Hey, does anyone know how to get a mounted fish and its habitat to a really wet look. The Gloss I got from WASCO isn't that glossy. I'm looking for the fish to look wet and underwater. Thanks
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Jab;
Actually underwater the fish isn't going to look real wet. It has a more subdue look to it.
Coyote
I've seen pictures in WASCO and other places and they look real wet glossy looking. I kind of like that. I was just woundering if I have to do something special.
Seal the mount and base with sealer, sometimes it takes more than one coat!
Seldom do I have to apply more than two coats of gloss doing this.
You must also use a automotive touch up gun. I have yet to find and sealer or gloss (airbrush sprayed) that can match the shine from a touchup gun.
The secret is to look at the fish at angles and not allow the over spray to dry out befor the next pass of gloss.
Go top to bottom working your way from head to tail and spray at a angle 45 degrees wetting out the previous pass each time.
I just ordered the gloss spray can. So I need to buy it bulk and put it in auto spray gun? I also got the sealer from WASCO in a spray can. Are they not good products?
The spray cans from WASCO are good, you were saying you wanted the fish to look "wetter". If you are doing a standard mount and want it to look good, use the spray cans. If you are doing a mount and want it to look "wetter" use John C's method. He is not saying that the WASCO products aren't good, just that you won't get the same finish as with an auto sprayer. Just look at a car painted by a talented person with spray cans and cars painted by the same guy with a spray gun. The spray can job will look okay, but the spray gun will look much better. With the spray gun YOU will have direct control of the thinning and mix and not just using the "average" thinning or mix that you will get in the spray can. I use an automotive detail or touch-up sprayer, not the quart cup full size apray gun used to paint the entire car. I hope this helps.
Kurt A
I like my fish to look really wet. Shine and depth of shine is what gives them the wet look. I use PPG system 2000 Urethane clearcoat. If that doesn't make your fish look wet Nothing will. As stated above, however, a good Basecoat sealer makes it all come together. One note, System 2000 is not for penny pinchers. At $180.00 per gallon, plus activator, the initial start up can be costly. But a gallon goes a long way when doing fish.
The shiniest gloss on the planet is FP241 Competition Wet Look from WASCO. It is a two part gloss. You need a gloss gun and probably some thinner and retarder. The stuff in cans does not compare. The automotive gloss is 4X as expensive.
But still you need a good sealer for your base coat. I use WASCO FP fungicdal sealer mostly, but have used orange shellac on occasions.
I recommend The WASCO system with a touch up gun.
Pour some WATER onnit.
~ ETCC
You might want to try our acrylic gloss. It is in a water based emulsion so it is easier to use than any two part. It won't be as wet looking as some two parts but will be so much easier to use and the cost difference is no contest, ($28.00 per gallon). It will out perform any other single part gloss you can buy. We get the same effect of 5-6 coats of the leading "popular name brands" by using just 2 coats of Great Fish Gloss.
If you have questions you can call 866-424-7834 toll free, and we will be happy to answer your questions. Thanks...
you might want to be careful about "fugicidal sealers". My chemist informed me that it can either be a sealer or a fungicide, but not both, because of the chemical make up of both of these chemicals. The chemicals needed do not work together, they need two different compounds. Our gloss works well as a sealer for your skin mount fish, but it is not a fungicide, which is not needed if the skin is tanned correctly........