Future Coating - Decal Areas Only or Entire Model?

I'd suggest patch-testing.

Sometimes you can get away with just glosscoating the areas where you will be applying the decals. However, some colours darken noticeably when you hit it with a glosscoat and don't come all the way back when you flat coat it afterwards.

Besides sheen and color differences, Future also protects the paint from possible chemical attacks.

For instance, I was working on my P-61 the other day.  I had given it a coat of future even though it was mostly unassembled, because assembled, some areas are hard to get to.  Anyway, I was gluing a piece on when some glue dripped on to another part.  Normally, the glue would have removed the paint from that area.  Thankfully, all that happened was that the glue fudged up the future a bit, which I was able to repair with a q-tip, windex and more future.  You would never know anything had happened.

-Fred

 

Gigatron wrote:

Besides sheen and color differences, Future also protects the paint from possible chemical attacks. For instance, I was working on my P-61 the other day.  I had given it a coat of future even though it was mostly unassembled, because assembled, some areas are hard to get to.  Anyway, I was gluing a piece on when some glue dripped on to another part.  Normally, the glue would have removed the paint from that area.  Thankfully, all that happened was that the glue fudged up the future a bit, which I was able to repair with a q-tip, windex and more future.  You would never know anything had happened. -Fred

The thing I learned (the hard way) is to never ever touch the drop of glue spilled on a surface until it has completely cured. Hot liquid solvents tend to only blemish the surface which can be buffed out. Touching any cement usually will mean a more difficult time repairing the area. Glues and solvents mixed with fingers equals trenches! BTDT

 

Thanks for all your opinions.   I will try the 'coat the entire model' approach as from what you have said it seems a safer way to go.

you will get the hang of Future as you work with it. On cooler days it acts different than on warmer days and dries a bit differently.  Lay down a couple of thin coats at first and let them dry. You might need a third thin coat, but if you apply what "looks good" and put the model down, it will run darned near every time! 

Check out Swannys tutorial, I have found Future to be just incredible for doing effects later in the paint stages.

David

Every time I've tried to spot coat with Future just where the decals are going to go, I end up with different shades of paint when all the overcoating is done. The only place I can consistently get away with that practice is 1/700 airplanes, which are so darn small to begin with.

With aircraft and similar, it's usually best to coat the whole thing. With armour, though, you can get away with doing just the area where the decal will go if you intend to use the typically heavier weathering applications that armour allows and where a slightly different sheen or shade will blend in with the overall finish.