Some of you probably already know one way (someone posted here) or another (rainbowten) that Japan has finally banned the exportation of spray cans (it is reluctantly understandable…). This means model spray paints and… *GASP* TOP COAT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! TToTT /Darth Vader
*ahem* Anyway… well, this means that I’m SOL if I need more top coat and whatever I have left in my room will be the last I’ll ever have in the US (6 fresh cans). I also have yet to see any American topcoat spray cans in shops. This ban reeks of major suckage because now I have to scrap many “refurbish” projects, possibly my Force Impulse project (repaint), and rationalize what I have left. With six cans and more models than I can remember, I’m gonna have to skimp on some and use this stuff only on the best/most expensive one. This also means I now have to shuffle my model schedule around too… so expect some changes for the next few planned reviews.
I was somewhat expecting this to happen one day…but not this soon. Since last year, I’ve already been seeing imported Japanese hairspray and household chemicals being banned from Asian supermarkets here… so it was only a matter of time. On the bright side, this just gives one more reason (among hundreds…) to move to Japan :D
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July 5, 2009 at 6:12 AM
Future is indeed a gloss coat-only finish. And to apply it evenly on a model kit, you’ll need an airbrush – I doubt a mere atomizer will do a decent job ^^;
It’s not so much a ban on PAINT, but a ban on aerosol cans, being highly pressurized and containing flammable liquid and all. I myself was barred from taking the local railway train when security found me carrying spraypaints. Apparently, they also don’t allow glass bottles. So I feel everybody’s pain on this.
July 5, 2009 at 6:29 AM
i dont feel the pain in this… XD
July 5, 2009 at 7:54 AM
Try this. Take an aerosol can, and write LIQUID NITROGEN on it. Then, take the can to a railway station or airport. See what happens XD
July 5, 2009 at 8:45 AM
haha… there’s no railway station here in our country… and nice one kkte… im pretty sure i’ll be surrounded with cops for a while if i do that… XD
July 5, 2009 at 2:40 PM
I’m not having any luck finding any of the brands mentioned above D:
July 5, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Like stated before, you can use Future Shine floor protection stuff. You can mix it with Tamiya flat base to give it that matte look that you like. In fact you have more control over how much gloss you prefer. You can go for a silky matte look, with just a slight hint of gloss. Ofcourse, this all requires the use of an airbrush, which kinda defeats the purpose of your modeling style I guess. It makes things a lot more complicated :)
July 5, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Z, do you have a Walmart or some kind of hardware/home depot store where you are? You could try there and see what kind of coating sprays they have. Check the brands available then check online to see what the popular opinion is on each of them. Since these sprays will likely be way cheaper than the Mr. Hobby stuff, you could probably afford to experiment with different brands.
When looking at the results of different sprays, I used old, shabbily-made 1/144s, SD Gundam kits and leftover runners.
July 6, 2009 at 5:08 AM
i just love cheap brands… XD
July 6, 2009 at 10:05 PM
OMG!!!.. WHY!!!..
July 8, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Would you believe that the store I went to didn’t even know about the ban?!
Regardless, as you stated Z, I don’t see an exception being made for international retailers that sell Japanese-manufactured spray cans. Time to stock up!
July 12, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Wait, this makes no sense. I just got my shipment of primer and top coat last week.
July 13, 2009 at 9:20 AM
They haven’t stop shipment at a local store is Los Angeles. They received a new batch of topcoat last week. whew….had me worried for a while.
July 13, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Hmm… then guess you guys are lucky ^^;. I’m just going by what I read at rainbowten. Nonetheless, I should pick up what I see now…
January 29, 2011 at 3:00 AM
Hey there, just wonder how many models do six cans cover?