Future/Pledge.

[Ron Pearcy]

Is this any good for dipping canopies and top coating?

 

[Wurger]

I would say .. yes it is . But just check with a plastic scrap you have in your trashcan. Sometimes the acrylic varnish is offered by different manufactures and is slightly of different compositions.

 

[CATCH 22]

I don't think this is what you need. This is the polish (I guess it's white inside). The pledge FINISH is the one I'm using. Bottles are always transparent IMHO and like these:

The one I'm using is the last one, but I've used 3-rd one as well. They are basically the same.

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Cheers all. I thought as much. Will keep trying to get some future without paying a fortune.

 

[Capt. Vick]

DO NOT DRINK.

 

[Airframes]

Ron, in the UK, Johnson's 'Kleer; (Future) was changed a few years ago, and is now the stuff you posted the picture of.
It is not the same as the original, being 'milky' in appearance, although it does dry clear.
However, i had problems using it as a clear gloss coat, and so changed to other gloss acrylic varnishes, including the Humbrol 'Clear', as shown below.

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Cheers.

 

[mikewint]

Being here in the colonies the clear version is still available though you have to look for it. You can get it on Ebay though I'm not sure about shipping across the pond. As to expense keep in mind that you are getting 27 fluid oz (used to be 32) as opposed to the 17ml (.57 oz) or 23 ml (.77 oz) of the clear acrylic model-type finish. So whatever you pay for the 23 ml model-type finish multiply by 35. See how that compares to the price of the 27 oz bottle of Pledge.
My old bottle (32 oz) is now 6 years old is is at least 2/3 full. IMHO worth the price

 

[Airframes]

Yep, price was the main reason, probably the only reason, modellers used it, as there are no real advantages over other acrylic varnishes, other than price.

 

[A4K]

Cheers for the info guys! Need to find a local equivalent myself.

 

[Crimea_River]

I bought a bottle of Future in 2007 and it's not quite half gone yet.

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Fair points. Thanks to all.

 

[mikewint]

Another plus for me is the viscosity of Pledge/Future, essentially like water. So squirt some in the cup and airbrush away. Now one caution is that the low viscosity can lead to drips and runs if you do not exercise some care as you spray.
In addition, in S C Johnson's seemingly never-ending "lets change the name again" campaign it now, (at least here) seems to be called PLEDGE....REVIVE IT....FLOOR GLOSS Reading the comments a number of modelers give it 5-stars so I'm assuming it's the old FUTURE product renamed....again!

 

[MIflyer]

By the way, DO NOT USE LIQUID WRENCH to remove the paint from canopy parts. It will fog them up. I have used WD-40 for model canopy paint removal, with complete success, but DO NOT use Liquid Wrench.

By the way, it does the same thing on Lexan surfaces used in real aircraft canopies as well.

 

[at6]

By the way, DO NOT USE LIQUID WRENCH to remove the paint from canopy parts. It will fog them up. I have used WD-40 for model canopy paint removal, with complete success, but DO NOT use Liquid Wrench.

By the way, it does the same thing on Lexan surfaces used in real aircraft canopies as well.

I use Simple Green full strength. It doesn't harm the plastic and takes the paint off.

 

[mikewint]

You don't mention whether you are stripping enamel or acrylic.
Enamel: any caustic-type oven cleaner - Brake Fluid - Castrol Purple Power You need about a 24 hr soak and then a tooth brush
Acrylic: Dettol antiseptic - ammonia solutions (Windex ammonia) - Isopropyl alcohol

 

[A4K]

Great info again guys, cheers!

 

[MIflyer]

WD-40 was never meant as a lubricant but instead was developed to wipe down Atlas ICBM's, to remove moisture and prevent corrosion. The first 39 attempts at creating such a wipe down compound failed but No.40 worked. You could not paint Atlas missiles because the combination of the stainless steel skin and balloon construction prevented paint from sticking, especially on the LOX tank. Thus WD-40 contains a cleaning agent, and I presume that is why it works so well for removing paint from plastic models. WD-40 inspired many other such products; the whole spray lubricants industry was a spin-off of the Atlas program. WD-40 came to be used on other missiles as well.

I don't think the various generic versions of WD-40 that are available have the cleaning agent. I don't know what all Liquid Wrench has in it but it sure fogged a 1/48 T-28 canopy in nothing flat.

I once observed gasoline containing alcohol fog clear plastic as well; the regular non-alcohol gasoline does not do that.

 

[mikewint]

WD-40 contains a cleaning agent,

Not really though it depends on how you mean the term "cleaning". Water Displacement - 40th attempt is basically baby oil, vaseline, and Lava Lamp goop.
A proprietary mix of mostly ALKANES: Decane, nonane, tridecane, tetradecane, mineral oil, undecane, dimethyl naphthalene, and cyclohexane

 

[Airframes]

Useful stuff for 1970's rally cars, especially Minis, for getting the ignition system (coil, plugs and 'dizzy') to work, after going through a forest stage in winter !
B*gg*r all use as a lubricant though - and never use on a weapon !!
Oh, and a great 'dispersal agent' for cats !!!