Cleaning tank after clear coat

[Skyhawk72]

Hello everyone, I’m looking on a suggestion on what to coat the paint on my tanks with. I just finished painting my Heng Long Abrams, and sprayed it with matte clear. I’m happy with the results, but yesterday I had to take the turret off and I ended up getting a little grease on the turret. When I tried to cleaned it off, (water on a clean towel) it took the matte clear right off and left a huge water mark. I repainted it and cleared again, but my question is, is there a product that will leave a durable top coat that can be cleaned, or allow the tank to be out side if it sprinkles on it without ruining the paint?
Thanks in advance!

[DavidN]

For all my outdoor tanks, I sprayed a thin layer of this on from a distance of a foot. It's about $4 at Walmart. After I run the tank outdoor, I use an electrical air pump to blow the dust off. I also use a big paint brush. No effect on the tank. And I can put the tank back on the shelf :-) If anyone has other method, please share!

[Skyhawk72]

Ok cool. Does it make the surface glossy?

[Rubicon99]

Ok cool. Does it make the surface glossy?

It makes them semi gloss.

Dont worry to much about grease, oil, dust or even light mud getting on you tank. It will all add the the overall weathered look. Unless factory new real tanks are dirty grimy machines.

[SoCalBobS]

What is this "cleaning a tank" of which you speak? I don't ascribe to the mud-wallow effects one sees on static models, but 10 minutes on a dirt road and there will be dirt and dust everywhere, especially if you're not the first tank in the column!

Seriously though, David's method is great. I do use hobby brands of clear matte (more expensive), and I haven't experienced any rubbing off with water. Most are lacquer based so water shouldn't affect it.

[Sureshot]

I have used Rust-Oleum "Dead Flat" clear on a few of my tanks. It looks good and really helps get rid of the reflection from water slide decals.

Steve

[Skyhawk72]

Thanks for all the replies! I agree about letting them get weathered on their own. It bothers me more that if I get drops of rain on them it leave big white circles. I take my tanks our camping with us so inevitably they get raindrops of them at some point.

[RichJohnson]

Water drops are gathering the dirt and dust and collecting it to a drop point and then holding it in the capillary attraction until it drys in a circle.
when this happens, gently rubbing it with your finger to remove the spot and let it get dirty again, or just let it go and then wash your tanks off later with a spray bottle or hose on very low and a gentle brush like a paint brush.
I use my tanks with my landing craft in a saltwater pond so I have to wash them after hitting the beach for preservation.

[Skyhawk72]

So for example, I blew on my tank to knock the dust off of it and a small droplet of spit hit the tank and it’s like it removes the tamiya matte clear. I let that dry on it’s own.

[RichJohnson]

Have never seen that happen. You should probably redcoat your tank with a sturdier clear coat. I have used a testors dull coat in a glas bottle and airbrush it on. Quite durable.

[Skyhawk72]

I actually tried the testers dull cote and that’s actually why my tank is painted. I weathered the original paint and then put a coating of dullcote on top. It got rain sprinkles on it and did the same thing. I tried to polish the drops out and recoat it and that made it worse. So I ended up just painting the tank.and hoped that the tamiya matte clear would be better than the dullcote, but I think its the same.

[DavidN]

Thanks SureShot. I will go to HD to get the dead flat today and try it.

[Skyhawk72]

I just did the dead flat on mine. It’s shinier than just the matte clear, but I think once it gets dust and weathered it’ll look great. Thanks for the tips everyone!