What do I use to thin Dullcote so it can be airbrushed? And how much do you thin it?
For a while I used lacquer thinner at about 50%, but it crazed the paint I was using at the time. Now if I use floquil, I use Floquil thinner. If I use Scalecoat II(which is what I prefer), I use Scalecoat II thinner. Both of these I use at about a 50% mix. I think lacquer thinner will still work on the acrylics.
Make sure you keep your coats thin. A little Dullcote goes a long way. There is also less chance of “lifting” paint if you use thin coats.
Mikie
Dullcote is a lacquer, so a lacquer thinner is what is needed here.
I thin my Dullcoat 50/50 and run a pressure of 20 lbs. I have used both the Testers #1159 thinner and a lacquer thinner (though top shelf, high buck, stuff) from the local Farm & Fleet with success.
I add the “high buck” note with a caution: Over the years, I’ve had some trouble with using a cheap mineral sprits (paint thinner) with Testers enamels and now stick with their thinner when thinning their paint. Don’t know if it has some sort of different make up, but it sure works better. Thought I should throw in that tidbit along with the lacquer info.
Mikie, also made a very good point regarding “thin coats”.
Good luck.
I use Testors Dullcoat in the bottle. If I want it flat, I reduce it by 30% with Model Master thinner. For me, this results in a finish that’s between flat and satin. I reason this because the Model Master thinner doesn’t completely dissolve the vehicle carrier in the paint. If I want an absolutely dead flat finish ( great for applying chalk weathering ) I reduce it by the same proportion with laquer thinners. The trick here is to not spray it on wet. Spray in light coats so the finish is almost dry as it hits the surface.
This dead flat finish actually has a good tooth to it. I never give my chalk weathering a final clear finish as there is more than sufficient tooth to the Dullcoat to hold it in place … even when handled from time to time.
Mark.
Not that you were asking about it, but an alternative to Dullcote is to use Testors Model Master Acryl Flat Clear. It’s an acrylic cleat coat, water-washup, thins easily with Windex or isopropyl alcohol or distilled water, airbrushes well, and goes on super flat. I’ve been using it with great success on 1/35 military and 1/72 aircraft kits for the past ten years or so.
electrolove,
Why don’t you use some of this??
http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=150902&sku=784915&
I use it now and is alot cheaper thatn Dullcote.
-Smoke
If you want to go with water-based stuff, go to a paint store and get a clear flat polyurathane finish in a pint can, It’s a lot cheaper, it’s very permanent and it thins easily with plain old water (although I use distilled) 10 to 1 for airbrushing. You can get MinWax brand semigloss and gloss at your local big box store, but the flat seems to only be available at paint stores. I have even used it glue down ballast in a pinch, although I prefer matte medium for that as it doesn’t dry as hard.
When I worked at Dunham Studios all we used to glue down ballast and ground cover was clear polyurathane, for the price per gallon and coverage, it was cheaper than white glue, dried much faster and it was dead flat.
Jay, that is a great tip for me, I have used Min Wax for years doing all the windows and woodtrim etc. I never even thought of using the clear flat poly, water based, thinned down, to use as ballast set along the tracks, or ground cover, etc…this sounds real good, and as you say, cheaper also. I just bought an airbrush kit, Aztek A470, with a thin line tip, this should be a great way to seal the ballast!!!
I use this too for most of my work. But … it does NOT dry as flat as dullcote. Close but no cigar in some situations. I’ve particularly noticed it with people painted with glossy paint.
I added an image so that we don’t need to click on the link. 
Karl