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The flattest finish of them all?

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  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Somewhere in MN
The flattest finish of them all?
Posted by El Taino on Thursday, September 9, 2010 2:36 PM

Hello guys and gals. Here again with another question for you. I use mostly Model Master and Tamiya acrylics, To seal my models I use DullCote. It dries flat but sometimes depending on the color or specific paint used, I feel there is a bit of sheen left on my models. What's your recipe for the dullest flattest finish?

Thanks in advance!

George

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Austin, TX
Posted by DoogsATX on Thursday, September 9, 2010 3:03 PM

Curious to know this one myself. I tried switching to Polly flat on my Dauntless and was rewarded by white flecking. Not happy, so back to dullcote.

I'm tempted to try grabbing some Valspar/Krylon/Rustoleum flat varnish and giving it a go. Definitely on a test piece first, though.

On the Bench: 1/32 Trumpeter P-47 | 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109G | 1/144 Eduard MiG-21MF x2

On Deck:  1/350 HMS Dreadnought

Blog/Completed Builds: doogsmodels.com

 

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Left forever
Posted by Bgrigg on Thursday, September 9, 2010 3:19 PM

Future with Tamiya Flat Base. It can be mixed to be anything from semi-gloss to dead flat.

Actually the Flat Base out of the jar is the flattest, but it's also opaque white. Big Smile

So long folks!

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Austin, TX
Posted by DoogsATX on Thursday, September 9, 2010 3:39 PM

Bgrigg - Interesting. I thought Tamiya and Future didn't play nice together. Guess it might be different with their bases?

Could you happen to recommend a mixing ratio to use as a starting point? I just so happen to have both items sitting around...

On the Bench: 1/32 Trumpeter P-47 | 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109G | 1/144 Eduard MiG-21MF x2

On Deck:  1/350 HMS Dreadnought

Blog/Completed Builds: doogsmodels.com

 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Thursday, September 9, 2010 5:44 PM

Polly Scale Flat works for me.

Regards,  Rick

RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Somewhere in MN
Posted by El Taino on Thursday, September 9, 2010 6:55 PM

Thanks for the pointers guys. I've heard somewhere that Acryl flat clear (4636) thinned with Windex gives good results. How good is it? I have both available, Gloss and Flat Acryl in 1 oz.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Left forever
Posted by Bgrigg on Thursday, September 9, 2010 7:22 PM

DoogsATX

Bgrigg - Interesting. I thought Tamiya and Future didn't play nice together. Guess it might be different with their bases?

Could you happen to recommend a mixing ratio to use as a starting point? I just so happen to have both items sitting around...

This is from Matt Swan's excellent article on Future:

Future does produce a glossy finish so many modelers will introduce a flattening material or only use it as a pre-decal sealer. If you wish to use flattened Future as a final coat here are a couple of suggested ratios of Tamiya flat base for different effects:
      1 part flat base to 3 parts Future = very flat
      1 part flat base to 10 parts Future = flat
      1 part flat base to 15 parts Future = satin
      If you get too much of anybody's flat base on the surface of your model you run the risk of making it all go white. No thinning is required just make sure it is well mixed.

Tamiya plays nicely with Future. Future doesn't play well with any of the decal solvents, at least not for me.

 

So long folks!

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Scotland
Posted by Milairjunkie on Friday, September 10, 2010 7:46 AM

Bgrigg

Future with Tamiya Flat Base. It can be mixed to be anything from semi-gloss to dead flat.

Actually the Flat Base out of the jar is the flattest, but it's also opaque white. Big Smile

Ditto

The only flatter finish that can be had is to use this;

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Friday, September 10, 2010 7:51 AM

Depending on where you are in the world, if you can get it, Gunze's Acrylic clear flat (H-20) is hard to beat. Absolutely dead flat. In a pinch ir can be airbrushed straight out of the bottle, but it works better when thinned.

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, September 10, 2010 9:40 AM

How you apply Dullcoat has a bearing on how flat it will end up. If you put a wet, thick coat on, it will dry as more of a semi-gloss.  You need to put on a dry coat, or several dry coats.  From a greater distance and quick thin coats.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Somewhere in MN
Posted by El Taino on Friday, September 10, 2010 9:54 AM

Hi Don, that's exactly how I do it but some times I see a mild sheen not up to my taste. I've seen works from others with dead flat finishes and I wonder how. I just painted a Tamiya M1A2 ABRAMS with Acryl 33531 and love the flat finish of the paint without sealing my decals.

Have a nice day neighbor, I'm a walking distance from the MN Zoo.

  • Member since
    August 2010
Posted by Iain Hamilton on Friday, September 10, 2010 11:17 PM

One other way to get a flat finnish is to mix dullcoat or flat into your base color. As usual, test on scrap.

Also, I do not know what you are painting but half the armor out there is not "dead flat" anyway.

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