Pledge (Again)

Hi Don!

Yes, the product here in the States is called Future, or rather, it USED to be called Future.  I think it was also called "Future Floor Wax" but, a few years ago, they changed the name to "Pledge with Future Shine".  So don't let the "wax" part of it scare you off.  It's not like you'll be encasing your models in a candle or something like that.  Ha-ha-ha!

I've been using the same bottle of Future for the past 15 years.  Depending on how you use it, that stuff will last you forever.  I don't know how well it works as a thinner for acrylic paints.  Personally I don't use acrylics very often at all but when I do (as I did over this past weekend), I thin it with isopropyl rubbing alcohol.  It worked like a charm for me.  As with all things, I'm sure others use various other substances.  I think I've heard how others use distilled water but, again, since I'm not totally well-versed in the use of acrylics, I could be wrong about that.  I hope others chime in here to add their advice.

Best wishes,

Eric

I just finished a Batmobile for my son-in-law for Christmas and hand brushed Future over a rather lousy gloss black airbrush job (got the idea from the latest FSM). It evened out the shine beautifully. I have a Monogram Hurricane on the paint table-HEAR THAT HANS VON HAMMER!!- and i want to try to airbrush it over the decals to seal them. I believe you can shoot it straight without thinning--at least I'm gonna try.

I've shot Future straight without thinning it and it works great. And like you said, it hand brushes equally well. In fact, Future is my go-to gloss cote when I need to hand brush gloss on small parts.

It was never called 'Future Floor Wax' though. A lot of folks have erroneously referred to it as "wax". It's acrylic. I don't think wax would work very well as a gloss coat. And I especially don't know that I'd want to shoot it through an airbrush. I'm still using the same bottle I bought around a dozen years ago and it says 'Future Premium Floor Finish' on the label.
Rumor has it that the formula has changed on the new-branded stuff and that it doesn't work as well. I've never been able to get confirmation of that though. I think there are better products out there to use for glosscoating with an airbrush, but that's just my personal opinion. I recently mentioned on another thread that I've never been all that successful airbrushing it. For a lot of guys, Future is their glosscoat of choice and swear by the stuff. I've just relegated mine as a canopy dip, but may start using it for hand brushing smaller parts.

Totally agree with Bearcat.  I neglected to mention several things in my comment above.  It is, indeed, an acrylic, NOT a wax.  Perhaps me calling it a "floor wax" was something leftover from my youth.  Maybe it's a regional thing where some people (yours truly included) refer to all soft drinks as a "Coke" no matter what it is.  

I've heard that the formula has changed as well.  Since I still have the same bottle that is older than my marriage, I haven't tried the new stuff yet.  And just like Bearcat, I've never had the greatest of luck with it for airbrushing.  I use it as a canopy dip and for prepping cockpits and wheel wells to receive washes.  I just hand brush the stuff on.

I dunno.  Some people have phenomenal results with them.  Sadly, I'm not one of them but fantastic results can be had with the product.  I'm still not sure if it can be used to thin acrylic paint.  I hope someone can shed some light on that.

Eric

Don't feel left out Eric, I too have lousy results spraying the stuff which comes out pebbly. I have tried thinning it with alcohol, playing with different pressures and different distances from the model yet when I brush it on over the entire model it comes out like glass. It takes several coats but its great specially over thick decals to get rid of that "step" from the decal thickness. I have mixed it with MM acrylics and craft acrylics and it does  thin the paint a bit but you still have to add thinner. I just recently picked up a bottle of Alclad water based clear to give it a try. I have heard excellent reviews on it so I will find out when I use it. The last bottle of Future that I had was well over 20 years old and began to yellow so I replaced it with the current one which is about 8 years old and is not even 1/4 used up.

i airbrush acrylics all the time. if you are new to airbrushing i would suggest spending the extra couple of bucks, pounds, etc. and buy the specific thinner for your paint. there are so many variables when starting out doing this will eliminate one of them. as for cleanup i have a muxture of distilled water and *** and span, windex glass cleaner and water.