Hi All,

I need a flat acryl varnish and I think I would use Tamiyas Clear coat mixed with the flat base because this coat is avaiable in my hobby store.
Does these items work well?
Is it easy to use (instructions on the bottle)?
I ask this because I have some problems with the Testors flat base creating a flat varnish.
In this case my flat coat became a bit white after drying.
I hope someone can tell me somting about it.

Greetings from Germany

armyarne

Armyarne,
I had that problem a couple of times with Testors Flat. Are you using the spray can? If so, it could be becuase of the humidity or its old.
As far as Tamiya, I use the clear alot and it its easy to use and works well.
Can you get Model Master Acrylics, if so, there Clear Flat and Clear Gloss are good also. I havnt had any trouble with them either.

Hi Epi,

Yes, I use the airbrush to apply the Testors flat coat and I think it was old, but how can I see it if its so?
Because of this I would use the Tamiya acryl Clear and flat base. Have you the same problems with these items?
I will spray the mixed flat coat diluted with Tamiya thinner to my M1 tank to seal the decals.

Greetings from Germany

armyarne

The only problem I have with the acrylic clear and flat base is if you dont stir it good enough. I didnt stir it up good once and the flat came out a little to shiny. Other than that, no problems.
I couldnt tell you how to remady the Testor flat problem. I use the spray can, but i always use the can up preaty quick, so it doesnt sit on the shelf long.

I have used the Tamiya Flat Base with Future floor wax to make a matt coat, so it should work with the Tamiya Clear as well. Just make sure you get it thouroughly mixed, ie: no white clumps in the mixture. I have the ratios of Future to Flat Base.....I am not sure if it would be the same for using the Tamiya Clear or not.

Mix up some small batches in a color cup and shoot them on to a scrap model or piece of plastic until you get the sheen of the matt coat that you want.

Hi Epi, Hi viper,

I´ve bought Tamiya Clear and the Flat base and trying out how it works.
Thanks for your advices and telling me your experience.
You helped me much.

Greetings
armyarne

Just a little something else I wanted to add.
Tamiya works great with a brush out of the bottle, with just a little thinner, for head light lenses, periscope heads, small things like that.

Hi Epi,

thanks for that advice.
I really have problems to get acrylic coats in my hobby store.
It only has Revell and Model Master (Testors) enamel clear coats. With these items I have problems making washes on my models. The medium solves my ground coat.
All other stuff like Tamiya or Gunze Sangyo I have to order via Internet.

Another Question:
Can I use a clear gloss coat as a sealer befor making a wash or is it better using a satin varnish?

Greetings

Arne

I dont see why not. I am not going to lie to you. The only thing you have to worry is what is your sealer and what is your wash made out of. I'm not sure what react to what. Myself, I use Testor Flat and Clear as a sealer and Future Floor Wax. I only use acrylics for painting and there is no problem with acrylics atacking the Testor sealers or Floor wax. I sometimes use oil washes and still no problem.

Hi,

I use Turpentine (from the German company "Schmincke"; good stuff, try it) for oil-washes
but this medium solves Enamel paints, so that I use now only acrylics for painting.
Acrylics were not solved through turpentine.

Arne

Can I use tamiya flat base + tamiya thinner as matt finish ?

Hey jw73.....try using Tamiya Flat base and Tamiya Clear.....the flat base is used to make a gloss color into a matt color, or a matt color even flatter.

You can also use the Flat base with Future to make a matt spray.

This is what I copied down from Dana Nield's website:

to get very flat finish: 1 part Tamiya flatbase, 3 pts Future
to get flat finish: 1 part Tamiya flatcase, 10 pts Future

Not tried it myself yet.

Cheers, Richard

I must be way off in left field, but I thought that Tamiya's flat base was supposed to be white-to be used as a primer.

I'll have to dig the source up, because I've stirred the death out of my flat base and whenever I use it it dries white...and I've gone the primer notion since learning about it a long while ago.

It is absolutely not a primer, although it can probably be used as one. As mentioned earlier you add small amount of it to Tamiya acrylic gloss paints to flatten them. If you use it with clear varnish or Future in proportions given by Richard above, you will get perfectly clear coat. But if you try to use it out of the bottle it will indeed be white, but it was never meant to be used this way.

Pawel

Cool! As the saying goes learn a little everyday...

Now that I really know what it is to be used for I'll have to experiment with it a little...

Thanks for the correction!