Hi all

I'm after some info on using Dullcote as I understand it gives the fog free, flat appearance I'm after.

My research tells me that it's laquer based and the posts I have read to date indicate most people seem to use it from a spray can. I'm a little shy of using a rattle can to finish a model that I've spent ages painting using an airbrush.

No doubt I can fire the dullcote through the airbrush, but will I have problems cleaning it afterwards? (My airbrush has only been used for acrylics and I'd rather not put anything in there that's going to be hard to shift). What would you use to clean a laquer based product.

If I can fire it through my airbrush with no problems, does the dullcote need thinning? If so what do you thin it with?

Am I better just biting the bullet and using a spray can?

Thanks for your help

I use the Testor Flat clear from the bottle, through my airbrush. It is an acrylic and dries dead flat. The issue is it is being discontinued for the new Aztek Airbrush Acrylic line, which does have a Flat clear, just not sure if it is the same formula as the older Testors.

http://www.testors.com/product/136694/4636/_/Flat_Clear_Acryl_Acryl_-_1oz._Bottle

I have used a spray can, Tamiya flat acrylic and Testor's dullcote. I spray Testor's straight from the bottle. I've never had any problems cleaning my airbrush after using any of these paints. Depending on your airbrush(I have a Badger 150, generic brand, and Iwata HP-CS), you should be able to run some acetone through it. This will flush your brush out. Some people would declare that you should never run acetone through your airbrush, due to the o-rings. However, most modern rubbers are corrosion resistant. For example, the generic brand that uses the basic, black rubber o-rings.

I've been using Testor's Dull Coat for over 40 years.

Thin it with ordinary hardware store lacquer thinner (cellulose thinners). Clean your airbrush with the same. You can spend more money on lacquer thinners (Testors or Tamiya, for example), but I've never noticed any improved results for the added costs.

Thinning ratios really depend on your personal preferences, but a starting point should be about the same viscosity that you use for your acrylics. That should be familiar and comfortable for you. After that, you can play around with viscosity some.

I tend to spray several (2-3) relatively thin coats to get the final results. Put the Dull Coat on just like any other paint, slightly wet to the surface but avoid runs.

Try to avoid using too high an air pressure. Over spray causing "orange peel" (a whitish looking layer caused by microscopic beads of the Dull Coat partially drying before landing on the model) can be a problem. If this happens, going right back with almost straight lacquer thinner will often cause the Dull Coat to level-out. If this doesn't work, then a subsequent layer(s) of Dull Coat over the orange peel will often fill it in and also level it out.

(Thinner viscosity (thin the Dull Coat more) and lower air pressure are the cures if this is becomes a consistent problem. Dull Coat doesn't "Orange peel" any worse than any other paint (Tamiya acrylics for example), but the effect is usually more visible.)

Be sure to have good ventilation in your work area, but if you keep the amounts of Dull Coat and lacquer thinner relatively small and don't create great clouds of over spray, what works for your acrylics will likely be good enough for spraying the Dull Coat.

Finally, I use both enamels and acrylics for air brushing color coats and as long as your air brush is clean, spraying Dull Coat will have absolutely no adverse effect on later use of any medium.

HTH,

Testor's Dull Cote from the rattle can is all I've ever used. Putting aside the rattle can's deficiencies in control, it works fine.

It sometimes goes a frosty white before drying clear, which can induce panic. But I'm not experienced enough to know if all clear coat does that.

I have never used the dullcote, but I do use the acrylic clear flat and have been happy with the results. My only warning with this would be test it on some scrap first before applying it to your kit, several of us have found that for whatever reason you once in a while get a white milky look once it is down. Only happened to me once, but it happened. If you prefer airbrushing to rattle cans this might be the way to go. Cheers.

Like Mike, I've used Testors Dullcoat and Glosscoat shot through my airbrush for more then 40 years, and never, ever had a problem issues, other then the lacquer odor, so I use Pledge/Future for a gloss base coat for decaling and sealing only.

Clean up is a snap with plain old lacquer thinner. Work in a ventilated area to avoid that lacquer based buzz.

I thin Glosscoat 50/50 and shoot it at 15-17 psi.

After a mist 1st coat, I do apply a few rather heavy coats.

Joel

Thanks for your help guys

I'll give it a nudge and see how I get on