misterNNL Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I am rounding third and headed for home on my scratch built 1/25 1940's era Airfloat travel trailer project.After a lot of research and careful measuring it's time to paint.I decided to go for a sort of polished bare metal finish so I am using the Spaz Stix ultimate chrome paint in rattle cans.I found this in a hobby shop that carrys a lot of RC stuff.The base Is their# 10209 ultimate black backer and the finish coat is # 10009 mirror chrome.Base dried quickly in today's 75 degree weather.Top coat went on without any disasters as well.Then being unsure as to wether the top color would finger print I unfortunately decided to clear coat it with Testors # 1261 gloss clear.After the first coat I wished I hadn't done that.The clear actually dulled the surface making it look like just any other silver paint job.I repainted it starting with the black backer then the mirror top and all looks like was intended to look.My paint is Not a mirror finish as there was no way to create a super smooth surface with ribbed side panels and 850 rivets showing but overall I am pleased.My whole point here is to caution other builders to think twice before clear coating this product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugman9317 Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I did the exact same thing thinking the gloss coat would make it look even better. Just chalk it up in the memory bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
935k3 Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Future is the best thing to use over it because it is a totally neutral clear that does not react with the paint. All other clears will react with the paint to some extent. Future will dull it a bit but not to the level of other clears. If you don't like or want it off it strips with straight ammonia which does not effect the underlying paint(except water based acrylics) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Another vote for Future (Pledge Multi-surface ... blah blah, blah, whatever they call it now). Alclad also sells a water-base clear for their mirror-finish paints. It is white in a liquid state but dries clear. Either of these should not change the sheen of your metallic paint.Those high-shine metallic paints have thin flat metallic particles with very shiny surface (like microscopic mirrors). When they are applied over glossy surface, the metallic particles lay down flat and align with each other as the paint dries, creating a large mirror-like surface. If a solvent-based clear coat is applied over those paints, the solvent partially softens the base layer - that messes up the alignment of the metal particles. When they are no longer in alignment, the mirror effect disappears and they look like any other metallic paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I've used Spaz-Stix a few times and never use any clear over it. I'm pleased with the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Thanks for the information Peter.I never had idea of the chemistry behind the finish.Pretty cool actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeatMan Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 I used Jacquard clear varnish, but Pledge works as well. I did the same and then read the can which specifies water-based clears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairlane1320 Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 I just did this tail panel and bumper with Spaz Stix. I'm going to need to detail the tail panel with a black wash. Is this going to be a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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