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| Operating Klear
| Using Johnsons ‘Future’ floor polish as a barrier and other good ideas by Tony Sissons I started using Johnson’s Future (Klear) in the United States in the year 2000. I was told about it by an aircraft modeler friend of mine. I immediately saw two major benefits for me at the time. The first was I could move forward with weathering with major league confidence and the second was the improvement to the look of glazing. As I used it some other smaller advantages of the product became apparent also. The following are my experiences with using Johnson’s Future. Johnson’s Future is a standard household floor wax. That’s it, but a far off aircraft modeler, so I’m told, found some different uses for it, these being a perfect barrier once sprayed over a final paint job. In my opinion better than all available model clear gloss varnishes. It sprays neat from the bottle, at least that is how I have been using it and continue to do so. I leave the model a minimum of 7 days to totally dry and more importantly, to become rock hard, the whole purpose being that I can weather the model, but it goes beyond that. It used to be that when I screwed up during a weathering job it wasn’t always possible to remove the weathered paint without spoiling the perfect top coat paint I originally applied. Future takes care of this problem by providing a 100% barrier against any damage to the original coat, so with a coat of Future applied, I can weather the model and remove as much of the weathering as I like anytime until I get it right, or what I think is right. That is the best reason for using this stuff. The second best reason is that it improves glazing and there are two aspects to this. When applied to both sides of clear acetate (model glazing) it seems to make the glazing thinner, but best of all it makes the glazing clearer and will hide very small scratches and blemishes that I sometimes end up putting on a piece of glazing. But added to that is another benefit. If you use cyanoacrylate to fit your windows in position and the glazing mists up (chlorosis), the white mist can be simply removed by rubbing it off with a cotton bud. No more ruined glazing due to that problem. So these are the main reasons I have been using Johnson’s Future. Since using it I have learned more of its usefulness in modeling and I have listed what I have learned about it and my experience with the stuff so far. Spraying: It sprays really easily. I spray at various pressures according to the airbrush I’m using, but I have found that around 20 to 25 p.s.i. works best in my Iwata Micron B. Mixing 3 parts Future to 1 part Isopropyl alcohol will improve the finish when using an airbrush. The exact mix here I’m sure can be varied but I read this in an aircraft modeling magazine and went with it. Future can be mixed with wate and my water/Future recipe mix is around 10% - 15% water and the rest, Future. This gives a thinner coating. The downside to any finish application of any sort is the fact that the more you put on the more you hide surface detail. These days as my weathering techniques have improved I should use a greater percentage of water in my mix. Maybe move to 30% water - 70% Future...? Brush Application: If you don’t have an airbrush Future can be applied by brush. As always make sure your paintbrush is clean and of a good quality. To ensure that minute air bubbles are not left on the surface, brush the Future on with a slow steady stroke. Once applied do not touch it further and allow the Future liquid to self level on the model’s surface, its thin enough to do this prior to curing. Solvents: I have always used regular household vinegar to clean up with, spraying it through the airbrush. Never had a problem yet in the past 5 years doing this. Other solvents are Windolene, Ammonia, Chameleon Paint Stripper and a bath of Future liquid with the model submerged in it overnight. If I need to remove Future from my model I always paint the vinegar on and leave it for around 30 minutes. If I have to remove all of the Future I leave the model in a bath of it overnight. What happens is that the Future becomes cloudy white and then the same brush still soaked in vinegar will gradually remove what is there with continuous brush strokes. Bit of a pain but I should have paid more attention before messing up my model. Cleanliness: Like any finish application the model should always be thoroughly clean and totally dry of any other previous finishes before applying Future, just as you would prior to application of any paint or varnish finish. I always allow 7 days minimum as a drying period but I know some modelers are happy to go with 24 to 48 hours. This is fine also but either way, ensure your finish is good and perfectly dry before application. Future will wash off the hands with soap and water. I never use rubber gloves when messing with paint and stuff and not got dermatitis yet. Lucky me or what..? Glazing: Some modelers dip their glazing into a cup of Future, I take a piece of wood, roll a long thin sausage of blue tack and stick each window onto the rolled blue tack in a line, spray one side first leaving them for 7 days to dry, then repeat. In this manner I never experience problems. The finish is smooth, shiny and the glazing is much clearer. To state the obvious, ensure that the wet glazing is put up in a dust free cupboard or similar. Adhesive: I have used Future as a glazing adhesive. Once the window pane is set in its final position I take a very thin paintbrush and after picking up some Future I let it wick around the edge of the window pane and the side of the model letting capillary action do the business. The only problem here is that I can only do one window at a time, as turning the model in any direction will allow the window pane to fall out. So I no longer use Future for this job, but it does work. Surface Preparation: Obviously before any application of paint or varnish the model should be 100% free of oils and such, the same applies with the application of Future, the cleaner the model then the better the outcome. It can be used to prepare a surface area before applying transfers and makes a great sealer after the transfer application too. Drying Time: I leave the Future to dry for over a week before I start the weathering process and am happy with that time period. It works for me. Shelf Life: I’m still using my original bottle, so from that, I guess it has a long shelf life. How long I have no idea. Last Bit: Although this short paragraph doesn’t have anything directly to do with Future, its useful to know as far as finishes are concerned. Didn’t know what to categorize it under, so ‘last bit’ got the nod. When my model is 100% finished then I spray it with a coat of Testors ‘Dullcoat’ from an aerosol can When using Testors dull coat lacquer you have to be a little careful not to create an orange peel affect. This can be avoided if your pass with the aerosol can over the model is fast and the coat is thin, let it dry for 3 or 4 minutes and make another. applied in light coats I have found the best but that more or less applies to all paint spraying techniques, don’t over do it Another Use: I make my own castings from resin and Future when sprayed or brushed on ensures a very clean casting. Other Modellers Tales: The following are some ideas and uses that are used by some of my modeling friends around the Carolinas, I can not vouch for them as I have not experimented with them. Take it as said but not proved by me. One of my modeling friends applies his transfers using Future to set it, wetting the transfer in the usual manner with water. He then takes it out of the water with tweezers and gives the transfer a quick dip in Future before applying it to the surface of the model. I prefer to use Micro-Sol/Set and will not go this route. I was told that if you apply too much Future liquid on your model an easy way to get rid of the excess is to simply touch a corner of the model where the excess is with a paper kitchen towel and the excess liquid will immediately wick onto/into the paper towel. I like that, not that I have overdone it. Same applies with a run too, evidently. The story on the street is, is that if you mix Future with acrylic paint, I’m told around a mix of 25% Future and the rest paint that mix will help acrylic to airbrush better. I have never used acrylic paints so have no earthly idea what’s in store here, but it might be worth experimenting with. The aircraft boys seem to have some sensible solutions as far as painting instrument dial faces with several coats of Future so that it builds up into a nice gloss glass like instrument face and not domed or humped like when using an epoxy when trying for the same effect. I can see how that would work. If you are into water then Future makes the water look wetter...? Ummmm, OK. | |
Last updated : July 06, 2008 12:12
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