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 3, 2009 at 3:43 PM
@Gunstray now THAT would certainly please my parents…. no more spending money on plastics…XD
July 3, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Chaosblade, yes… when you spray too much on one area, the top coat will build up. Excessive top coat takes very long to dry and make the model look crappy afterwards. At that point, you need to wipe it off with alcohol and respray. I had to do that every now and then.
Ckai, the cans might be small but they get the job done for a little more than one model… and that is good enough for me. Proven quality for double the price is fine with me than skimping… and then have a mess to fix later. Though the only other brand I am willing to use as an alternative is Testor.
Arein, need to do some more shaking and faster spraying. Too slow and top coat will build up.
Chris, exactly why I am shuffling my project schedule around so I can hopefully cover at least the ones I want to put most of my effort in ^^;
sbhboi, the top coats I find locally needs to be used with an airbrush too. It comes in a bottle but it needs to be diluted as well.. way too troublesome @_@
Siroh, no picture I take can show completely just how much of a difference topcoat make. Not just topcoat but spray paints as well. I used to think “pff… big deal” about top coat as I was fine with straight-build… well, I am still fine with it but a little extra step doesn’t hurt ^^.
Aptkane, I’ve always been only spraying the outer parts ^^. No point spraying the inner frame besides the elbows and knees.
Darkage, I MIGHT just barely be able to finish the models I currently have…. but not sure if I can help a couple extra new models later down ^^;
Roy, it’s Japan this time though the FDA here has a hand in banning MANY other harmless things from Japan over the years…
J-Dub, the problem in my case specifically is… there isn’t any model shops here that have what I want.
Zro, it’s not like hobby shops outside of Japan get exceptions from the Japanese gov to allow them to continue importing spray cans… ^^;
Gunstray, Bandai will just have to stick a piece of candy in them and they’ll be good again for import.
July 3, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Finally…Some freedom!!
But what is this news?? I even ever tried using spray paint/top coat yet……T.T
does it apply only to US or world??
July 3, 2009 at 9:05 PM
@eyeshield30: Sadly, it applies to Japan, which in turn affects the world. Because the ban is not on the import of paints from Japan, but instead on the export of spray paints from Japan. XP
July 3, 2009 at 10:05 PM
i use american matte topcoat from hobby lobby and they work fine. any hobby store should carry some form of paint and coat, try them out some time. =)
July 3, 2009 at 10:43 PM
@z
there are a lot of other brand of spray paints that do the job better than those double-the-price-quality-proven sprays…. for example are pylox,bosny and rj london…. they are half the price of tamiya spray paints and are double the size and you cant tell the difference… XD
July 4, 2009 at 2:30 AM
Ah, Bosny is my brand of choice, as it’s the one that coats good and stinks the least ^^ I just recently got some Chrome and Gold metallic spray – I’ll test it a bit on some of my SD kits for the moment before I try them on the MGs.
RJ London has a nice selection of metallic paints, and their Metallic Gray is a near-equivalent of Gunmetal. Damn, Gunmetal’s fast becoming my favorite Tamiya paint…I’ve been using it on all my model’s rifles, guns, thrusters, and internal pistons!
July 4, 2009 at 4:02 AM
@ckai cydek
pylox stinks the most but it has the gunmetal color in its arsenal….both tamiya and pylox gunmetal are almost alike… XD
July 4, 2009 at 5:56 AM
i use bosny flat coat, it’s cheaper than mr. top coat, almost the same effect. i suggest you try it.
July 4, 2009 at 6:14 AM
I have to check the situation with Hong Kong – there’s still a lot around in hobby and model shops so it looks as if it’s not affected, but I need confirmation about the severity of the case.
July 4, 2009 at 6:37 AM
@Ako07
i agree…. almost the same results… XD
July 4, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Ercjohn, thanks for the tip on Pylox. So it has Gunmetal? Hm, that’s something to seriously consider, then. I’ve tried that brand before and it stinks to high heaven – one of my neighbors actually commented on that :(
I’m probably gonna have to start spraying well after midnight when everyone’s asleep ^^
Ako07, Bosny’s flat coat is pretty consistent, no? Though after several kits, especially MGs, I prefer to gloss them with Bosny Clear. Just my own taste, of course. I’d probably revert to flat if I do weathering.
July 4, 2009 at 8:50 AM
@ckai cydek
yes pylox has gunmetal but it’s not available most of the time…. the reults are quite good but as you pointed out it stinks a lot…. that’s why i stopped using it or now… XD
July 4, 2009 at 9:05 AM
@CKai: What if the smell is strong enough to wake them up? XD
July 4, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Rndm, I guess, I can always go to the roof of my house & spray there as a last resort.
Though I may be mistaken for some stalker or psycho if I’m seen late at night on the roof wearing goggles, gloves, and a face mask and holding a big metallic cylinder…
^^;;;
July 4, 2009 at 11:26 AM
sad news indeed :(((((
July 4, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Why do they want to ban these wanderful things?
July 5, 2009 at 5:43 AM
You can try floor wax like Future floor wax.
July 5, 2009 at 5:43 AM
@kkte
threats of terrorism i think… XD
July 5, 2009 at 5:51 AM
@mechwarrior
is that the acrylic wax that is used by a lot of other plamos???????? i think that’s for gloss coats only… XD