So what is the best gloss coat?

I'd give Alclad's Klear Kote Gloss a try. I haven't had the opp to use it yet, but I've used their matte, and it's the best clear coat I've ever sprayed. Period. Cleans up with mineral spirits, just like enamel.

They also make an Aqua Gloss Clear that is supposed to be their Future. It's milky white in the bottle, but apparently goes on thin and clear (it's designed to seal their high-shine shades).

Don't want to come across like a booster for Alclad, but I was blown away by how good the matte clear was, especially after fighting with various other clear coats ever since coming back to modeling.

I've never had much luck with acrylics.  I mostly use Testors gloss and flat coat lacquers, but have also used Micro Scale clear and flat with good results.

Mark

RedCorvette

I mostly use Testors gloss and flat coat lacquers,

I was using Testors Gloss Cote for many years. The problem is that during our Minnesota winters I was getting unpredictable non-consistent results, some times drying with an egg-shell finish. I was able to overcome this with Acryl Clear Gloss, Semi-Gloss and Flat and never looked back the rattle cans. Well, there is one I would recommend, left the heck of a shinny surface on a 1/24 Dodge Charger I built. See the picture below:

You can get the WET LOOK clear gloss now at Michaels.

Satch

Try 3-4 drops of Windsor & Newton Flow Improver, stir well and see if that helps. The Flow Improver seems to help me get a more consistent paint flow out of my ab with the acrylics.

The Flow Improver is a great tip. You might also try a different thinner. For MM Acrylics, I use almost exclusively blue windshield washer fluid (yes, the stuff you put in your car). Just be sure to get the kind that is NOT all-natural, which is ethanol based and will clump MM Acrylics.

However, if you want the best Acrylic gloss coat, try Future. I swear by it, and I've never had it "orange peel" on me...yet. As a bonus, it isn't dissolved by Iso Alcohol. So if your model gets dust on it, you can hit it with a cotton swab and alcohol to get the dust/dirt off.

Unreality

However, if you want the best Acrylic gloss coat, try Future. I swear by it, and I've never had it "orange peel" on me

I have tried different air pressure settings with the Future, and using rubbing alcohol to thin it which helps out but the finish is still a little pebbly.. At what prsetting is your ab on and do you cut it to get a smooth finish?

10ish PSI on a gravity feed Eclipse. I do usually add 1 small squirt of Windex every time I airbrush it. I'm not sure on ratios, maybe 1 drop for every 10-15 drops of Future. The one time I didn't put Windex in it was the one time it came out pebbly.  Hope this works for ya.

Swanny's website says to add Simply Green to Future to improve the gloss but I haven't tried it.

I read that too, and I want to try it. Does anyone happen to know what Simply Green is and where to get it?

Simple Green is a mild degreaser/cleaner and is available pretty much everywhere. I usually stock up at Lowe's or Target or similar...

I don't know, there is something about putting household cleaning products in my airbrush that just doesn't seem right.  I did try the Testors laquer in a can and the Alcad.  The can went on pretty heavily but seemed to level out ok.  The Alcad sprayed very well but may require two coats.  Overall both were better than the acrylic stuff.

satch