Testors Metalizer paints,,have questions.

[jbwelda]

the thing no one has mentioned is that the metalizer buffing stuff is only sort of paint. what I mean is it seems to have metal particle sludge mixed with it, so that the paint part dries out and off leaving a kind of grainy surface. its that surface you "polish" or "buff" but seems to me what youre doing is spreading the sludge around on the surface of the paint base it was contained in, and then that stuff gives you the "metal" look and sheen, particularly, in my experience, the aluminum plate color. that's why when you clear coat it it goes to a bad metallic look...you have messed up the surface effect and probably mixed it with the clear overcoat, and its also why it handles so poorly: you remove that buffed top coat, that never really "dries", and get down to the metal color base very easily. I find all this to be true with my using metalizer. and if you wipe your finger across the unsealed top coat, even after a year, you will leave a streak in the finish and your finger will have silverish particles on it where it wiped off the top "metalized" part. so it creates a real problem, I would say always use cotton gloves when handling because then at least you are more or less just polishing the surface, and don't wash or apply decals or really much of anything without sealing directly below where you are applying them. it is a very very delicate finish and I have wiped down to the base way too many times to really try a large area metal finish like that Challenger there (I remember that great build by the way, very impressive and I thought it would never get done from the complexity and from the surface mods and finish that you were trying to achieve, Bill)

jb

[fseva]

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.

Whoa... what's your secret? Do you apply only one coat? That's when I have the most problems - when I try to recoat - you would think it'd just take more silver and turn shiny again, but that's not been my experience...

[Ace-Garageguy]

... so that the paint part dries out and off leaving a kind of grainy surface. its that surface you "polish" or "buff" ...

jb

I've experimented with the stuff enough to find it works best for me to shoot it over a gray primer that closely matches the base color of the particular metalizer you're using. I'll sand the primer surface to about 1200 grit wet. ANY flaws in the prep will show in the final product. Metalizer fills absolutely nothing. That's why the 400 / 600 grit sanded surface works for the "brushed" effect.

Then, for a convincing polished finish, shoot the metalizer as wet as you can without running it. It will slick out and lie very flat with no visible grain (at least, not visible without magnification). 3 coats, with plenty of flash time in between.

Let it dry and harden up at least overnight. Then polish it with a VERY soft cloth, and it looks exactly like almost-full-polished metal (not quite...full-polish is as glossy as chrome and metalizer just won't do that). The gray primer gives you a little cheat room if you happen to polish it thin on edges. That's the reason for shooting 3 coats, too.

If you shoot it grainy and dry, you can NOT polish the grain out. It will look like a cast metal part that has the peaks of the rough-cast surface polished, but the grain will remain.

[Snake45]

Whoa... what's your secret? Do you apply only one coat? That's when I have the most problems - when I try to recoat - you would think it'd just take more silver and turn shiny again, but that's not been my experience...

No "secret" at all. It usually takes me 2 or 3 coats of the Sharpie to achieve good coverage, but the stuff dries almost instantly and I recoat in the same sitting. Maybe you got a bad one. I've noticed that they don't have much shelf life, either. I can use one for a few weeks and then it starts looking "thin." That's why I buy them in 4-packs. BTW, last fall I opened a "new" 4-pack I got at least two years ago, maybe three, and it was still good, but after you start using one, the countdown clock starts.

BTW, I played a little last night with laying Sharpie on a Scotchbrited junk '57 Vette body. The Scotchbrite gave me the brushed effect I wanted, but I now don't think it's gonna be possible to lay the silver Sharpie on a whole body without problems, even for a "rough" finish. You need to do overlapping strokes, of course, and the problem is that the solvent in the new stroke affects the color in the previous stroke. Not much of a problem in doing thin trim, but it's just not gonna work for a whole body.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Snake45

[gtx6970]

Keep the ideas coming fellas. I am soaking them all in.

I picked up paint yesterday.and plan to keep moving on this as time allows.

And while the desire to do this is hot to trot.

Not this weekend though...I am painting the floor pan on a shop customers 1968 charger......if all goes well it turns blue by the end of today. ........

Edited March 21, 2015 by gtx6970

[fseva]

No "secret" at all. It usually takes me 2 or 3 coats of the Sharpie to achieve good coverage, but the stuff dries almost instantly and I recoat in the same sitting. Maybe you got a bad one. I've noticed that they don't have much shelf life, either. I can use one for a few weeks and then it starts looking "thin." That's why I buy them in 4-packs. BTW, last fall I opened a "new" 4-pack I got at least two years ago, maybe three, and it was still good, but after you start using one, the countdown clock starts.

OK - I've got about 5 of them on hand, and use them all during a big session (like framing a windshield and other trim)... as one seems to dry out, I take the next one, and they're all standing cap-down to keep the ink at the tip.

[Snake45]

OK - I've got about 5 of them on hand, and use them all during a big session (like framing a windshield and other trim)... as one seems to dry out, I take the next one, and they're all standing cap-down to keep the ink at the tip.

I do exactly the same thing! The newer one is, the less of this is necessary, though.

You can also shake them like a thermometer to get the paint to the tip. Not TOO much, though, or you'll have a mess!

[fseva]

I do exactly the same thing! The newer one is, the less of this is necessary, though.

You can also shake them like a thermometer to get the paint to the tip. Not TOO much, though, or you'll have a mess!

Didn't know that... thanks for the tip!

[Snake45]

Didn't know that... thanks for the tip!

About two or three moderate flips should do it. Go nuts and you will have silver paint all over the inside of the cap--and soon, the outside, your hands, your workbench, your floor, etc.

[Quick GMC]

You can actually sand an polish Model Master Metalizers. It's not easy, but it can be done. So whatever color you use, like stainless steel, or aluminum , etc. you can use MicroMesh and a polishing compound. BUT, pretend you're polishing a soft dried powder, not cured paint.

It can be done to look incredible, however it's extremely time consuming and if you screw up at the end, it's all over.

If you clear any of these metal finishes, they lose their natural metal look.

I use both Metalizers and Alclad. They give two different finishes and I don't think one is necessarily better than the other, it just depends on the desired finish. They are both sensitive to handling and the oils in your skin.

[Ace-Garageguy]

You can actually sand an polish Model Master Metalizers. It's not easy, but it can be done. So whatever color you use, like stainless steel, or aluminum , etc. you can use MicroMesh and a polishing compound. BUT, pretend you're polishing a soft dried powder, not cured paint.

It can be done to look incredible, however it's extremely time consuming and if you screw up at the end, it's all over.

Cool tip. I see it's time for more experimenting. How many coats of metalizer are you using to allow this?

[Quick GMC]

Cool tip. I see it's time for more experimenting. How many coats of metalizer are you using to allow this?

I have a heavy hand, so when I tried this, i needed to do a few light coats at a time. Let cure, then do it again. I think I did 3 separate sessions in between curing. Probably 3-4 light, but thorough applications each time. Sounds like a lot, but it was like one airbrush cup full for a few parts like an oil pan and other small stuff.

I learned this from a retired Dentist on the large scale forum. Mine didn't turn out as good as his, but he had decades of experience with very light and tedious stuff. If you try and polish it like a clear coat, it's just going to burn through.

Honestly, you only want to polish the flat or large surface area parts. The compound should be enough for radiuses and edges.

It's frustrating to be honest. I don't believe Alclad compares to the Metalizers when they are sanded and polished like this, but it's so delicate I had a hard time with it and decided to try and master the Aclad. I love Alclad, but it is absolutely mind blowing what you can do with the Metalizers if you have the patience and the right touch.