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Hey guys I picked up some flat, semi , and gloss varnish from badger a while back. I tried the flat seal and the model looks like it has a semi gloss sheen..... any thoughts? has anyone experienced this before?

thanks!

The problem is not you.

All Badger varnishes are glossy. They're one of the weak points of the Minitaire range (the other being the metallics).

If you want a true matte finish, go with Vallejo, Testor's Dullcote, or ModelMaster Acryl.

I second this. As much as I like the minitaire line, the clear coats should be renamed "gloss", "pretty much just as glossy", and "slightly less glossy."

 Nodri wrote:
The problem is not you.

All Badger varnishes are glossy. They're one of the weak points of the Minitaire range (the other being the metallics).

If you want a true matte finish, go with Vallejo, Testor's Dullcote, or ModelMaster Acryl.

Sorry to get back to this so late. Thanks for the advice. Do you like using the GW line of clear varnish? Reason I ask is a picked up 2 cans from a store closeout for very cheap. Seemed to work ok for me in the past, but notice some hate on this forum against it.

 Snoopdeville3 wrote:

 Nodri wrote:
The problem is not you.

All Badger varnishes are glossy. They're one of the weak points of the Minitaire range (the other being the metallics).

If you want a true matte finish, go with Vallejo, Testor's Dullcote, or ModelMaster Acryl.

Sorry to get back to this so late. Thanks for the advice. Do you like using the GW line of clear varnish? Reason I ask is a picked up 2 cans from a store closeout for very cheap. Seemed to work ok for me in the past, but notice some hate on this forum against it.

It's sensitive to humidity. Otherwise, Purity Seal works fine. Do one, bring it in, give it 1 hr to dry; if it looks ok, do the rest of your models

Can't comment from personal experience on the... Purity Seal? Is that the stuff? If so, I can only suggest that it's not "some hate" - it's a veritable mountain of bile. For every one "it's worked for me" comment I see, I see at least two or three about ruined paintjobs, repeated frosting, etc. You've dodged the horrid over-costing issue, getting them on clearance, but I'd still be leery of using them without thorough testing, first.

Good to know, though, about the 'less-than-matte-ness' of the Minitaire varnishes. I had no idea that they're the Liquitex of the hobby-branded paint world.

I can personally vouch for Dullcote, at least - it's been my one and only choice for aerosol matte varnish for years, now, after moderately extensive testing of different offerings. If airbrushing, I haven't tried Vallejo's matte (their gloss works well, at least, and I trust the brand), but have gotten surprisingly good results using Testors Aztek Clear Matte acrylic, which I can buy locally at Michaels (and for a good price, too, when you factor in the ubiquitous coupons). The only other supposedly great option I know of that's yet to be mentioned is Future/Klear/PFC mixed with Tamiya Flat Base acrylic. Again, no personal experience with this one, but it has the hearty backing of some very experienced and talented scale modelers.

Im probably going to give Dullcote a go. The purity seal has worked fine for me for years.. the only problem i ever had was the price.

If you are airbrushing, vallejo finishes work fine. Just thin them out a bit, use a lower spray pressure, and don't dump a lot of varnish at once. You'll be able to get in closer to the model and this will give you a smoother finish with less chance of it frosting up or drying before it hits the model.

For a Airbrush I would suggest Liquitex or Windsor and Newton Acrylic varnishes. The artist quality varnishes are cheaper then the Hobby varnishes.

All Aerosol cans have that hazing/frosting issue no?

Just be careful and spray properly and in the right conditions. when the moons aline and the humidity is just right.

OR spray quickly inside the garage then open it later to vent it out.