Vallejo Mecha Gloss Varnish

[mattbakermk2]

Hey all - I know there’s a lot of love for a good 2 part gloss system, however... that’s not an option for me as I don’t have a suitable space or setup to ventilate and use it. So I’m firmly stuck with acrylic/water based solutions. I’m not modelling for high gloss final finish, I’m just looking for a mid build option pre decals and weathering. Alclad Aqua Gloss was my first thought, though the supplier I used for my order (needed other stuff I could only find with this particular vendor) is struggling to restock the Alclad product. However, I found a new Vallejo item from their mecha line. It’s meant to offer a much more resilient finish, which suits my needs very well as it’s currently for tabletop gaming models. It’s new enough that I can’t find any meaningful reviews. A few posts on Reddit that suggest it’s far better than standard Vallejo gloss varnish. Do any of you wonderful people have any experience with it that you could share... or recommendations otherwise? I have an older bottle of Humbrol Clear that’s served me well in the past, but I’m reluctant to use now given it’s age, and I’d rather something that will work through the airbrush over brush application now. Winsor & Newton Galleria was my other thought. I’m not interested in floor polish.

[mattbakermk2]

In case anyone is interested, as I couldn't find any good testimonials towards the mecha varnish, but plenty of cautionary tales regarding other Vallejo gloss products (in fairness, plenty of positive comments too), I plugged for the Winsor & Newton Galeria gloss in the end. And it performed beautifully through the Apex airbrush at about 20psi. I only gave it one thin coat in the end, which has proven plenty to set up a base for weathering. My oil pin wash flowed wonderfully along the panel lines, and clean up is as you'd expect. The gloss finish itself was better than I expected too, especially as this was only one coat.

[digger303]

A good outcome then...I use the Winsor & Newton Galeria matte and find it to be a good product.