Testors Metalizer paints,,have questions.

[gtx6970]

Ok short version of the story I want to try to replicate what looks like a brushed aluminum finish . with very, very little gloss if any . I'll call it a satin finish would be pretty close

I am somewhat familiar with the Testor sprays. As i've used them for exhaust systems finishes with good results.

But I see Buffing and non buffing.

Clear tops coats - buffing and then non buffing.

Whats the diffrences ?

This is the finish I am after.

And I am not totally against using an airbrush but would prefer rattle cans if at all possibile

Edited March 20, 2015 by gtx6970

[StevenGuthmiller]

Personally, I'd go with Alcad aluminum. The Metallizers lose a lot of their metal "sheen" when you seal coat them. & it would have to be sealed, especially for a body.

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

Some general info.

If you want a POLISHED metal finish, you'll want the "buffing" metalizer. Do PERFECT prep, lay it down SLICK, and give it plenty of time to dry... then polish it with a very soft cloth. DO NOT USE CLEAR SEALER if you want a polished affect. The Testors (and any other clear) simply makes it look like silver paint.

The buffing OR non-buffing are useful if you want an as-cast appearance. Shoot it dryer and grainy to get a surface texture.

I've achieved a similar finish to what you're after on my bare-metal Challenger I model using metalizers over a surface carefully sanded with 400 or 600 grit paper. The metalizer won't hide scratches that deep, and when polished, it looks quite believable. YOU WILL HAVE TO EXPERIMENT. If you avoid handling the finished model with bare hands, you don't need a sealer anyway. If it dulls a bit over time, a careful, light rub with a soft cloth (in the direction of the grain) will bring it right back up.

Under Glass http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/?showtopic=81398

WIP thread http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=65965

Edited March 20, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[gtx6970]

I forgot about Alclad ,,but that requires an airbrush .

If I can get say 90% close with a rattel can, I'll go that route. If I cant acheive my goal that way,,,,,,then airbrush it is . Its just not my first choice

With it being a full body handleing it will be a must to assemlbe it,,( its multi piece body ) I may build one with no paint to see how the kit goes together as a test run and get familiar with this things nuances .

I really like the finish on your Challenger build. Thats exacly what I would like to have once this is all done

[tubbs]

thanks for the tip Bill E. (great build by the way) I have wanted to replicate satin finish centerlines for a long time and everything I used up to but not including Alclad, has looked like silver paint. people have said use flat silver, but I can't find any.

[Ace-Garageguy]

With it being a full body handleing it will be a must to assemlbe it,,( its multi piece body ) I may build one with no paint to see how the kit goes together as a test run and get familiar with this things nuances .

I really like the finish on your Challenger build. Thats exacly what I would like to have once this is all done

If you carefully test fit everything before you do your final paint, and wear latex or cotton gloves as you assemble it after paint and polishing, you'll be fine. That's a very simple kit (the Club de Mer) with no guts, so you should be able to minimize post-paint handling anyway. To get the polished inserts, you most likely WILL have to go with Alclad, but you might be able to slide by with BMF.

Like I said, experiment.

[fseva]

I forgot about Alclad ,,but that requires an airbrush .

If I can get say 90% close with a rattel can, I'll go that route. If I cant acheive my goal that way,,,,,,then airbrush it is . Its just not my first choice

With it being a full body handleing it will be a must to assemlbe it,,( its multi piece body )

Testors #1451 Buffing Aluminum Plate comes in a rattle can. In regard to handling... I've never tried this before, but perhaps you could paint the body but wait to buff it until after it's fully assembled???

[Snake45]

Interesting question! I've been thinking of doing something very similar, a "naked" Shelby 260 Cobra. I have some experimenting to do, but I plan to sand the body with #400 or #600 as suggested above, and/or perhaps a Scotchbrite pad. From there I'm going to play with Rub N Buff, applied with a stiff-bristled brush (have done this on an airplane or two), and/or--don't laugh, now--a silver Sharpie.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Interesting question! I've been thinking of doing something very similar, a "naked" Shelby 260 Cobra. I have some experimenting to do, but I plan to sand the body with #400 or #600 as suggested above, and/or perhaps a Scotchbrite pad. From there I'm going to play with Rub N Buff, applied with a stiff-bristled brush (have done this on an airplane or two), and/or--don't laugh, now--a silver Sharpie.

I've used Rub n Buff successfully to produce a finish almost identical to the one on my Challenger. The problem with R n B is to get it on evenly over a large area.

I've found my fingertip to be the optimum application tool...but you'll have a silver finger for a while.

it will also tarnish over time, and will show oxidized fingerprints if handled without gloves.

The only hope for making a truly durable "brushed metal" surface is is applying a water-based clear (solvent clears ALL make the colors turn muddy metallic) after polishing. Rub n Buff is actually a wax-based product, and will likely cause fisheyes if sprayed with clear.

Experimentation is key.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

The problem with R n B is to get it on evenly over a large area.

It is if you're going for something like a chrome or polished aluminum look. I think this will be much less critical working for raw, brushed type finish.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Metallizer will give you the look your shooting for, but just keep a few things in mind if you use it. First of all the handling issue. I think Frank had a good idea with the polishing after assembly idea. That might keep you from rubbing off too much paint in some areas. Also remember that you absolutely cannot apply tape or foil over any areas that will be exposed on the finished model. The adhesive will pull off the top surface of some of the paint & leave you with a blotchy look that cannot be polished out. I've learned this from simply masking off mufflers painted with "aluminum plate" metallizer to spray the pipes a different color. I've also had it happen when foiling around an aluminum panel on a body. The nice thing about Alclad is, it's a lacquer, so it can take a lot tougher handling once it's dry. I use it on all of my aluminum paneled bodies now versus Metallizer.

Steve

[Jantrix]

On the easy-mode side of things. I'm quite pleased with Krylon Brilliant Silver as a good brushed aluminum color. It's metallic, very flat and covers well with very little paint.

[fseva]

-a silver Sharpie.

I use a silver Sharpie all the time, for detailing the knobs on black dashboards, etc., but I hafta tell you - it may go on looking silver, but the metallic look doesn't last, and it rapidly become a shiny gray... aw... maybe just gray...

[fseva]

The nice thing about Alclad is, it's a lacquer, so it can take a lot tougher handling once it's dry. I use it on all of my aluminum paneled bodies now versus Metallizer.

And yet, I believe Testors Metalizers are also lacquer-based. By the way, when it comes to Alclad, I love their Polished Aluminum, but their Chrome just doesn't have the same durability.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It is if you're going for something like a chrome or polished aluminum look. I think this will be much less critical working for raw, brushed type finish.

Oh, sorry. It's just that I've actually done it, and was sharing first-hand experience as opposed to theory.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[gtx6970]

Ok, picked up some aluminum plate metallizer today as well as some alclad dull aluminum

Question, does the alclad require an undercoat like there chrome does . is so,, I am all ears for recomendations

I've got a couple test bodies I am going to use as guinea pigs ( only have the one ClubDeMer kit ) ..so may start this this weekend

[ZTony8]

GTX-Go to Alclad's website.They have application hints there.

[Snake45]

Oh, sorry. It's just that I've actually done it, and was just sharing actual experience as opposed to theory.

I've done some experimenting with the methods I mentioned, too, including doing whole airplanes in one of them. I wouldn't have mentioned it here if I hadn't.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Snake45

[Ace-Garageguy]

To you guys who've used Alclad and BMF extensively...how well do they work under masking tape?

Steven Guthmiller implies Alclad can be masked. Is that correct?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Good looking P-47 Snake.

I didn't mean to be rude...it's just that I've done an all-over sanded-brushed body with R n B, and getting the material to coat evenly over an entire model while not filling the intentional visible sanding scratches that provide the realistic brushed look is challenging.

There are a lot of variables with the R n B, and one thing I've learned is to make sure you use fresh material.

The first time I tried the stuff on a large area, I ruined a 1/32 Spitfire wing, and there was no saving it...which is why I ended up experimenting extensively, literally over the span of several weeks before doing the Challenger model.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

Good looking P-47 Snake.

I didn't mean to be rude...it's just that I've done an all-over sanded-brushed body with R n B, and getting the material to coat evenly over an entire model while not filling the intentional visible sanding scratches that provide the realistic brushed look is challenging.

There are a lot of variables with the R n B, and one thing I've learned is to make sure you use fresh material.

The first time I tried the stuff on a large area, I ruined a 1/32 Spitfire wing, and there was no saving it...which is why I ended up experimenting extensively, literally over the span of several weeks before doing the Challenger model.

I agree about RNB and the filling of scratches. But the method I discovered to apply it--with a stiff brush, and very thinly--might work for this. That's how I put the RNB on the two airplanes above (over an airbrushed primer of the wonderful old Pactra Steel).

I agree with you completely about using fresh RNB. An opened tube might last as long as a year, maybe not even that.

The very first airplane I did in RNB was a Monogram P-38 I did in high school. I put it on with a rag over bare plastic that I roughed up a little with #00000 steel wool to give it a little tooth. It looked great--very shiny, almost chromelike--for many years, and then it seemed like the stuff just wore or "evaporated" away. The model was still shiny and looked like aluminum from 2-3 feet away, but look at it closely and it just looked like some kind of shiny glitter coat on the bare Monogram "silver" plastic. Couple years ago I took the decals (now very yellowed) off it, painted it in Floquil Old Silver (or maybe Platinum Mist, I don't remember which), then repainted the antiglares and put new decals on it. Looks great for something I built more than 40 years ago. (Sorry, I don't seem to have a pic of it loaded up on photobucket.)

[Snake45]

I use a silver Sharpie all the time, for detailing the knobs on black dashboards, etc., but I hafta tell you - it may go on looking silver, but the metallic look doesn't last, and it rapidly become a shiny gray... aw... maybe just gray...

Interesting. I haven't had that experience at all. In fact, I just looked at some Sharpie "chrome" trim I did on some diecasts at least four years ago, maybe six or seven, and it looks exactly as it did the day I did it--just like Testor Chrome Silver little bottle paint, except NO brush strokes or unevenness, and it actually dried. I love the Silver Sharpie so much that if they quit making them, I'd have to consider giving up car modeling and go back to airplanes full-time.

[Mike_G]

Aluminum plate metalizer buffs out the shiniest, but is rather fragile- stainless steel metalizer is more forgiving.

[Snake45]

I want to build something like this, but a little rougher, not quite as shiny,

Maybe about like this:

Edited March 21, 2015 by Snake45

[StevenGuthmiller]

To you guys who've used Alclad and BMF extensively...how well do they work under masking tape?

Steven Guthmiller implies Alclad can be masked. Is that correct?

Yes Bill. you can mask over Alclad. It's really no different than any other lacquer paint. Although it's not as tough as something like Duplicolor. Just remember Duplicolor clear does not play nicely with Alclad! Found that out the hard way! Masking over foil is a little touchier. It all depends on how well your foil is stuck down & what kind of tape you're using. I don't have a whole lot of experience with this, but I would think you'd be fine using a lower tach tape such as Tamiya Or blue painters tape. But, it's kind of a BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH shoot.

Steve