Adam Savage's Black Series Mando Helmet

[Halliwax]

I’ve never used wax.. I’ve always used clear, then acrylic over the clear.. that way if I don’t like it I can wash the acrylic off and the clear coat protects everything under it.. so I don’t have to worry about washing anything off except the acrylic wash I applied

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

So first clear the helmet, then seal it with floor wax, then weather it & Boom finished? Never heard of using floor wax before. Who else has done this & what floor wax is recommended ?

Future floor wax is the go to, it’s a clear liquid acrylic that dries super hard and shiny. Using it as a clear coat is about as old as model kits, I remember first hearing about it from the guys at the hobby shop when I was a kid.

Edit: it’s called Pledge now

 

[Halliwax]

My Grandmother use to pledge the hell out of the house!

 

[Triin]

Lmao

 

[ggriffaw]

Search Youtube for "model pledge". There are multiple videos showing how to clear coat models with Pledge Floor Gloss. It has gone by several names. It used to be called Future.

This is not the Pledge you use for dusting furniture.

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

I used it on my 3D printed helmet, but didn't have an airbrush. I just used a nice paintbrush & applied several thin layers. I then used acrylics for weathering & applied a few more coats to seal everything.

So you don't HAVE to use an airbrush if you don't have one.

This is what you're looking for.

Hope that helps.

 

[AnubisGuard]

Search Youtube for "model pledge". There are multiple videos showing how to clear coat models with Pledge Floor Gloss. It has gone by several names. It used to be called Future.

This is not the Pledge you use for dusting furniture.

It's also commonly used in the action figure collecting community for tightening joints. It's handy stuff.

 

[Halliwax]

Search Youtube for "model pledge". There are multiple videos showing how to clear coat models with Pledge Floor Gloss. It has gone by several names. It used to be called Future.

This is not the Pledge you use for dusting furniture.

This is what you're looking for.View attachment 1499106

Hope that helps.

I’m so confused… so this photo is what we want to use?!

 

[ggriffaw]

I’m so confused… so this photo is what we want to use?!

Yes. They have changed the name a few times. My bottle says Pledge Floor Care Finish.

Reader Tip: Pledge Floor Gloss or Future has new name | FineScale Modeler Magazine

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

I’m so confused… so this photo is what we want to use?!View attachment 1499184

Yes... It used to be called FUTURE FLOOR POLISH, but it was rebranded a few years ago.

I'm like you. When I hear 'PLEDGE', I'm thinking of my Mom's lemon furniture polish.

 

[drftfan]

Word of advice... I tried two different clear coats but didn't love the finish. I attempted to primer it and start over... Yeah that didn't work. It reacted to either the plastic helmet or the clear coat and now I am stripping it all off.
If only I left it as is instead of wanting to take it further by using Alumiluster lol.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I just wonder what the company said internally when they figured out modelers and people were using Future/Pledge for models. Obviously it's more money for them, but I can't help think there was someone there going "No it's for floors!!!! What are they doing?!?!"

Now I definitely have to get one of these helmets.

 

[GrenadeKing]

Does the pledge stuff smell like Future? That stuff smelled amazing.

 

[Usagi Pilgrim]

Does the pledge stuff smell like Future? That stuff smelled amazing.

I never smelled FUTURE, but the PLEDGE smells incredible! Nothing remotely like chemicals.

 

[Halliwax]

I just wonder what the company said internally when they figured out modelers and people were using Future/Pledge for models. Obviously it's more money for them, but I can't help think there was someone there going "No it's for floors!!!! What are they doing?!?!"

Now I definitely have to get one of these helmets.

That what amazes me, who originally thought of using this as a sealer

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

It's acrylic so it's not that far of a leap, but I would have never thought of using it. I'm waaaay too cautious when I finish something and it comes time to paint/weather. I'm always freaking out that I will ruin it. So I wouldn't have tried some untested thing on it. I'll leave that to the people with more money.

 

[ggriffaw]

Some modelers use hairspray to create chipping effects. It is common for modelers to find cheaper alternatives for things that cost much more when made specifically for modeling.

 

[Vagabond Elf]

That what amazes me, who originally thought of using this as a sealer

My guess would be someone whose job involved waxing floors and hobby involved making models. Because, at the end of the day, the product is a sealer - it's job is to protect your pretty floor from the feet of people. An awful lot of "modeling" products are just day-to-day items, rebranded and marked up. (Don't get me wrong, there's also a lot of things intended for modelling that are better than the day to day item, but so many things are really no different.) Although in this specific case, I'm suspect the "use floor polish" tip goes back to at least the 1980s, so it's quite likely that there wasn't a hobby-specific product to use and folks were just experimenting, trying to find anything that would do the job.

 

[Getoninja]

when Pledge is brought up. I think about being a kid in the 80s, using spray and oil Pledge to help my mom clean any wood furniture and wood decorations. Wood material was a popular in the 70s up to the 80s, so, we used Pledge alot. Even the Atari 2600 had fake wood trimming

So, I'm surprised Pledge wax is acrylic. And action figure collectors use Pledge to tight loose joints, but I just ignored those tips cause how I was raised. hehe

that being said. This video is great

And does adding clear coat over silver paint can give that amazing chrome finish? or depends brand of silver used?

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

My guess would be someone whose job involved waxing floors and hobby involved making models. Because, at the end of the day, the product is a sealer - it's job is to protect your pretty floor from the feet of people. An awful lot of "modeling" products are just day-to-day items, rebranded and marked up. (Don't get me wrong, there's also a lot of things intended for modelling that are better than the day to day item, but so many things are really no different.) Although in this specific case, I'm suspect the "use floor polish" tip goes back to at least the 1980s, so it's quite likely that there wasn't a hobby-specific product to use and folks were just experimenting, trying to find anything that would do the job.

Sanding sticks would be one of them. My mom was a hairdresser and she said to just go to Sally Beauty supply (no license required) and I've had cheap sanding sticks for years. Squadron and some other model tools companies charge you at least three times as much for a hobby version.

I think the first time I ever heard about using Future was in the late 90s in Finescale Modeler, but maybe the ILM guys were onto it before the average modeler.