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Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut





Cant seem to find Testors Dullcote in the UK, which I have used for many years. Seen a few cans on Ebay but for extortionate prices. Has something happened to the company which make it?

Is there a decent alternative Matt Finish Spray around which can be trusted?

Thanks
   
Made in gb
Thane of Dol Guldur





Bodt

Literally any Matte varnish from a hardware or auto shop. Or Amazon. I basically buy the cheapest one. It all works the same.

Heresy World Eaters/Emperors Children

Instagram: nagrakali_love_songs 
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut





 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Literally any Matte varnish from a hardware or auto shop. Or Amazon. I basically buy the cheapest one. It all works the same.



thanks.

No concerns about 'frosting' then? I once ruined an army using a can of (Army Painter) I think it was. Frosted loads of them up. Got advised to use TDullcote and havnt had a problem in years.

Always been wary of other brands since but maybe im overcautious.


   
Made in au
Grizzled Space Wolves Great Wolf





VAYASEN wrote:
 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Literally any Matte varnish from a hardware or auto shop. Or Amazon. I basically buy the cheapest one. It all works the same.



thanks.

No concerns about 'frosting' then? I once ruined an army using a can of (Army Painter) I think it was. Frosted loads of them up. Got advised to use TDullcote and havnt had a problem in years.

Always been wary of other brands since but maybe im overcautious.




I would be a bit more cautious and say at the very least test it on something you don't care about first. There's definitely some matte varnishes that are maybe too heavy on the matting agent, or ones that give more satin finishes, or ones that are prone to frosting.

Some hardware store products I've used also have long cure times. Even if the end result is similar the bases and propellants could be quite different.
   
Made in fi
Buttons Should Be Brass, Not Gold!






Lincoln Wright recommends Mr Superclear for Semigloss finish and AK Ultra Matte Varnish for a matte finish. I'm going to buy both of these next time I'm shopping for supplies, Lincoln knows his stuff.

If you use Acrylic Lacquer varnish on acrylic paints, let the acrylics first cure for at least 24 hours



This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2022/05/20 14:14:36


 
   
Made in gb
Thane of Dol Guldur





Bodt

I find that varnishing is more in the technique. Light passes where the can is continuously moving as the spray passes over the model, you won't have any issues. If you over spray to where you get pooling of varnish, this is where you're likely to get issues. I see you're UK based like myself. You shouldn't have any dramas with most bog standard varnishes here.

Heresy World Eaters/Emperors Children

Instagram: nagrakali_love_songs 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Humidity also matters. High humidity can contribute to frosting. I've actually exploited this to encourage some frosting on my Dark Elf army. Makes for a neat effect along with snow bases.

CHAOS! PANIC! DISORDER!
My job here is done. 
   
Made in au
[MOD]
Making Stuff






Under the couch

 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Literally any Matte varnish from a hardware or auto shop. Or Amazon. I basically buy the cheapest one. It all works the same.

It really, really doesn't.

Some varnishes, particularly if they have a slight sheen to them, can really kill your shading and highlights. 'Matte' is not a strictly defined term, and can encompass anything from a perfectly flat finish to a light satin finish. Some are surprisingly glossy for a product labelled as matte. Some will not be perfectly clear - a slight yellowish tint is not uncommon in cheaper varnishes. Some will yellow or crack over time.

By all means test cheaper varnishes, but don't just buy the cheapest thing you can find and spray your whole collection with it assuming it will be fine.


I had been using Testors for the rare occasions where I actually varnish anything, but it's been getting increasingly scarce over the last couple of years. There was an announcement back in 2019 that Rustoleum (parent company) were shutting them down... that doesn't seem to have actually happened, but they've presumably been affected by the worldwide supply issues that so many businesses have suffered from.

I recently picked up a can each of the Vallejo and Army Painter varnishes to test them out as potential replacements for the Testors, and they both seem good.

 
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

I primarily use Krylon matte clear UV-resistant spray varnish and never had any issues.

But yes, not all spray varnishes are created equal.


 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

Testors still make it. It's just not what it once was (the god amongst matt varnishes. It's still good, just there are many others equally as good nowadays - with its altered composition.)

What has happened was that international shipping to the UK has changed. This alone accounts for many of the altered imports of things.

I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in us
Pewling Menial



Atlanta, GA/USA

I know the entry cost can be high, I've found my airbrush does this job so much better than any aerosol can varnish. I use Vallejo Mecha Matt Varnish which goes on incredibly matte and dries very quickly (but never seems to cause dry tip). It also seems not to wipe out subtle color gradients as much as other matte varnishes I've tried. Still not as vivid as gloss, but that's the point.

For miniatures which are going to be consistently and constantly handled, I sometimes use a thicker layer of gloss varnish, let dry, then hit it with a top coat of this to bring it back down to matte.

At the cost of around $15 USD for a 200ml bottle (when I got it anyway), it lasts for years and years... hundreds of models.

Yeah, you have to get an airbrush and compressor, but even if you use it for nothing more than priming and/or base coating, and varnishing, it will be well worth the investment over the long haul.
   
 
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