Alclad II

[924_CarreraGTS]

What type/brand of paint would you recommend to use under Alclad II chrome lacquer? I know it should be gloss black; however I need to know what is the proper type.

Thanks,

Alex

[MPWR]

Did you try their website? It tells you everything you should need to know....

[freakray]

On the bottle, it says:

Prime surfacess using GLOSS BLACK ENAMEL PAINT

Personally, I've had good success with Testors gloss black enamel.

[924_CarreraGTS]

Well, my bottle says to use Alclad II brand gloss black LACQUER, and I was under the impression that using lacquer over enamel was a very bad idea. But, I got the chrome from a hobby store that did not have the black, and the only Alclad black I can buy is a huge bottle that costs a ton. I only need it for one bumper (at the moment). I will try the enamel for sure, but I didn't think that was OK. Thanks for the help.

Alex

[Zurbert82]

I bought a 2 OZ bottle of their enamel gloss black base for about $2 or $3. It went on super smooth and was ready for the chrome after about 1 day. I sprayed the exhaust pipes and intake trumpets on my MP4/5B and they look brilliant. You can also use basic Testors gloss black enamel or any other gloss black enamel, but the Alclad brand is nice in that it's pre-thinned. Remember, chrome MUST be sprayed on top of gloss black enamel or it will rub off.

[924_CarreraGTS]

OK thanks...I have Testors enamel and will use it. What did you clean the airbrush with? The bottle says "do not use mineral spirits" but I really am tempted to use lacquer thinner. There's not much that stuff won't clean up.

Alex

[Joe Blyth]

924, I clean my airbrush with lacquer thinner no matter what type of paint I use. You should be fine if you use lacquer thinner.

[Nutsforcars]

I also never used the Alclad black gloss laquer. It's just never available at my hobby store. Be careful using the black enamel under the Alclad chrome. I did that and it looks good, initially. Somehow, the chrome does not bond with the black enamel and rubs off very easily. I tried Krylon gloss black and it works very nice. It seems to be some kind of lacquer and dries quickly to a very smooth surface. The Alclad chrome sticks very well to it. As an added benefit it's very cheap compared to model paints.

Cheers
Jens

[Zurbert82]

Originally Posted by Nutsforcars

I also never used the Alclad black gloss laquer. It's just never available at my hobby store. Be careful using the black enamel under the Alclad chrome. I did that and it looks good, initially. Somehow, the chrome does not bond with the black enamel and rubs off very easily. I tried Krylon gloss black and it works very nice. It seems to be some kind of lacquer and dries quickly to a very smooth surface. The Alclad chrome sticks very well to it. As an added benefit it's very cheap compared to model paints.

Cheers
Jens

Alclad doesnt make a gloss black lacquer as far as I know. The only gloss black I have seen from them is an enamel, even though the label may say "Alclad II Lacquers", which is actually the name of the company. Alclad chrome is engineered to be applied over gloss black enamel as stated on their website. I've never had a problem with it rubbing off, it bonds pretty well.

[no_tofu_speed]

I've heard this stuff is the most realistic looking chrome finish available.... but it has to be airbrushed.
Can you actually use it to paint small detail things by brush by any chance?
Whats the most realstic brushable paint on the market?
(Sorry if this is kind of side tracked in topic).

[Joe Blyth]

You can't brush it. The best way to replicate a chrome finish without an airbrush is with BMF.

[MPWR]

Originally Posted by no_tofu_speed

Whats the most realstic brushable paint on the market?

Looking for a good brushable metalic paint is a bit like looking for a cheap Ferrari. It's just not going to be realistic. For a good finish, metallic finishes almost always have to be sprayed. They will show brush stokes if brushed on, and obviously that ruins the finish.

That said, it is sometimes possible to apply metallics by brush on very small parts. Usually this can be done on parts that are really too small to see any quality of the finish- where only color is important.

This shift knob is nothing more than a sewing pin with a black plastic ball head, that's been dipped in Alclad a few times.



It looks the part fine, but mostly because it's too damn small and curved to see if the finish is in fact 'perfect'.

The wheel nuts here have all been brush painted with alclad.



Again, it's an application where color is important but the part is too small to judge finish quality. To the naked eye, there is actually a good contrast on the Alclad chrome versus the Metalizer steel.

But larger than these parts, you'd best spray for a metal finish....

[no_tofu_speed]

MPWR, thanks a heap..
That is exactly what I meant about small detail. Things that are not really sprayable... Like lil bits of trimming like door handles etc.
Just wansnt sure if it would bond and hold, or if it would discolor or something if not done using an airgun. Thanks!