let's talk about varnish, matt and gloss, for a mo, shall we?

[Allan]

here's my varnish arsenal....I've put some of the Testors' gloss (bottle) on my 109K using lacquer thinner, which is recommended on the label, which by the way does not mention the work "airbrush", but that's what I used and it went on pretty well.....I assume that the Testors' dullcote will perform well thinned in the same way...any thoughts so far?..I'll add some more comments later on, but for the moment this is what I have at my disposal, varnish-wise...the Testors' in the can, matt, is pretty good but as it is canned stuff it's hard to regulate the exit pressure of the actual vanish...still, it's what I have used with great satisfaction over the years....Testors' gloss ditto

[Old Wombat]

My experiences with Humbrol Clear ("water-based") varnish have not, to date, been positive. It seems to make my acrylics (Tamiya), especially gloss, run, even with extremely light coatings.

I haven't used My Humbrol Matt, yet, but comments from Narses2 are making me as nervous about using it as my experiences with the gloss.

Testors Dullcote I love, in the can. I haven't tried the bottled stuff, yet, but I'll give it a shot when I find some.

[TomZ]

I finish most of my models using Xtracolor Satin varnish. This sprays on very well and gives (I think) a nice finish which is rather flat and not too gloss.

When I want to have a flat finish I use Humbrol Matt Cote but I have had the same problems in the past as Narses2.
I now spray a VERY thin coat of matt and that seems to do the trick. When you apply it too thick it turns white.

TomZ

[zenrat]

On my aircraft builds I pretty much use White Knight Crystal Clear Acrylic from a rattle can.  Gloss or Satin.
Available from Bunnings.  Probably not available outside of Australia but who knows?

[Allan]

Tamiya X-22 Clear has been praised as producing a tough gloss finish...not sure if that means acrylic or mineral paint
Well now, some comments/questions
how do you thin Humbrol gloss clear in the pictured bottle? Does it need thinning in your view? It's pretty thin stuff so may not need thinning.
The two bottles of Testors stuff: lacquer thinners recommended on the label, but does ordinary mineral thinner work? Will try it out, but please tell me what happend to you.
Humbrol Matt Cote in the pictured bottle needs stirring well with something like a thin metal rod to really mix it. I think ordinary mineral thinner would work with this stuff as well as lacquer thinner. Agree?

[Old Wombat]

The Humbrol is water-based (it's written on there in teeny little writing somewhere) & water seems to be the only thing that will thin it without too many weird side-effects.

It airbrushes just fine as is & cleans up without too much hassle but, as I've said above, it did some strange things to my Tamiya gloss paints.

Tamiya X-22 is an acrylic & is pretty good but I haven't used it through the airbrush, yet.

[zenrat]

Tamiya Enamel Gloss Clear (sorry, can't remember the number and it's too dark cold & wet to go and look in the shed) airbrushes beautifully.
Thin with Tamiya Enamel thinners.

[Allan]

Revell Aqua No1 is also given a good rap over at Britmodeller