Future/Pledge and Canopy Masking

Lately I've been polishing my canopies with the Novus polishing system with great success.  They are crystal clear and in some cases I can't tell the difference between the Futured canopies and the Novus canopies.  I avoid dipping my canopies whenever possible...although dipping them protects the canopies from CA fumes.

you can cut it with 70 or 90 % isoprople alchohol  3 part future 1 part iso  thins well  no droplets

I've also heard that some gents cut Future with water or Windex. And on the theory that every problem can be solved with money I bought some Aqua Clear learning that it isn't a lacquer product but water based. Next time I have a plane with multiple canopies I'll try some thinned Future, some Aqua Clear and maybe some artist acrylic gloss medium - especially if the Aqua Clear is milky in color. (I think the newest type of Pledge is milky.) They've got to be birds of a feather - some kind of liquid polymer. Doesn't mean that Future might not remain trumps for a pre-weathering shield. If deployed with an airbrush it gives a satin finish - good for some washes - and its thickness might actually be a plus there. The Alclad stuff is $8 for 4 ounces but that would coat a whole lot of canopies.

Eric

It's likely your first attempt didn't have fully dry Future on it.  How long did you wait?  Future is good stuff and very cheap, but it's also very thick.  I don't use it anymore for that reason... too many good hobby-specific alternatives are available.  They're (much) more expensive by volume, of course, but you use so little it still amounts to pennies per model.

Current favorite is Alclad Aqua clear.  You get the same shine, 'real glass look', and basecoat protection as Future, but it goes on much thinner and dries a lot faster.  

I've also read that some modelers thin future to cut down on the coat thickness, but I've never tried that.  

Well, you should dip your canopy in Future first thing. Then wait 2 days minimum for it to dry, then mask it. I prefer Eduard's masks to EZ masks, they never leave a residue and are a bit easier to work with. But most importantly, Dont' even mess with that future crap unless you absolutely have to dip your clear parts in it, due to molding flaws or using superglue or whatever. It always seems to cause more problems than the good it does. Now if you model modern jets however, thats a different gig.