Alclad II vs. Kosutte Gin San...bye, bye Alclad!

[Luis Pacheco]

Originally Posted by denilsonvm

Test with Kosutte + Future Floor... it loses some shine





Regards,
Denilson

Hi Denilson

Did you airbrush the Future or by paint brush?

[sbvwfanatic]

Just ordered some Kosutte from Hobby Search. After reading through this thread I can't wait for it to arrive.

[Lownslow]

spazstix polished with kosutte

[denilsonvm]

[JesusM]

Originally Posted by denilsonvm

Denilsonvm, What did you use? It is amazing

[denilsonvm]

Originally Posted by JesusM

Denilsonvm, What did you use? It is amazing

Black paint, clear coat, polishment, kosutte.

[sbvwfanatic]

That GTR is incredible...
Just got my order of Kosutte san from Hobby Search to Cal. shipped on 4/24 received today, 4/28.
(Not bad for $14. shipping) That included some Aoshima wheels. Now to read through this thread
Again before I start. (Any advise on using for wheels?) I've got two sets of wheels I plan on using it on.

[guillote68]

AMAZING Finish work!!!!

[denilsonvm]

That a look at my Chromed GT-R thread... http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul....php?t=1091150

[Brandon Miller]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kosutte-Gin-...-/221603580819

On Ebay

[sbvwfanatic]

I know, bringing this back from the dead-files...
So I've used this on 3-4 test subjects, and in each case, it initially looks great, nice, shiny chrome. A day or two later it is turning grey. Not even close to Chrome.
Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

[Hemi Killer]

I haven't used it on anything but test parts and I don't think I still have them. If you were touching it with your bare hands, that might be a problem. Also the basecoat color might have an effect.

I wish I could be of more help.

[John18d]

sbvwfanatic

It is very important to use a "Enamel" base coat -

I use black enamel and then after I apply the Kotsutte - I rub it on well then buff it until I achieve the shine I want - then leave it to sit so that the enamel can dry and do not handle the part - enamels can take a long time to dry.

I also have only applied it to white plastic spoons.

Cheers
John

[sbvwfanatic]

Thanks guys.
No, not touching it w/my hands. Not sure I used enamel paint though. That Might be it.
So, John18d, you apply it before the enamel has fully dried?

[John18d]

Originally Posted by sbvwfanatic

Thanks guys.
No, not touching it w/my hands. Not sure I used enamel paint though. That Might be it.
So, John18d, you apply it before the enamel has fully dried?

svbwfantatic - kind of

I apply the enamel gloss black first - let it dry to touch 12-24 hours - just long enough that the enamel is dried to the point you can't leave fingerprints or wrinkle the gloss enamel skin when you try to apply the KGS to the model part by the action of rubbing.

Then apply the KGS by rubbing it on so that it adheres to the enamel base -

Then when I have achieved consistent coverage I tap off the extra KGS and buff it with a 100% cotton diaper, (yeah the kind they used to use long ago before the USA became a disposable economy - and talked moms into the plastic disposable diaper industry - that fills our landfills with non-degradable used diapers), sorry got off track.
Buff the applied KGS with the cloth of your choice, but understand that some buffing cloths will make scratches in the buffed KGS chrome finish.

After I have finished the buffing process I place the part on a shelf in a bookcase that I place parts to dry. regular painted parts along with any AlClad or KGS.

I usually leave the parts there depending on what is applied for 3-14 days. Longer if enamels don't completely harden where you live in that time frame.
I don't use enamels often if ever, except for the basecoat for KGS and AlClad metalic colors, when I did the KGS spoons back when this thread was new I left them for 10-14 days before I handled them again.
Keep in mind though - I live in Tucson, AZ and our temperature is usually between 90-110 Fahrenheit from April to October - and our humidity is usually 5-15% during that period unless it is raining which isn't often - so things dry faster here than most places, because the VOCs evaporate off faster due to the weather conditions.

I have not used this on a kit yet - when the thread started I quickly bought one from Japan and tried it out on the spoons as soon as I received it.
I'm not sure where the spoons are now - somewhere in a box I presume.

I got very good results on the spoons and figured I would use it when I get around to building a 1/12 Honda or Suzuki GP 500 motorcycle kit, because I planned to strip the Tamiya chrome aluminum plating off the frames and swing-arms.

Oh! one other thing I might mention that I use is a 12X18 X 1.5 inch Teflon coated brownie baking pan. When I apply the KGS and tap off the extra KGS, I work over the baking pan so that it collects the unused KGS that falls off for reuse later.
I found that the Teflon coating prevents the KGS from sticking to it better than other collection containers.
Make sure you don't spill the KGS all over your work place when you use it - I cover the flat table work surface with brown packing paper - you can get a huge roll of the heavy duty packing paper for $7.50 USD at Walmart.
Then when you are finished you can remove the paper by folding the underside over on top of the topside and dispose of it without making a mess.
I imagine "Wax" paper would work too, not sure of the size roll or cost.

I'm not sure when I will get to them, because I working on several of the Yamaha and a Kawasaki motoGP bikes and their frames and swing-arms are black.

For small parts like the bike radiator and a few other parts like the exhaust pipes - I use AlClad "gloss" black enamel as the basecoat and then various AlClad metalic colors, because once installed they are not areas that usually get touched by fingers.

I think I used the AlClad 'Gloss" black enamel as the basecoat when I did the KGS tests on the white plastic picnic spoons. But I cannot remember for sure.

Read the entire thread and see what successful model builders did, and then test their application and basecoats first before you do it for real on the model part.
This is NOT new news - many of the contributors to AF tell people this all the time.

I hope this gives you some insight to KGS success or any other type of finish you are applying to a model.

Cheers
John