peteski

You are correct Craig - I had those two paint lines mixed up.

That seems to be unrelated to "tamiya paint".

The often used excuses are that airbrushes are too fussy and that the cleaning them is a real chore. But to get back on track, that Testors paint spray can line is long gone. There might be some leftover in modeler's workshops and some hobby shops. I also miss those paints, but OTOH, the metallic flakes in the metallic paints were way too coarse (out of scale). While when viewed in person, that was not very objectionable, close-up photos of the models showed the large flake size. Models looked like bass boats with their metallic glitter finish.

No airbrush, eh? That is one of those tools which really improves the quality of modeling. It is a one time expense which pays for itself many times over in the long run. Some of us actually buy spray cans and decant the paint to spray through the airbrush (because that gives you so much better control over the painting process). Plus it gives you access to a huge selection of paint brands and colors not available in spray cans.

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. I haven't priced Scale Finishes, Gravity, or Zero paints, but they probably have price comparable to Tamiya.

Of course not. It is always about maximizing profits.

Thank you Steve. I feel honored and proud that El (founder of BMF Co.) selected that photo to use on their product packaging. Those 1:32 Gunze Sangyo kits are basic, but also very nice.

Probably cheaper and more environmentally friendly than chrome plating.

Very useful info - thanks Dusty! I did not know what you meant about Alclad "dusting up", but now I understand. If misted almost dry, it will create a "dusty surface. If you apply it too wet, it will dry looking dull. I guess I figured out the right technique to airbrush Alclad II chrome heavy enough not to "dust up", and still result in the "chrome like" shine.

Good info - thanks! Are all part sprayed with AK? I'm asking because some look chrome-like wile others look like dull aluminum. Are the dull ones the wones you rubbed out or polished? I'm not surprised that polishing/rubbing any of the fragile "chrome" paints or inks dulls the look. Just like with the factory (metalized) "chrome" parts, the "chromey" layer of the metallic particles on the surface is very thin. If you started rubbing out factory chromed pieces those would aslo get dull (or even show the underlying plastic).

Well, is the cost more than just time waiting for the paint to soften? You could do other things in the meantime. Or are there other real costs involved?

Thanks. I have the Aoshima kit, and the add-on scanning LEDs module. One of these days I'll get to it.

Well Luke, this is a discussion forum. Not sure why discussing things (still related to the topic) is so bad, semantics or not. What might be common knowledge to you might not be for others. I'm sorry that you're sorry. If you are still anxiously waiting for the OP to post examples, maybe PM him and ask him to hurry up.

Looks good! Which kit of the K.I.T.T. is it?

Compare what we use to a glass mirror. It is a smooth (glossy) pane of glass with thin layer of silver applied to it. If you instead applied that same silver coating to a piece of textured glass, it would still be silver, but instead of mirror-like reactivity, the light would be scattered and reflected image would be jumbled. Same happens with the "chrome" liquids we use. Then require a smooth (which by definition means "glossy") surface to make the chrome paint give that smooth surface reflectivity. If applied over flat or satin primer, the rough surface will scatter light and chrome will look more like silver paint.

Yeah, as long as it is glossy, base coat color is irrelevant. But the color of a base coat is not critical even with Alclad II. Some modelers do not use black.

This behavior could be leftover from the early COVID pandemic time where contact between humans was discouraged. Signature requires a close contact. Still, not cool to not enforce the signature required rule on valuable items. I wonder if you were not home, would the drivers have left those packages at your door, or took it back with them?

For any chrome-like coating to look like a shiny mirror-like surface the painted surface has to be smooth (glossy). If the surface is not glossy, the chrome effect will be diminished.

Ah yes, those were the days. Might as well add my own '76 Camaro for the day. Looking at it now, I think I overdone it a bit, but I had lots of fun in it. 14" on the front, 15" rear.

Kyle, this is a subject that comes up every once in a while. Please read through the thread below as it pretty much covers all the answers.

And this info came from a very reliable source, and it has been verified.

I doubt anybody even understood what a "simulation" is back in the middle ages. As for Flat Earthers, that just goes to show us hoe messed up Homo Sapiens species is.

So it is the "new improved chrome", not "bright chrome" (the stiff foil). Why not give it a quick test to see how pliable it is? Maybe try to apply it to some leftover plastic part? Or even to some bare plastic model car body. You can always remove it after the test.

You have to watch this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi9BRgjvOlk I did not embed it because it is PG-14. All the Foamy Squirrel videos are a hoot.

The question is "why?" Why would someone "out there" create such an elaborate simulation? What would be the purpose? Is Earth really spherical or flat? Is universe really infinite? The problem with advancing knowledge and science is that humans now come up with such strange thoughts. Wouldn't' it be better to live in dark ages where our minds wouldn't ponder such unusual theories?