protective clear coat

[oglethorp]

hello all!

i am looking for a good protective clearcoat for my painted minis to help minimize chipping. i know of some like testors dull coat, but is there a consensus on what is the best?

any help would be great!

[MagnustheJust]

Yes... Testors Dull Coat. Best stuff ever!!

Although, if you want a truly armour plated mini, use two coats of the Testors gloss coat, and then two coats of the Dull Coat. Just a light to moderate coat on each layer, and they will be nearly bullet proof!!

[Mckree]

Speaking of Testors, is that stuff only available online, or do stores stock it every now and then? Because while I'm in dire need of a clear coat, I'm also not in the position to order stuff online until I have a proper mailing adress again in May.

[A2thaK]

Hands down my money is on Testor's Dull Coat. I get it from my local hobby/train store. =]

[MagnustheJust]

Speaking of Testors, is that stuff only available online, or do stores stock it every now and then? Because while I'm in dire need of a clear coat, I'm also not in the position to order stuff online until I have a proper mailing adress again in May.

It should be available in any store that carries static model kits and general hobby supplies. If not, do what I do - ask a friend or family member who has the means to pay online, and give them the money...

[oglethorp]

how does the gloss coat look on it's own? too shiny?

[A2thaK]

ya I have matte coat that looks too shiny (in two different brands) so a gloss coat, i imagine, would be out of control. =] I hear the purity seal is good so maybe that is an option. But for me testors dull coat all the way. =]

[PG_TSpot]

how does the gloss coat look on it's own? too shiny?

Very shiny, I use varathane indoor water-based diamond wood finish gloss for my hard coat. Allow it to fully cure and then top with testors dull coat or army painter matte coat to take away the shine.

Cheers, T

[oglethorp]

ya I have matte coat that looks too shiny (in two different brands) so a gloss coat, i imagine, would be out of control. =] I hear the purity seal is good so maybe that is an option. But for me testors dull coat all the way. =]

i tried the purity seal from a friend and it snowed/greyed my models. i'm afraid to try it again.

[MagnustheJust]

I hear the purity seal is good so maybe that is an option.

i tried the purity seal from a friend and it snowed/greyed my models. i'm afraid to try it again.

Not at $15.00US a can it's not... I can get 2 cans of Dull Coat, and a slice of pizza & a can of Coke for the same price!! Granted, the LGS I buy my Dull Coat at sells the cans for $0.50 each, but still....

[Murkhadh]

Not at $15.00US a can it's not... I can get 2 cans of Dull Coat, and a slice of pizza & a can of Coke for the same price!! Granted, the LGS I buy my Dull Coat at sells the cans for $0.50 each, but still....

Your lgs sells pizza? AWESOME

[Anurien]

That would be the humidity/temperature and not the brand of spray.

Is there not a "heat it with a hair dryer" or some such trick to help undo that kind of disaster?

[MagnustheJust]

Your lgs sells pizza? AWESOME

Lolz!! No.. the pizza is from a restaurant a few doors down. I only get soda & sealant at the LGS.

[Boze]

i heard somethin about not to use oil based gloss varnish on top of acrylic water based?!!?!

[MaxKool]

Future floor wax in multi coats makes the most durable minis.
U can not chip my minis, they almost feel like a plastic mini if it wernt for the weight.
Just do a few blasts of dullcote when yer done .

[Gr33nJ3llo]

Testors definitely changes the color of the models, I can usually tell at a glance if somebody has used it on their stuff.

I've been very happy with Vallejo's brush on matt sealer, which I usually run through my airbrush. On a solid black primer, my gf, who's gotten a perfect score on the color tone tests, can't tell where the sealer begins and ends.

[Arizona_Troll]

I use Minwax Polycrylic spray as a first layer (it protects like steel armor!), then go over it with two light coats of Testors Dullcoat to take the shine off and because it has the most amazing matte finish. (If you use Minwax, make sure you use Polycrylic (water-based) and NOT the oil-based spray.)

[mactac]

I usually do a coat of krylon gloss coat (found at walmart)
Then I go over that with a coat or two of armory spray matte coat.
This super protects minis, they wont hardly chip at all.
If they fall on teh ground and explode they will, ohhh poor reckoner

[PG_ICleadpeople]

Dull coat is not a sealer. you need to use Testors Gloos to seal and protect, then the dull coat to get rid of the shine.

[MagnustheJust]

Dull coat is not a sealer. you need to use Testors Gloos to seal and protect, then the dull coat to get rid of the shine.

You are incorrect good sir!! Dull coat is indeed a sealer. The difference is it is a matte finish instead of gloss.

[Murkhadh]

Meg says otherwise

are you looking for a sealing agent or a dulling agent?

Dullcote is not a sealer. It's a finisher. It's meant to kill shine from paints and additives used in paints. It's just a matte medium basically. A sealant is something to seal the paint and protect it. This would be varnish and most likely will be glossy. You can kill the gloss by spraying the dry gloss surface with dullcote however. Though it will still look like the mini has a bit of a candy shell to a certain degree.

[Cheesy Flip Flips]

Does anyone know if Testor's makes brush-on products?

[PPS_Meg]

Murk beat me to it!

Thanks for posting that info in here.

Here is some further info on Dullcote.

There are different types of dullcote you can find. Most people are probably familiar with the black spray can. This is a matte finishing spray. That means it is used to kill the shine. Even on Testor's website it explains for most of the dullcotes they carry that they will kill the shine of the paint and protect decals (not necessarily paint). In art, dullcote is used to kill shiny painted surfaces--even acrylic paintings usually have a layer of it.

There is a dullcote lacquer that may work better as a protective coat. I would still say for minis to use a gloss coat, I've used Krylon myself, and then dullcote over top of it.

However, no matter how well you protect your mini it will get chipped over time. If this is a concern, I would recommend keeping a painting journal when you paint a new mini so that when a chip happens you can easily find your recipe and fix the chip.

The best way to ensure your paint doesn't chip is to make sure you handle the mini as little as possible during painting and to make sure the metal is clean before starting work. Most acrylic paints dry really hard when they've fully cured (can take over 24 hours) and shouldn't chip if they have enough purchase on their primer.

At home when I'm get ready to paint a mini, I clean mold lines off then let the parts soak in warm soapy water for an hour or so. Then I scrub them with a brush, dry them with a paper towel and even hit the pieces with a hair dryer to make sure there is no water left. Then assemble the mini and affix it to a handle to keep from touching it. Then give it a couple light coats of primer. If you get too heavy with your primer then the paint doesn't have anything to stick to. The surface of the mini will be too smooth and thus chipping will occur.

I usually can see a little metal through my primer still.

Then while painting, try to keep your hands clean, free of oils and lotions and off the mini as much as possible. And when not in use make sure the are wrapped in a non-abrasive padding. Foam padding will chip minis. Try a wrap of bubble wrap. I have taken all of the trays out of my army transport and just have everything wrapped in bubble wrap and packed well. Nothing has chipped in a very long time.

Hope this more extensive advice helps. This is a question that has come up A LOT recently.

Please PM if you have any more questions

Meg

[Arizona_Troll]

I know for a fact that Dullcote offers rather poor protection for your painted models (especially metal models). The lightest bump from an opponent's model's was chipping paint off of my models like crazy. So I went back and sprayed my models with the Minwax Polycrylic, then used Dullcote again to bring back the matte finish. Now the paint job is nearly indestructible. I strongly suggest not relying on Dullcote alone as a way to protect your finished work.

[Crate123]

Is the Citadel Purity Seal Satin Coat a finisher or a sealer ?
I assume its a sealer due to the name but I might be tricked by the evil empire, err I mean clever salespeople.

[Murkhadh]

Murk beat me to it!

Thanks for posting that info in here.

Here is some further info on Dullcote.

There are different types of dullcote you can find. Most people are probably familiar with the black spray can. This is a matte finishing spray. That means it is used to kill the shine. Even on Testor's website it explains for most of the dullcotes they carry that they will kill the shine of the paint and protect decals (not necessarily paint). In art, dullcote is used to kill shiny painted surfaces--even acrylic paintings usually have a layer of it.

There is a dullcote lacquer that may work better as a protective coat. I would still say for minis to use a gloss coat, I've used Krylon myself, and then dullcote over top of it.

However, no matter how well you protect your mini it will get chipped over time. If this is a concern, I would recommend keeping a painting journal when you paint a new mini so that when a chip happens you can easily find your recipe and fix the chip.

The best way to ensure your paint doesn't chip is to make sure you handle the mini as little as possible during painting and to make sure the metal is clean before starting work. Most acrylic paints dry really hard when they've fully cured (can take over 24 hours) and shouldn't chip if they have enough purchase on their primer.

At home when I'm get ready to paint a mini, I clean mold lines off then let the parts soak in warm soapy water for an hour or so. Then I scrub them with a brush, dry them with a paper towel and even hit the pieces with a hair dryer to make sure there is no water left. Then assemble the mini and affix it to a handle to keep from touching it. Then give it a couple light coats of primer. If you get too heavy with your primer then the paint doesn't have anything to stick to. The surface of the mini will be too smooth and thus chipping will occur.

I usually can see a little metal through my primer still.

Then while painting, try to keep your hands clean, free of oils and lotions and off the mini as much as possible. And when not in use make sure the are wrapped in a non-abrasive padding. Foam padding will chip minis. Try a wrap of bubble wrap. I have taken all of the trays out of my army transport and just have everything wrapped in bubble wrap and packed well. Nothing has chipped in a very long time.

Hope this more extensive advice helps. This is a question that has come up A LOT recently.

Please PM if you have any more questions

Meg

Your welcome .

One more thing that has been helping me lately to avoid chips.

I already do the glosscote with dullcote over it.

My legion beasts, like the Scythean, the very tips of his spikes tend to chip off. after fixing them the last time around, then re-sealing. I have been putting a tiny drop of glue just on the tips of the spikes. (I use the PP glue, my fav glue currently)

since I've done that I haven't had any more tips chip off so far. (knock on wood)