The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Another question relating to my Airfix Hurricane MK1 build, having painted, mainly airbrushed, all the parts for the cockpit build including inner fuselage etc. once these are dry and before you glue it all together, do you put a top coat on everything, such as Klear, a varnish or similar.

I am using Vallejo Model Air, I have various Vallejo varnishes and also just raided the cupboard under the sink and found an almost full bottle of Klear.

Billy

I generally only varnish the completed build; once with gloss before decals, and again with matt after decals. I sometimes varnish a completed cockpit before using washes etc . but not individual parts

Like iggie says, mostly before decals and at the end.
There may be times when it is good to varnish a completed/painted sub-assembly to prevent damage to the paint -- I use Vallejo and it can be scratched off, so be careful.

"Klear" -- be careful this is the real modeler friendly version. I do not know whet the exact one is "over there", I have enough trouble keeping up with "Future whatever" over here.

As a rule, I don't varnish sub-assemblies unless there are decals to be applied, such as cockpit side console switches or instrument decals on the instrument panel. As a rule, apply gloss varnish prior to the application of decals and matt or satin afterwards. I often use satin as I find it more realistic than a totally flat finish - though I must stress that is my opinion only, plenty of modellers would disagree! A good gloss coat, however, is important for decals in an attempt to avoid "silvering". It is possible to apply decals straight onto a matt finish but silvering is often the result in the decal film. The silvering is, in fact, trapped air. A matt painted surface is quite rough in texture compared to a gloss surface and tiny pockets of air can become trapped 'twixt said rough surface and the decal, which manifests itself as a grey/silver appearance in the decal film. Not good. Occasionally decals will silver a little even with a gloss finish, but in my experience that is quite rare.

Loads of modellers swear by "Klear" type products - which as far as I am aware are actually acrylic floor polishes. I tried Johnson's Klear a few years ago and swore at it. I don't know why but I just didn't get on with it.

ShaunW wrote:As a rule, I don't varnish sub-assemblies unless there are decals to be applied, such as cockpit side console switches or instrument decals on the instrument panel. As a rule, apply gloss varnish prior to the application of decals and matt or satin afterwards. I often use satin as I find it more realistic than a totally flat finish - though I must stress that is my opinion only, plenty of modellers would disagree! A good gloss coat, however, is important for decals in an attempt to avoid "silvering". It is possible to apply decals straight onto a matt finish but silvering is often the result in the decal film. The silvering is, in fact, trapped air. A matt painted surface is quite rough in texture compared to a gloss surface and tiny pockets of air can become trapped 'twixt said rough surface and the decal, which manifests itself as a grey/silver appearance in the decal film. Not good. Occasionally decals will silver a little even with a gloss finish, but in my experience that is quite rare.

Loads of modellers swear by "Klear" type products - which as far as I am aware are actually acrylic floor polishes. I tried Johnson's Klear a few years ago and swore at it. I don't know why but I just didn't get on with it.

Thanks Shaun, I have to decal the Hurricane cockpit tomorrow and I was going to rush in and make a start, I had forgotten that i need to varnish first before applying, I will put your above method into practice in the morning.