Ello guys I have been using Future to seal my kits for a year now...Basically I learned this marvelous product at Fichtenfoo ( where else ) but got the complete information about the product at swanny's models. Future is a product that is pretty much used in the US and you'll read a lot of articles of it or in forums that they have a wide range of use for it, However other modellers from countries like the Philippines does not have " future " in stores. Here is a portion of Swanny's article of future that made me discover the product here in the Philippines...
In Japan and the Philippines it is known as "Johnson's Wipe and Shine"... In Singapore Future can be found in Handyman DIY stores in Shaw Center under the name “Krystal Kleer.” In Malaysia it’s available in ACE Hardware stores. HERE is Swanny's article on " Future " all over the world...basically it has different names per country or region - The Complete Future
I use Future to seal the acrylic paint before handling the parts...I use it to give the parts a nice gloss coat before panel line enamel washes and before putting water slide decals ( let it dry for 24 hours before decalling though ). Take note that using Mark softener on the water slide decals over a coat of future will cause some reaction if you apply too much softener.
Another thing, Future is acrylic so if you prefer using a lacquer type final coat over future, you should apply it in very thin coats or else a heavy coat will surely produce orange peeling ( cracking ). I also use future for my top and final coat, may it be gloss or matte finish...I add 25% Tamiya flat base to the future to produce a nice flat coat. BTW, you can apply future with an airbrush or simply hand brush it...I have hand brushed future a lot of times and it's self leveling properties will ensure a smooth finish always, yes...always! My MG Acguy has 3 layers of airbrushed future and 3 layers of hand brushed future ;)
I suggest you visit and read swanny's article on the complete future to know more of the product and its marvelous properties that gives it an edge over using clear hobby paints ( aside from being dirt cheap, 184 Php for 500 ml ). Thanks for reading! til' next post! ;)
EDIT: January 17, 2015
Hi guys, I have to address some issues regarding gloss coats and Pledge Wipe and Shine. Pledge dries really really fast! It has a very nice leveling property that almost always produces smooth results. The consistency of Pledge Wipe and Shine is perfect for both hand painting and airbrushing. However because Pledge Wipe and Shine dries really fast... You need to let the paint underneath to fully cure! I leave mine overnight at the very least or even a whole week before applying gloss coat. CRACKING or Orange peeling will always occur if you apply a fast drying medium ( Pledge ) over a slower drying type of paint ( lacquer or even acrylic ). So letting the main paint CURE before sealing with any type of gloss coat is key!
I now use Vallejo Varnishes to all my top coating needs ( will have a separate post / review on Vallejo Varnishes soon )
Hello Don,
ReplyDeleteI found a link to your blog from Netmorks :D You have a really cool blog here!
I also use Future to get things done. I think it is a pretty cheap alternative solution to protect our kit :D There is no Indonesian made Future though...we gotta buy the US made which is pretty hard to find..
JMN Hobby at Harrison sells Future in 250ml bottles (retailed from the original bottle of course) at 500 kesos a pop. I always thought pledge floor polish was WAX, hence I ignored it. Anyways, good info!
ReplyDelete@ h4mster, thanks for the compliments bro! very much appreciated. hmmm, Indonesia not having this is a bummer. yeap it is pretty cheap and it actually better thn the usual clear paints coz of it's levelling properties. ;)
ReplyDelete@ MatX, wow 500 bucks is too much for a 250 ml, that is overpriced bro...I got this 500 ml bottle for 184 Php man....this is what makes my dios overly strong and protected. hihi...its so dirt cheap. ;)
I'm just wondering, since i don't know what kind of paint tamiya spray cans are based on... is it poossible to use tamiya spraycan flat coat over future?
ReplyDelete(ghad! i really need to get into finishing my kit!!! so excited! wahaha!)
Tamiya spraycans are lacquer type paints...so if you spray a heavy coat over future that will cause orange peeling....the safest is to use futute mixed with tamiya flat base. BUT, you could use the spray cans, just spray it in very thin coats at a time. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I also use dude. Keep it up! Nice blog!
ReplyDeleteYeah, its a gift from heaven. hehe...thanks bro! ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, its a gift from heaven. hehe...thanks bro! ;)
ReplyDeleteMaster Don,
ReplyDeleteWhere can I purchase this product here in our country? ACE Hardware, department/grocery stores?
Thanks! :)
Grocery stores bro. ;)
ReplyDeleteDC,
ReplyDeleteAsk ko lang ko lang yung sinabi mo regarding this:
"I use it to give the parts a nice gloss coat before panel line enamel washes and before putting water slide decals ( let it dry for 24 hours before decalling though ). Take note that using Mark softener on the water slide decals over a coat of future will cause some reaction if you apply too much softener."
What do you mean by water slide decals? Yung decals ididikit sa kit by applying small/very little amounts of water?
And what is a mark softener? Sorry if I ask too many questions. :)
Sir, do you have any idea if they changed the bottle design or name of the product by now? I checked Robinson's Manila's hardware and all they had there was pledge pronto. And I think it was close to 300 php for 500ml. So I didn't buy it.
ReplyDeleteAnytime bro. ;D
ReplyDeleteHello Mr. DC.
ReplyDeleteThank you for determining what "future" is in our country. It's sad to think that our country has no future. Pun intended XD
Questions po. When you handbrush it on, do you do it right out of the bottle? or does it need thinners, etc? And when you add the tamiya flat base, is it still alright to handbrush or do i have to ab it on?
Welcome bro. hehehe
ReplyDeleteGood questions, Matt Mrozek told me that mixing Tamiya acrylic thinner to use in AB works really good, though I have not tried it coz using it straight from the bottle is ok with me.
I only AB it when mixed with a flat base, not sure if it will work if handbrushed. :)
Very useful info there. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteAnytime bro. :)
ReplyDeletegood day DC,
ReplyDeletei've just started building gundam kits and i've used future on my first build, it worked really well protecting the kit but with the kit i'm doing now the paint chips easily even been dried for at least 2 days as if there were no future applied to it. can i ask if future works on all kinds of paint? because the first build i used lacquer based paint and with im doing now i use enamel based. thanks.
You should have let the enamel paint cure first ( 1 - 2 days ) before applying future bro. Lacquer and acrylics dries faster so you could apply future after letting it dry overnight. :)
ReplyDeletethanks for the advice DC , will try to do it on my kit and will also follow your example on acguy 6 coats of future... it looks really nice
ReplyDeletethanks ...for info..
ReplyDeleteCan i use a Window Cleaner?
ReplyDeleteNope. :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome, glad you find it useful bro. :)
ReplyDeletedo you cut it with anything when you airbrush it on?
ReplyDeleteYou could add 40% Tamiya acrylic thinner ( according to Matt Mrozek and FichtenFoo ) but I personally just airbrush it straight from the bottle. :)
ReplyDeletethanks i will keep that in mind. maybe i'll do some test sprays of both and see what produces the best result.
ReplyDeleteYeap, btw you could even brush it on. Just make sure you do not leave build ups on the corners. :)
ReplyDeleteohh I saw one of these at ACE Makati, for P184 i think... ^_^
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely using this if i already have an airbrush...
You could use it for hand painting bro. It has a self - leveling property! :)
ReplyDeletehi dc23! cool blog you have and appreciate the wealth of info found in here. an absolute beginner here. i have a question though, will future protect paint chippings/scratches from normal parts on parts movement, eg skirts on leg armors, elbows or arms on body work? i am using tamiya and gunze acrylics by the way. i am starting to paint my first mg, gouf v2! also registered on ur mac forums to learn more.
ReplyDeleteThanks! keeping secrets is not my style, I try to share all of my knowledge in this blog and our forums.
ReplyDeleteYes, like any topcoat future will protect your paint from scratches... though like any other topcoat, posing of painted kits should be done with utmost care. Goodluck with your Gouf build bro and hope to see your progress in the forums. :)
how do you go about cleaning the future fro the AB when you are done? does it act like acrylic, enamel, or lacquer paints or does it have a special cleaning solution? i just don't want to spray it and not know how to clean my AB and ruin it. :)
ReplyDeleteI just clean it under running water and alcohols. it is pretty much like acrylic. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is this future thing ? sorry i live in Indonesia , so i dont really understand this " future "
ReplyDeleteis it a florr polish , can i use other product of floor polish ?
Check out the link to Swanny's to know what future is in Indonesia. It protects the paint underneath. :)
ReplyDeleteis there any altenative ? except future ?
ReplyDeleteUse the more expensive Hobby clear coat paints. Like Tamiya clear coats.
ReplyDeletecan i use window cleaner ?
ReplyDeleteNope bro.
ReplyDeleteI'm a beginner and just found your blog, awesome tutorials. Will using Future straight from the bottle leave a gloss finish? Also what do you do if you want a semi-gloss finish with Future?
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes Future is glossy! If you want a semi gloss, you need to add 10% Tamiya FLAT base to the future. :)
ReplyDelete"I add 25% Tamiya flat base to the future to produce a nice flat coat."
ReplyDeleteWhat type sir? Acrylic or Enamel?
Acrylic... Future is acrylic / alcohol / water base. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sir DC23, I'm a bit confused on which to use. I've seen that Pledge wipe and shine has 2 types, a floor polish (in your pic) and a liquid wax. I look in the ingredients and the liquid wax has some acrylic, resin and styrene in there while the floor polish has only resin. While you are using the floor polish type, have you also tried the liquid wax type?
ReplyDelete.
I have not tried nor have I seen a wax type bro. So I would not recommend it.:)
ReplyDeleteSir, since it's acrylic, can I apply it over a layer of acrylic paint?
ReplyDeleteYes, and acrylic almost always never harms other paints i you paint it in top. :)
ReplyDeletewhat is the 25% flat base? is that clear paint?
ReplyDeleteoh nvm, google is my friend. thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's not a paint but is in the same bottle. It is basically added to the paint to remove the shine. :)
ReplyDeletefeel free to ask here, I won't tell you to go google it. hehehe :)
ReplyDeleteSir, do you have a picture of a piece coated with 3 parts Wipe and Shine + 1 part Tamiya Flat Base? I tried doing that but the finish was far from being decent (or maybe I'm just doing it wrong lol).
ReplyDeleteI applied it using a hand brush BTW.
ReplyDeletei dont have any experience about this..
ReplyDeleteso this is my question:
1. r u just spray direct from the future bottle?
2. when? is it after all the sticker, color, and black line have been applied to the model?
sir, what alcohol do you use? and where do you get it here in the philippines? :D
ReplyDeletesir, what alcohol do you use? and where do you get it here in the philippines? :D
ReplyDeleteI dont think Wipe & Shine is Future as it is wax based (contained in ingredients) while Future claims that it is wax free. However, if both products work alike then there should be no problem (although i dont know how wax will affect other substances).
ReplyDelete