Quick chrome aclad II ?

[MidMazar]

I'm painting rims and i plan on painting them black with chrome lips. My question is can i use a clear laquer on them first and then spray alclad chrome on them? Do they come the same?

I would imagine the clear won't affect it because i still have a black base? Also i plan on using TS13, any problems using it on aclad?

Procedure:
Primer (alclad)
Black gloss (alclad)
TS13 Clear
Chrome (alclad)


Thanks
Mark

[ChillyB]

I hope someone with firsthand experience can chime in here on this. I can't, but it sure seems like you'd get the results you want from your procedure. I've heard of people using clear over the black first and claiming it is even better than Alclad just on the black.

So, who out there has actually done this? Results?

[KevHw]

I haven't had a problem shooting chrome over a cleared black base. I don't use TS-13 but I'm sure it would be fine...I use Halfords clear.

[racer93]

Originally Posted by ChillyB

I hope someone with firsthand experience can chime in here on this. I can't, but it sure seems like you'd get the results you want from your procedure. I've heard of people using clear over the black first and claiming it is even better than Alclad just on the black.

So, who out there has actually done this? Results?

Doesn't matter. What does matter and what does cause the absolute reflectivity of the chrome is the smoothness of the black paint underneath. End of story. And in order to get the best result, use enamel paint. I have no idea why only enamel, but other blacks don't give the same result (I've tried...).

Daniel

[MPWR]

When I'm doing rims like this, I spray them first with Acryl gloss black- I've found that it makes a great base for Alclad. Then mask with your favorite method (I usually use liquid mask for wheels) and spray the Alclad. Done.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Alclad II doesn't like to stick very well to TS series paint (or any lacquer). Use Alclad's own black base, or use an enamel base (black, or clear, or dark blue...color isn't as important as a perfectly smooth base coat).

[Jimmy09]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

Alclad II doesn't like to stick very well to TS series paint (or any lacquer). Use Alclad's own black base, or use an enamel base (black, or clear, or dark blue...color isn't as important as a perfectly smooth base coat).

Is the chrome the only 1 you use enamel under? The bottle that I have is the high polished alum. & it says to use a water based black. Does anybody else have any other shades that require something totaly different base?

[racer93]

Originally Posted by Jimmy09

Is the chrome the only 1 you use enamel under? The bottle that I have is the high polished alum. & it says to use a water based black. Does anybody else have any other shades that require something totaly different base?

You also use enamel base under the Highly Polished Aluminum.

Base color will give the chrome different "tints". Black is more neutral, but for different effects, you can use a base of yellow, red, etc. The effects are subtle, but cool.

Daniel

[Didymus]

It's odd that Alclad recommends black acrylic or enamel, because their "official" base coat is black lacquer. (At least that's what it says on the bottle.) It has a high-gloss finish. Unlike most lacquers, it brushes on very smoothly. I may actually try it as a final coat for small brushed parts where I want a smooth glossy finish.

I got the Alclad base because I can't get Testors spray-can black enamel to work right on suspension pieces and other small parts. I've tried it several times, and for some reason, it always wrinkles up. Maybe I have a bad batch.

Ddms

[racer93]

Originally Posted by Didymus

It's odd that Alclad recommends black acrylic or enamel, because their "official" base coat is black lacquer. (At least that's what it says on the bottle.) It has a high-gloss finish. Unlike most lacquers, it brushes on very smoothly. I may actually try it as a final coat for small brushed parts where I want a smooth glossy finish.

I got the Alclad base because I can't get Testors spray-can black enamel to work right on suspension pieces and other small parts. I've tried it several times, and for some reason, it always wrinkles up. Maybe I have a bad batch.

Ddms

No, the gloss black base from alclad is enamel, or at least it dries like enamel. It takes a LONG time, even in a food dehydrator, just like an enamel.

Daniel

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by racer93

No, the gloss black base from alclad is enamel, or at least it dries like enamel. It takes a LONG time, even in a food dehydrator, just like an enamel.

It does dry slowly, just like an enamel, but the folks at Alclad seem to think it's a lacquer. Go figure.

It seems smoother and silkier than enamels, though. And it flattens nicely and doesn't show brush marks.

Ddms

[racer93]

Originally Posted by Didymus

It does dry slowly, just like an enamel, but the folks at Alclad seem to think it's a lacquer. Go figure.

It seems smoother and silkier than enamels, though. And it flattens nicely and doesn't show brush marks.

Ddms

But, doesn't seem a little odd that the instructions for the Chrome paint specifically state black ENAMEL and only enamel paint is to be used as a base coat? I think it's simply mislabeled.

Taken from Alclad's website: "Chrome and only chrome should be used over gloss black model enamel paint." (Emphasis mine.) I was mistaken when I earlier said Hi-polished aluminum needs black enamel. Kinda strange, as it says on the bottle that HPA needs the black enamel base...

My $0.02.

Daniel

[Twowheelsrule]

I have put Alclad chrome over Tamiya gloss black and it looked fine however, the chrome came off easily when handled. I think the Alclad bonds better with enamel paint and last longer that way.


Mark

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by racer93

But, doesn't seem a little odd that the instructions for the Chrome paint specifically state black ENAMEL and only enamel paint is to be used as a base coat?

More than a little. And even odder that they would mislabel their own product.

I'm not a chemist, so I really don't know what constitutes an enamel vs. a lacquer. It does act like a very high quality enamel, though.

I've tossed my spray-can of Testors black enamel. It had the same wrinkling problem with two kits. It wasn't reacting with the plastic; in both case the parts were primed with Tamiya surface primer, which for me has worked well with everything else.

Be interesting to know if others have had a wrinkling problem with Testors spray-can black enamel. Maybe it was an old can. Do paints, like people, wrinkle with age?

Ddms

[taliesen]

Originally Posted by Didymus

It's odd that Alclad recommends black acrylic or enamel, because their "official" base coat is black lacquer. (At least that's what it says on the bottle.)

I think the fact that it says "Alclad II Lacquer" on the label is due to the way their labels are printed. They probably have a standard label that includes this wording to save money, and then they print the details of the paint in that specific bottle.