Polly Scale paint performance

I use mostly enamels, so my experience with PollyScale is limited to their Flat & Satin finish products.  I did notice that the last couple of bottles of Flat Finish didn't react well with the year old bottle of PollyScale thinner.

Regards,  Rick

Ross:

 I had some major hazing issues with my most recdent bottle of their clear flat. Based on the conditions I was spraying in, I chalked it up as a humidity issue. It was a brand new bottle of flat clear, so I wonder if maybe the new formulation had anything to do with it?

Ross,

I haven't heard anything about a reformulation. I've used Polly Scale pretty consistently over the last year and it's still my chosen brand of paint for most things, particularly the clear flat. It's the best acrylic flat I've ever used and I haven't had the hazing issues described by Mucker. I have seen that with Model Master Acryl, but not Polly Scale.

Interesting you bought that up Ross. I have had nothing but problems for the last while with pollyscale. I have mostly given up on it and switched to Xtra Acrylix. Wonder why they changed?

mucker wrote:

Ross:  I had some major hazing issues with my most recdent bottle of their clear flat. Based on the conditions I was spraying in, I chalked it up as a humidity issue. It was a brand new bottle of flat clear, so I wonder if maybe the new formulation had anything to do with it?

The same thing happened to me, Charles, and I know humidity couldn't have been the problem.  Mine was a new bottle as well.  I thought that perhaps Pollyscale had mislabeled a bottle of their 'Dust,' which I also use.  It was so bad that my only remedy is to strip the kit and repaint, which I have no desire to do at this point.

I'll buy another bottle of Pollyscale Flat Clear but before using it on anything of importance I'll test it on a scrap model.  If I get the same result, I'll be switching brands.

Mark 

 

Thanks again for all the replies!

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Mucker, clear flats (all of them, including enamels) are very prone to this problem in high humidity conditions. The reason is the microsilica used as a flatting agent, which is hydrophilic. Either during the trip from airbrush nozzle to surface, or after it strikes the surface, it may grab extra moisture from the air and retain it in vapor form. The solution (sometimes) is to spray wetter and lighter coats. Can be a real PITK.

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Contrasting Aaron, Mark, and Drew's comments, it is always possible to get a bad bottle, or a mislabled one. It is possible that quality control is suffering, somewhat, and that a CEO/CFO/BLBC (bottom line bean counter) needs a good hiding. But the consensus I get is that this is NOT (at least mostly not) a reformulation issue, which is a relief.

Almost makes me wish I was still working in a paint lab and could actually find out what was going on. My liver and lungs are glad that is not the case…

Triarius wrote:

Mucker, clear flats (all of them, including enamels) are very prone to this problem in high humidity conditions. The reason is the microsilica used as a flatting agent, which is hydrophilic. Either during the trip from airbrush nozzle to surface, or after it strikes the surface, it may grab extra moisture from the air and retain it in vapor form. The solution (sometimes) is to spray wetter and lighter coats. Can be a real PITK.

 

Yeah...I will try again in less humid conditions. I hadn't thought that a new forumulation could be a factor.

By the way, has anyone tried Gunze's clear flat? I like their paint and was wondering of their flat clear was just as good as the regular colors?