A Low-Odor Wash

[Slim Pickens Voice] “Yeah that’s right you old cowpokes with your washes made of mineral spirits and the like are stinkin’ up this here rodeo. So pay attention, or don’t, but you’ll need to know this sooner or later.”[/Slim Pickens Voice].

One of the things that consistently forced me to use smelly solvents was a “wash.” Along with metal finishes this constituted a major problem when it came to keeping my model building clean and green(ish). So I developed a way to make a wash using Future. Now I will briefly make several mildly offensive jokes about the fact that Future is not available everywhere.

[Comcast Customer Service Voice]

I am so sorry you have no Future, Sir.

I am so sorry.

Future go bye-bye.

I am so sorry sir.

[/Comcast Customer Service Voice]

The best way to make a wash out of Future is to use ordinary food coloring.

This is how the cheap stuff from the grocery store looks in my neck of the woods. You mix ALL the colors together to make a dark, dark color. Black-ish. You put it in a jar of Future (you need to start saving empty jars) until it looks “about right.

I took the resin engine that, for some reason, was included with my High Planes P-47N kit and brushed on the wash fluid, “generously” as they used to say.

Notice that it is shiny. A smarter person might be able to figure out a way to simplify this method, but I just use some clear flat to kill the sheen.

Apply clear flat “generously” until all sheen goes away or you get tired.

See you tomorrow!