Alsa Easy Chrome

[Maindrian Pace]

5 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

You do understand that this refers to large non-model kit applications like car/truck rims, bike helmets, etc.? Look at the speed shape in my photo. One coat of the urethane basecoat and one coat of Easy Chrome. That's it. It doesn't get any easier. But hey, if you want to spend 50+ bucks to re-plate a couple of bumpers/grilles, then maybe wait a couple of weeks to get them back, who am I to tell you how to spend your money?

 

Quoting Pete:

"Yes, I did some of the chrome work with a brush just to see how it would work." 

Nuff said. His pic says it all.

No, I don't understand what that referred to, it was what the website instructed, and there was no mention of what applications it did or did not apply to. That's why I wanted to know what it looks like on detailed model car parts. You see, on this and any other model car board or group, the members are going to be most concerned about how this product works on grilles and wheel covers, not speed shapes and cartoon model planes - which have scarcely any more surface detail than speed shapes. And as for Pete's pic, it truly does say it all, it looks barely any better to me than Testors Chrome spray paint. It doesn't look like kit chrome at all. So before I lay out the cabbage, I want to see what it looks like on a model car grille.

Tell you what Joe, I'll be happy to send you a fresh resin Maverick bumper/grille for you to finish with this product and send back. In addition to supplying return postage, I'll pay you $10 for the service, and then I'll post pics here to show what it looks like on the car and compared to vacuum metalized grilles. Why? Because I want to try it before I buy it. And if it works as you say, I will buy it.

 

[SfanGoch]

1 hour ago, Maindrian Pace said:

Tell you what Joe, I'll be happy to send you a fresh resin Maverick bumper/grille for you to finish with this product and send back. In addition to supplying return postage, I'll pay you $10 for the service, and then I'll post pics here to show what it looks like on the car and compared to vacuum metalized grilles. Why? Because I want to try it before I buy it. And if it works as you say, I will buy it.

If you really want to send the bumper/grille, no problem Mike. No need to pay me or for return postage, either. I'll do it just because. I'll PM my address to you. I'll let you know exactly when it arrives; then, I'll do the same with tracking info when I mail it back.

[SfanGoch]

Check yer inbox, Mike.

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

If you really want to send the bumper/grille, no problem Mike. No need to pay me or for return postage, either. I'll do it just because. I'll PM my address to you. I'll let you know exactly when it arrives; then, I'll do the same with tracking info when I mail it back.

Ok, I'm waiting with baited breath.

honestly Joe, I have to say that I'm with Mike about the finish on the plane above.

It might just be the lighting, or possibly the angle, but it doesn't look much better than Alclad chrome to me.

Although I will say that even if the finish is not much better than Alclad, if it's tougher, it might be worth it for that alone.

I might use Alclad for larger parts occasionally if it wasn't so fragile.

Many times for parts other than bumpers, a less than super reflective finish would be desirable anyway.

 

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

Do you want me to send you an Easy Chromed  bumper so you can decide? I've got your address,

[Maindrian Pace]

Fantastic Joe,

I'll send it to you in the next couple of days and PM you the tracking#. I'm looking forward to this.

-Mike

[StevenGuthmiller]

33 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

Do you want me to send you an Easy Chromed  bumper so you can decide? I've got your address,

Just a photo would do Joe.

I can gain a lot of useful information from just a good photo.

 

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

Hokay, Meester.

[SfanGoch]

Psssssst..............

[Maindrian Pace]

I got the bumper in from Joe a few days back. The Easy Chrome (EC) looks pretty good, very reflective and chrome-like, but not exactly like vacuum metalizing, or for the sake of this discussion, VM. Onto the pics.

Here we see the kit bumper, re chromed by Chrome Tech USA, no longer in business.

Here is the resin bumper finished by Joe in EC, installed in the car.

In these two shots, I wanted to get both bumpers in the same position and lighting so an accurate assessment could be made.

EC on top:

EC in the car:

The main concern that I had was if the layers of paint used in the EC system would obscure details, but it doesn't seem to. This is with application of the base coats with an airbrush, rattle can would not work as well. The second concern was if the EC dulls if rubbed with a soft cloth, as if to remove finger prints. I touched the bumper, then rubbed it off with a glasses cleaning cloth, no damage to the finish. That leaves the appearance. The EC is undoubtedly darker than the VM, and doesn't have quite the same reflectivity or depth of shine. It looks similar to a black chrome finish, though not as dark. Joe used a black base. The chrome is more blue in appearance, and this leads me to believe that if you used a medium to dark gloss blue as your base, the EC would come out a shade lighter, and be closer to the VM. I also would make the observation that the EC looks a bit more like polished aluminum, making this product ideal for '60s car grilles and related trim which were mostly anodized "Brite Dip" aluminum. That together with VM bumpers would give the car a more realistic contrast. In all, I think that this product shows promise, and experimenting with base colors could make it really pop. Thanks again to Joe for the sample piece.

[SfanGoch]

The EC is not darker than the VM. As I explained to you, the EC finish appears darker because I sprayed it over a semigloss black primer coat, followed by the clear urethane basecoat. I used the semigloss black because I was completely out of both white and gray primer.

The color of the primer coat absolutely affects the appearance of EC. If sprayed over a gray or white primer, the results would have been identical to the VM.

[peteski]

This is great info about Alsa Chrome - it should really be in its own thread. I wonder if we could ask the Mods to split the last dozen or so posts into Alsa Chrome thread?

[Mike77]

I wish there was another service out there comparable to Chrome Tech for those of us who don't use an air brush. Most of these spray-on/brush-on chromes come close , and it's great that they're available, but I've still seen none actually match plating. Call me lazy, but to send in parts and have them come back to me plated like a model kit was well worth it with Chrome Tech.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Mike77

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, Mike77 said:

I wish there was another service out there comparable to Chrome Tech for those of us who don't use an air brush. Most of these spray-on/brush-on chromes come close , and it's great that they're available, but I've still seen none actually match plating. Call me lazy, but to send in parts and have them come back to me plated like a model kit was well worth it with Chrome Tech.

I agree.

There's no comparison to the real deal.......so far!

 

 

Steve

[CabDriver]

On 5/2/2019 at 2:48 PM, SfanGoch said:

If you really want to send the bumper/grille, no problem Mike. No need to pay me or for return postage, either. I'll do it just because. I'll PM my address to you. I'll let you know exactly when it arrives; then, I'll do the same with tracking info when I mail it back.

Sounds like you’re starting a chrome plating business ?

Which is good, because I could use someone local who offers a  while-you-wait service!  Do you have coffee in the waiting area too? ?

[peteski]

On 5/29/2019 at 1:01 AM, peteski said:

This is great info about Alsa Chrome - it should really be in its own thread. I wonder if we could ask the Mods to split the last dozen or so posts into Alsa Chrome thread?

EDIT: looks like it was done - thanks mods!

[Pete J.]

Wow, I didn't know I started such a fuss!  Just an FYI for those who are interested.  The clear base coat can be thinned 50/50 with distilled water to get a thinner base coat.  I got this from Alsa when I thought the base was too thick to blow through my fine airbrush.  

Oh, and the P-51 was my first large application.  Not exactly perfect, but it was a gift for my grandson who is in love with the Mustang!

Edited July 8, 2019 by Pete J.

[SfanGoch]

I got the thinning with water from the description. I'd like to get larger quantities of the clear base coat. It works for other applications, too. I sprayed it as a gloss coat over acrylics so I could weather a Bradley IFV with enamels. Works great!

[Jantrix]

Good stuff guys. If it is durable, I'm sold.

[Pete J.]

25 minutes ago, Jantrix said:

Good stuff guys. If it is durable, I'm sold.

Oh it's durable all right.  If you look the photo of my P-51(above), I masked off the tail section to paint it blue.  No damage from the masking tape!  I have handled it quite a lot and you really have to rub it to get anything to come off.  

As mentioned before though, the color of your primer is very important to the final color as the metallic layer is very thin.  Blue for chrome, white for polished aluminum, black for stainless. 

Also critical.  You have to use their clear base coat before applying the metallic.  Failure to do this makes it work just like alcad and it will rub off easily.  There is some reaction between the metallic and the clear base that makes if far more durable. 

[ChrisBcritter]

I remember once Alsa had a sale on their chrome kit; how often do they do that?

[Pete J.]

3 minutes ago, ChrisBcritter said:

I remember once Alsa had a sale on their chrome kit; how often do they do that?

They just had one, I recall about a week ago.  The easiest way to find out is to join the mail list at the bottom of this page. https://alsacorp.com/shop/contact-us  They really don't bury you with emails.  I would guess I get one every couple of months, but typically the hobby kits are on sale for only a couple of days so don't wait if you get notification.  Of course you could get a few friends together and buy the pint kit.  That brings the price down to about $50 an ounce.

[PeeBee]

What shade of blue is recommended for the chrome?  And, taking my cue from AlClad, does it need to be gloss enamel?

PB. 

[Pete J.]

36 minutes ago, PeeBee said:

What shade of blue is recommended for the chrome?  And, taking my cue from AlClad, does it need to be gloss enamel?

PB. 

That is up to you, but a bright blue like Tamiya TS-10 french blue would give you  a light blue hue.  The under coat doesn't matter as to its composition(Lacquer or enamel) because no matter what you lay down as a first coat, the second coat has to be Alsa base which is a clear waterborne urethane.  Get a good glossy coat of that down and let it dry thoroughly before you spray the metalic. By thoroughly, I mean for me overnight in my food dehydrator.   The Alsa base interacting with the metallic is what makes it durable.  If you cheat and use something else the metallic will rub off.  Don't skip that step or you won't be happy!  By the way the base can also be used as a top coat if you need it for something like protecting decals but it isn't necessary. 

[SfanGoch]

Like Pete said, the type of undercoat is immaterial. Enamel, acrylic or lacquer all work. The Alsa urethane clear coat is a must, though. I experimented with Testors acrylic and enamel gloss clear coat, Krylon and Duplicor. All failed the durability test and the Alsa Easy Chrome didn't adhere well.