish coat just for a couple of decals if you've put down a decent coat of paint with the airbrush it should be smooth anyway whats wrong with a dab of decal setter.
I've only just I must admit in a vain attempt to improve my modelling started to use varnish ,once model has been airbrushed to my satisfaction its given a satin coat(acrylic) left to harden then decals applied put down with some decal setter then softener on top and thats it dont seal them in nothing just start washes and weathering even the finished product gets nothing as they are the tones and colours ive worked towards and dont want to alter them with yet another coat of varnish .
For thoes of you with varnish o phobia I to suffered but no longer go on YouTube look for VMS Varnish what the bloke does is horrifying proper behind the sette stuff but I can only say this product is outstanding and fool proof grab some from John at the SMSHOP you'll never look back.
Dave.

 

[Airborne01]

Hi Peter! Welcome to the forum - as you can tell this is the place to address all those 'niggles' you never felt brave enough to query on other fora!
But hey, let's gloss over that ... !
Steve