Alclad II Tested

Recently, I tested some Alclad II to see how they actual look, so that I can use them for later projects. The ones I tried were Chrome, White Aluminum, Aluminum and Polished Aluminum, and they have unique differences. They're airbrushed on a cap of gloss black spray can to simulate the black undercoat.
Check the reflection of the fluorescent light on the surface.

First one is Chrome, and it's the best painted chrome I've seen. Only chrome that can surpass this is probably actual chrome plating by Chrome Tech USA, and Baremetal on a smooth polished surface.
Alcrad Chrome has a sense of depth, which mirror has, and you can see it toward the right of the image.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/958510alclad1.jpg

The second one is White Aluminum. It looks like a typical satin silver, and it's somewhere between flat and semi gloss. Other brand can do pretty much the same job, so in order to achieve this, you don't necessarily have to use Alcrad.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/498857alclad2.jpg

Third one is Aluminum. It's almost like silver, coated with a very thin layer of clear, and it looks great for a brand new aluminum wheel, which you can see clear coating when you take a close look.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/164235alclad3.jpg

The last one is Polished Aluminum, and as the name suggests, it's the most glossy one of three Aluminum I tried. It has a depth, and reflect light shapely, but it doesn't have the mirror like look of Chrome. If Chrome looks too gaudy, you can tone down a little by using this.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/557638alclad4.jpg


Since, Alclad highly depends on the base color underneath it, you can experiment on different colors to achieve unique results, and I'll leave it up to you.

(Boy, don't I like the new server? No busy message at all.)

Thanks for the comparisons. Good pics, they show the differences well!

I might have to invest in a couple of cans :)

Seems like a must-have, the alclad chrome.
Just to ask you , this stuff, is it just paint that you put in your airbrush, or can it also be ordered as a spraycan?

Bigfrit,
It comes in a bottle you have to airbrush, you can see more at www.alclad2.com
I used some yesterday on a model the wife is building, she wasn't happy with the finish on the kit wheels(revell beetle = crappy chrome), we stripped the chrome off them and used some gloss aluminum on them, looks good enough to be real:)
I recommend this stuff too.

Ray

Thanks a lot freakray !

The only thing to do now is to go and buy an airbrush and order a few jars!

Originally posted by freakray
we stripped the chrome off them

How?

Alex (the master of short posts - at least before it comes to the signature)

Alex,
With Castrol Super Clean, but I have heard you can use a spray on oven-cleaner too.

Ray

I assume you can't sand and polish the chrome surface to get rid of any orange peel. right or wrong?

Right, but you should be spraying this stuff on in such light coats that you should not get any orange peel, aside from the fact that it comes already thinned for airbrushing which should help.
I think it would take a very 'skilled' person to get this stuff to orange peel.

Is it for airbrushes only? Can you paint it on?

It's airbrush only, but you can probably get past that with small parts by using some skilled brushpainting techniques.

I used Alclad II Aluminum for the wheels on my Skyline in the contest over Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer, came out great.

An advantage hiro didn't mention that Alclad II has over Model Masters is that the finish is very durable, and can be masked ten minute after application (won't lift from masking tape). Model Masters tends to be more fragile, which is why they include a Metalizer Sealer as part of their Metalizer line, but the Sealer lessens the natural metal finish.

Cool comparison on the paint.

I just have a few questions that I think you might help me with. I just got an airbrush and going to use some of those alclad paint. How should i clean my airbrush after use. same as like all other paints or special way. Sorry I am new with airbrush so I don't know the right way to clean the paint yet but I am learning. Currently I just put a bit of thinner and water mixture to clean it. Is this correct or should i do something else.

THanks