Satin Finish Substitute

Ahoy Blackwind,

I don't think there is any difference between satin finish and semigloss. I've seen the terms used interchangeably. There may be a subtle difference that I don't know of but It escapes my understanding.

I haven't tried this myself but am going to give it a shot. Yesterday evening I was reading an article from the May 2001 Fine Scale Modeler by Bill Pettyjohn describing his painting/weathering technique. During one of the steps, he applies common household furniture varnish thinned with mineral spirits. I am almost certain you could find a household varnish with a satin finish at a hardware or paint store. Mr. Pettyhohn is not the first person I've read of who uses common household varnish as part of his finishing technique. I think its worth investigating.

When I was building rubber powered, stick and tissue, flying scale models, I would tint the finish without adding much weight by adding a small amount of floquil color to clear nitrate dope. Worked very well. I mention this to assure you that there are ways to tint clear coats and suggest that a variation of this technique could be used with household varnish.

Hope this gives you something to chew on.
Tom

Hope this helps.
Tom

Thanks Tom! I'll try it out the varnish technique. Lets see what happens I'll update you on it!

BTW whats "clear nitrate dope"?

Cheers mate!

Nitrate dope is a finishing product that was used in the old days on fabric covered airplanes. It would seal and shrink the fabric (usually linen). Also known as nitrocelluose dope, modelers used it to finish their balsa and paper flying models. This was OK for rubber powered airplanes, but not OK for powered planes because the exhaust residue would eat up the finish. Nitrate dope was replaced by Butyrate dope which came along in the early 1950's. This was hot fuel proof. Pactra Aero-gloss dope is butyrate dope. Most hobby shops that carry flying model supples have this stuff. They may even stock Sig brand nitrate dope. Don't use either of them on plastic models because they react badly to plastic.

Tom

I create a satin finish the easy way. After applying Testors Dullcote, wait until it has thoroghly dried and then burnish with a piece of old t-shirt or flannel. The more you burnish, the more sheen will be produced.

This can be done to any color flat model paint, not only Dullcote. I always do this to represent leather - headrests, gunsight pads, automobile seats, etc.

Try it, I think you'll like it!

Pete

Thanks guys appreciate it!

I started 'experimenting' on the available 'satin finish' products we have locally. I had hidden away in my paint cabinent a 'hardly used' can of Krylon Matte Finish and got myself a can of Gunze Sangyo Semi Gloss topcoat (Tamiya, Gunze are the most popular around here. Testors, Polly S and other american brands are rare indeed.).

Anyways, I had cut 8 pcs of 1" square styrne sheets and painted them with an acrylic base last saturday to experiment with before trying it on my model. Last night I initially tried both products and lo and behold satin finish (Apparently I did not read the lable on the krylon which read ". . . satin finish."! Silly, Silly me!) Now I can experiment on the filtering/tinting!

Miguel

Hey guys, satin would be one step in shinyness above flat, one step below semi-gloss..so pete's burnishing of the flat paint would probably get you pretty close...

I was searching for a method to get the Satin finish without buying Satin paint.

Burnishing sounds like an option, but this is for a P-38 Lightning and I have a feeling I would end up with areas I could not get to or too rough to "burnish".