I hope I am not beating a dead horse here, but I couldn’t find what I was looking for doing a community search.
Is PLEDGE FUTURE still held in high regard as a glosscoat before decalling? Is it even still available? I was unable to find it on the Pledge web site.
I did a lot of airbrushing back in the 80’s, but none since then. I am slowly getting back into it and have many questions, mainly about the best thinners to use for various paints.
I was able to salvage a large number of old bottles of Floquil (lacquer, older than the enamel) by mixing with a small battery operated mixer (Micro Mark) and adding Diosol (I was fortunate enough to have an unopened pint). After “de-clumping” each bottle, I wiped down the bottle neck until it was totally clean, installed a new bottle cap (I had bought a bag of 100 of them back in the day), and stored the bottles upside down. I usually used Diosol to thin paint for shooting, but used lacquer thinner for clean up. Is that still a good idea? Is there a need for Vaseline or baby oil on the bottle top/cap?
Most of my Polly S was a solid glob in the bottle, but I salvaged a few bottles by using ammonia to to thin, then strained it into a clean bottle. I cut 2½" squares out of sandwich bags and inserted them between the cap and bottle. I didn’t store them upside down because they seem to “clump” rather quickly. I’m not a fan of Acrylics, so …
I have a nice stash of Scalecoat I (CNR colors - I model CNR, duh) that is in good shape. I can get thinner from Minute Man Models, so that’s all good.
I have a few containers of Model Masters, Humbrol, and ancient AccuPaint (used a lot of that back in the day too). SO I’m open to ideas about which paint to use today. Any suggestions? I like the idea of NOT using lacquers (xylene, acetone, nahptha and all the other dangerous stuff) but I am not a fan of acrylics. Are enamels the “in” thing now?
These Forums would be very empty and quiet if dead horses were not flogged on a nearly daily basis.
You might might this thread from 2015 useful. “Future” is now a name from the past, as you can see. Pledge Floor Care Multi Surface Finish is evidently exactly the same stuff. Yet I have read some online statements that it is not the same or not as good.
Many modelers still use Pledge Floor Finish (they changed the name from Future) as a gloss coat before and after decaling. Using this product is not limited to model railroading, as it is used in the model car/truck/plane building as well as war gaming.
I recently used it on a tank car that I stripped, repainted and decaled (go look in the current weekend photo fun thread). I know some are applying it with a brush, but it is thin enough and passed through my airbrush with ease. I bought my bottle at Lowes for $6, and the 27 ounce bottle will last a while.
At christmas, my wife bought me a mini air compressor from TCP Global. It runs at 15-25 psi, and I was impressed at it’s capability with thinned acrylics and the Pledge.
As soon as I was done applying the Pledge, I put a little windex in the bowl and sprayed it through the airbrush to clean out anything on the needle and the tip. Immediately afterward, I used plain soap and water to clean the airbrush. You want to flush and clean your equipement BEFORE the pledge begins to set/dry.
You asked about “other” paints. I use alot of acrylics, and the “words” for thinning is “like milk”. Well, just what is “thin like milk”? Whole, 2%, 1%?? I use 3 ounces of distilled water to 5 ml of acrylic paint. It works for me, but that doesn’t mean it works for everybody.
Another paint that lots of others seem to like is Vallejo, check them out.
Here is a chart I found on the internet for thinning and cleaning different types of paint…
Thanx to all that replied, but in particular, Terry. That chart is just what I was searching for. Obviously, I was not phrasing my (Google) search right! Great info.