"Question on Minwax AKA "Miracle Dip"" Topic

I'm planning to try out the Miracle Dip (although I'll brush it on) soon to experiment with it but as the entire concept is new to me, I have a couple of questions:

1) The correct brand is "Polyshades" right, and the type is either Antique Walnut (for brownish) or Tudor Satin (for black, but this one is rare to find IIRC)? I've also seen that they have a water-based stain, can this work as well so I can avoid the turpentine and other messy stuff? If so, what color? I see an "American Walnut" color. Is there a major difference between the water-based and the oil-based stain? There's also "Woodsheen" which is in a squeeze bottle and looks like it's available at Walmart. Do these all work the same? Might be worth trying out if nothing else.

2) If I do end up getting the oil-based one, I should pick up Mineral Spirits to clean my brush, probably Odorless to be safe? Kind of a weird question, but I've never used turpentine before, is it safe to do this in like a kitchen sink, like put some in a cup as though it was water, clean the brush and pour it down the drain? Dumb question but I don't know and I don't want to ruin the plumbing at my apartment by accident :p

3) Should I thin (cut?) the Minwax with the mineral spirits before I brush it on, or can it be used straight from the container?

I far prefer washing with Future floor wax (or its equivalent), tinted with acrylic paint or ink. Water clean-up is a huge plus for me.

Doug

1. I use Polyshades English Tudor gloss, oil based. I use mineral spirits to clean brushes.
I do brush it on, I also set up some newspapers because I will use my breath to blow over the figure and remove any air bubbles caused by brushing.
Let the figures stand for a few minutes and then check for puddling, remove with the brush, blow again.
2. Don't confuse turpentine and mineral spirits, stay with the mineral spirits.
I don't pour it down the drain, save to a container and brig it to recycle day.
3. I sometimes use a brush damp with mineral spirits to remove excess stain that is stubborn( like I forgot to check the figures soon enough after the initial dip)
I use the gloss and oil based because it is tough. The figures won't show the full effect until dry for 24 hours. I feel a water based product will degrade from the moisture and oils on the skin.
If I want a dull finish I spay with Dullcote, after 48 hours.

Finally, I use a True Value hardware store, and they will special order me a case of six, I sell on the extra cans to friends.
You may find the Tudor at Lowes, I saw some at my local.

I have figures, Hittites, I dipped this way from 1998 that are still in mint shape paint-wise. This product also works well to maintain paint on 1/72 plastics.

I use water based stain. I thin it and brush it on. Easy and works great.

Do you happen to have any pictures? I would be keen to see how it actually looks in practice.

I think I might try the Woodsheen as well just for a comparison, since its relatively inexpensive and readily available. Great to know about the wood based stain though, I was not relishing the idea of messing around with mineral spirits or turpentine.

I use Tudor Satin, found at ACE or Home Depot

I just use cheep (Dollar store) bushes and toss them when done (but I wait to dip LOTS of figures)

I used the tudor satin when I did an army back in 1992 or so. I also brushed it on as well. I hit the figures with a coat of Testors Dullcoat as well a few days after (just to make sure it was thoroughly dry). The figures are pristine more than 20 years later and look exactly as they did the day I finished them.

However, I use Future now as it is water based and so much easier to work with.

Both products work very well, but I would guess that Minwax is far more durable.

You can also make your own for any shade/colour you like. If you want to sample it quite cheaply, get yourself a bottle of spirit based varnish, maybe Humbrol or similar, and a small tube of Artist Oil Paint, Burnt Umber or Vandyke Brown is a good place to start. Simply add a small amount of paint to the varnish, shake and away you go. You can also thin it with White/Minerals spirits for a lining wash.

I'd really prefer to use something ready made than make my own ; I've used the Future/Magic Wash before (I have a dropper with Future that I use for thinning colors and inks for shading) but that's an ink wash, it's not the same thing as Minwax/Quickshade for easy tabletop standard where you basecoat + dip/brush + varnish = done.

You have more possible ways to go (and more confusion) then ever.

But here are my now very ancient guides to using a "Miracle Dip" or "magic wash" as I think it should be called.

link
and
link

I hope the outside links still are active.

1)I strongly suggest avoiding Brown or Walnut or other colored stains. These you can try after a go with a neutral tone. It is "Minwax Polyshades polyurethane Tudor satin stain" that I recommend. In the US this can be had at Ace Hardware as others have mentioned. I like the "Satin" because I do some highlights and details after the dip. The Gloss or Matte (if they make it?) is probably just as good.
If you go with a water based stain or Future try Payne's Gray as your tone (but most blacks will do fine).

2)Do not pour turps or mineral spirits down a drain. Keep a resealable jar (such as a old jam jar)full of your cleaner. Even as it is discolored it will clean brushes for years and years. You can dedicate some brushes for oil based work or you can clean then with brush soap
link
This you can do in the sink.

3) Thinning is a matter of taste. I normally do not mix all of the pigment up from the bottom of the tin. If you thin the MinWax with turps or mineral spirits too much it will loose some of the "Magic". One can also mix in some uncolored "stain" to reduce the pigment load. I suggest you mix just slightly (rolling the can on its side for 3 feet or so) and brushing it on un-thinned.

That does confuse me more, but points me in the right direction. Thank you :)

If I go with a water-based stain, which honestly I am preferring right now for the easier cleanup, I might have to experiment to find the right color as there isn't a Tudor in that range (I see "Classic Black", "Onyx" and "Charcoal Gray" for the water-based, and only browns for the Woodsheen in the squeeze bottle).

I will, naturally, post my findings :)

Just a word of caution, if you paint your models using enamels (such as Testors), you really need to clearcoat them before dipping! Otherwise, the dip will "melt" the enamels right off. I had that happen on a batch of minis I was rushing through and forgot to clearcoat them. I normally use acrylics, but for metallic items I use Testors enamels, as they seem to be the best and brightest metallics I can find.

Here's my pictorial tutorial for using MInwax Polyshades for brush dipping. There's alot of pictures of dipped minis at the end of the article.
link

If you're having trouble finding Tudor, you can get it from any ACE hardware and if they don't have it they can order it for you in a matter of days. Go with satin rather than matte, as it will be easier to tone down the shine with a matte varnish afterwards.

As for Oil based vs water based, I've not used the water based, but the Tudor color is so good that I'm not going to mess with them. When using the brush-on method, the cleanup isn't any more difficult than with any oil based model paint. Just pick up a can of mineral spirits at the hardware store when you get the polyshades.