Who is using what to varnish which

[Ian M]

It would seem that the never ending supply of varnishes I have, or rather had, has come to an end!!
Thought that I had plenty, but discovered that three of the bottles I have are airbrush cleaner and thinners!
So I would like to ask, due to the sudden flood of new products on the market, who uses what to varnish which paints and washes....I have upto now used Vallejo Acrylic varnishes and been quite pleased with them but it seems that they are getting harder to find in the larger bottles and their polyurethane are taking over. I have some of those and I always have 'issues' spraying them....
I paint with both enamels and acrylics, also the odd splattering of Alclad metals, so I am looking for something that can do all types and in gloss, matt and satin finishes.
So only the products you have used and are happy about, or not. I dont want to hear about all the "he said they said this one is good", just the stuff that YOU have used.
I have much more faith in a recommendation from a friend than from an advert.

[eddiesolo]

I use a matt spray in a can-crystal clear-they do matt/satin and gloss. One issue is that if you catch the model before it dries you will take the paint off-once dry it seals and the model can be handled, I use on enamels, acrylic and rattle-cans and all seem to cover fine. I use this as I was fed up with using small bottles and the costs.

[Dave W]

I have had a lot of trouble with Matt varnishes in the past.Then I tried Alclad Matt clear a couple of years ago and it's really good. I won't use anything else now.I also use Alclad gloss clear as well,although I think it's called Honey cote now.I spray both over Enamel paint finishes.

[Guest]

I recently got ammo by mig satin and matt acrylic varnishes and really like the finish I get with them. The bottles are quite small but the tiniest drop goes a long way.

[BarryW]

For matt I use AKI Matt and Ultra Matt varnishes. they go down a treat.
For gloss I am using Alclad Acqua Gloss

[spanner570]

Ian, I use cheap matt, satin and gloss varnish - a big tin of either is less than a fiver. All thinned with turps substitute. Works on everything and lasts years and years.

........but there again, I brush paint, so it's all very easy and straight forward.....!

[Guest]

I use the standard Gunze Mr Hobby paint's range acqueous matte paint for my luftwaffe aircraft and I also use their gloss for the decalling process. Never gone wrong with them. When I used enamels, I used Humbrols satin varnish. Good stuff if you use enamels. I am about to start to convert to the Mr Color lacquers though.
I don't like mixing sprayed down enamel paint with sprayed down acqueous varnish or vice versa. It creates a chemical reaction which wrecks your work. I had it happen to me on a large 1/32 Bf 110.
John

[Guest]

For Gloss, I use Gunze acyrlic Gloss. it is better than tamiya
For Matt, I use Microscale Micro Flat, dries extreamly fast very easy to apply.

[Guest]

AK interactive Ultra Matt (acrylic) Mig Matt and silk (acrylic) and Testors Dullcote Lacquer (nasty smelling, poisonous and [according to the State of California] carcinogenic - but it's proper matt!!!). All 3 brush beautifully, and the AK & Mig ones airbrush well too!

[Guest]

Future/Klear for gloss Testors Dull Coat for matt. Personally had nothing but trouble with acrylic varnish. Found Mig Satin to work for a while but half way down the little bottle and it is becoming patchy, some parts gloss with others nearly mat. Yes, I do shake it very well I cannot get anywhere near Vallejo varnish without major issues but that goes for most Vallejo paint using an airbrush for me.

Suppose it all boils down to trying them out and finding what works for you as there appears to be no consistency from product to product and user to user.

[Guest]

I usually recreate many weathering on my models, you know, and the best one that I've been working by the moment is the Ammo (Matt). Perfect finish and I haven't any problem with a 0,2 nozzle (airbrush).

[stillp]

Future/Klear for gloss Testors Dull Coat for matt. Personally had nothing but trouble with acrylic varnish.

Isn't Klear (whatever it's called this week) an acrylic varnish?

[Guest]

Isn't Klear (whatever it's called this week) an acrylic varnish?

I suppose it is but I meant the acrylic paint companies varnishes such as Vallejo etc. I have had a bottle of Klear for years and I know I can just chuck some in the airbrush and use it with predictable results. No shaking until your arm drops off, no worrying if it will be foggy or if it will be Matt this week and gloss next week. No brainier for me. That doesn't mean that others will suffer with Vallejo like I have, many appear to get on with it OK, I just don't.

[Wendall]

I use Tamiya flat clear XF-86 with tamiya x20a thinner for a matt finish and Tamiya clear X-22 with Mr Levelling Thinner for gloss. Both 50/50 ratio, sprayed through my H&S evolution with a 0.4 needle at about 20 psi. These are my go-to's, I have tried others but I have ended up with inconsistent results.
If you thin Tamiya flat clear with MLT it dries to a satin finish.

Jason

[Thorbrand]

I'm fairly new to scale modelling but, I use Humbrol clear gloss and Humbrol Matt Cote. The gloss works very well straight out of the bottle and the Matt Cote, well you really have to stir it thoroughly for a good 2-3 minutes. The end result is good and I find I don't get any clouding effect as long as I prepare it properly by stirring it. Both of those products are readily available in hobby shops and are applied by a brush. I know you can also use them in an airbrush. I mainly us these because they are easy to pick up at my local store. There are probably better ones out there and as someone else mentioned you could probably use household varnishes with a bit of thinner but i would recommend getting something that is more tailored for what we do.