Hairspray and weathering Options

[Prescotian]

I am about to take my first tentative steps into weathering stock and buildings using powders. In my primary school teaching days, you could easily spend nearly £8 on a 300ml can of art fixative for charcoals, pastels etc. Those in the know would spend a pound on cheap hairspray from the local pound shops and they were just as good. has anyone tried using hairspray instead of the official weathering powder fixatives from model shops? The tacky scent soon dissappated!!!!!

[Mercator II]

Never tried hair spray for weathering, but it is good for makin trees, i use it to stick the flock and scatter to saefoam/moss and build up the layers, They smaell can get a little over powering but it does disperse quickly

[Brian Considine]

&, of course it can often be obtained FOC from the dressing table when SHMBO is out !

[Solway Firth]

Another vote for hairspray as cheap fixative - it's handy for all sorts as it's easy to get off with a spray of water.

Come to think of it, there are a lot of "ladies" items that have been mentioned - eg nail varnish for insulating wires (and nail varnish remover for many odd jobs), tights for straining paint etc. It's alright for you married types, but the looks I get at Tesco's worry me at times - most of the checkout ladies know I'm not married as I took my dear old mother there for many years and now they know I'm not married and care for her full time!

[Cpt Jack Sparrow]

&, of course it can often be obtained FOC from the dressing table when SHMBO is out !

I use the very same trick

Paul

[Brian Considine]

I use the very same trick

Paul

Actually, I can't use this one - the ladies in my house don't use hair spray !

[PeterPug]

Check the ingredients first! I suspect that these things have become a bit less pure. I picked some up to use on a painting (fix pencil lines before painting over them) and noticed that it contained bleach among other noxious chemicals. I don't know how much bleach, didn't look into the rest, just decided it wasn't a good idea to use it......

[Prescotian]

Thanks for the bleach warning!

[spurno]

what about the safety aspect,hairspray is usually highly inflammable.

cheers

alan

[theakerr]

I use it all the time for fixing weathering powders. Only real problem I have is now that so many coaches come with flush glazing that cannot be removed, the hair spray will "etch" the window. I have also found that some plastics the weathering powder actually goes into the lattice/microstructure (Hornby Gresly's especially the roof). Thus no fixative is required although it does mean one has to be very careful.

[john woodall]

Never tried hair spray for weathering, but it is good for makin trees, i use it to stick the flock and scatter to saefoam/moss and build up the layers, They smaell can get a little over powering but it does disperse quickly

I have to disagree here with using hairspray for making trees. By its nature hairspray is water based and as such over time (about2-3 years) it will totally dry out and the flock starts falling off tress, great if you want an acid rain forest, but ultimately a pain in the behind.

I use a contact adhesive that wont breakdown over time.

As for fixing chalk, I dont bother, but then I dont handle my stock very often and so the chalk just sticks in place.

John

[10001]

.......... By its nature hairspray is water based and as such over time (about2-3 years) it will totally dry out and the flock starts falling off tress, ........

John

Could this be the reason for the increase in the numbers of bald women.???