How do the chrome pens do with trim, and with scripts?PICTURES please!

[GaryR]

Just bought some from Amazon, I hate painting so I'm checking out problems before I use them.

What's your experience.

I don't like BMF. It looks tinny, toylike and out of place, plus I'm an idiot when applying it!

I once was pretty good at painting trim, hoping the pens will do the trick.

I swear I was a better builder 50 years ago than now!

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[Casey]

 

 

Edited October 11, 2018 by Casey

[Tom Geiger]

I have a Molotow pen and it has it's uses but it's not a replacement for BMF.

People find out very quickly that they cannot paint a straight line!   If I was going to use the pen for trim, I'd want to tape it off with Tamiya Tape.. pretty much the same amount of work to use BMF.   

Molotow does lay down a decent chrome line, but you get one pass. If you try to get coverage of a larger piece and go over what you've already done, you will get marks as you dig into the drying paint.   It also is unforgiving, if you err and need to clean up a line against paint, it has distorted the shiny paint.

I have used it for touching up sanded mold lines and sprue parting spots on kit chrome. It does that well.  I've used it to chrome interior door handles and dash knobs.  Past that I'm sticking with BMF.

[THarrison351]

A Mustang emblem

Wheel

Edited October 12, 2018 by THarrison351

[MrObsessive]

A Porsche I restored (my own from the '80's) and the wheels and mirrors redone with the pens..................

To echo what Tom said, if you want to do the side trim you'll still need to mask off and trim the tape, then use the pen. To me that seems like extra work............better to get proficient with the BMF.

As the old saying goes..............."Practice makes Perfect"!

[espo]

I'm still trying to learn the in and outs of the Molotow pen. I'm not ready to use it instead of chrome foil and I may never get there. The pen has done wonders for me on small detailing and works better for small trim parts on the interior and dash. I see many other builders here who are doing remarkable trim detailing with it, but it will be like anything else where you just have to work on it and it will come in time.  

[Rider]

I have to say the pens do have their place and can produce some good results. The down side I have with them is you only get one shot at doing the 'chrome' you can't go over it again until it has fully cured or the first coat gets messed up. Which really isn't an issue when you get the hang of using them. 

[Fat Brian]

I agree with what everyone else has said, the Molotow pens are great for some jobs but doing a raised trim line is next to impossible. The paint is so liquid that it's a bit hard to control. It does blend well with plated parts so touching up attachment points and seams is much easier. I find the silver Sharpies work better for window but they aren't as shiny chrome as the Molotow pens. Below is a 1/64 truck I'm doing the trim on with a Molotow pen, you can see how the paint wants to run.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I think too many people are looking for some sort of "miracle" or "silver bullet" with these pens.

I agree with most of the sentiments here.

The pens have their place, but if you think you're going to whip out a perfect trim job in a few minutes by just pulling out your magic pen & drawing on some trim, I believe you are mistaken.

Model building is supposed to be an intricate & time consuming operation.

People need to learn to take the time to do it right if you want the finished model to look great.

In my opinion, there are no short cuts.

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 10/12/2018 at 2:26 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

...Model building is supposed to be an intricate & time consuming operation.

People need to learn to take the time to do it right if you want the finished model to look great.

In my opinion, there are no short cuts.

Expand  

Wha...wha...WHAT??? There you go Steve, RUINING the FUN again.              ()

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 10/12/2018 at 2:34 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Wha...wha...WHAT??? There you go Steve, RUINING the FUN again.              ()

Expand  

Yeah, it's a inclination of mine.

 

Steve

[Classicgas]

  On 10/12/2018 at 2:26 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I think too many people are looking for some sort of "miracle" or "silver bullet" with these pens.

I agree with most of the sentiments here.

The pens have their place, but if you think you're going to whip out a perfect trim job in a few minutes by just pulling out your magic pen & drawing on some trim, I believe you are mistaken.

Model building is supposed to be an intricate & time consuming operation.

People need to learn to take the time to do it right if you want the finished model to look great.

In my opinion, there are no short cuts.

 

 

Steve

Expand  

X2. BMF looks very much like chrome trim when applied correctly. It's not that hard, far easier than all the masking needed to do straight lines with the pen. The key is a sharp blade, maybe even a couple for one car. Practice and patience, a dispearing trait, makes perfect.

[espo]

Looking at the picture of Fat Brian's Monster Truck reminded me of the days when all we had was some Testers Chrome Silver in a bottle. First off nothing bad to say about the Monster Truck because it looks very nice. What I was shown by others to do when painting the chrome trim like drip rails and side moldings and such was to lightly score either side of the edge of the object you are trying to paint. This is only a very light line, only enough to stop the flow of the paint from running out onto the body surface. This worked well all those years ago and I still do this sometimes when painting fine details such as interiors and chassis. I haven't tried it with the Pen, but it would seem to work the same way. 

[vamach1]

When it comes to trim (like around a windshield I use the pen for one swipe and then do touch up (by dabbing the pen on some plastic and using a fine tip brush) when I did not get al the way to the edge.  Even with the fine tip pen  it is difficult to get a perfect line but as other have said masking can help out there.  When I compare the pen to regular silver paint there is no comparison.

[Rider]

Nothing will replace a great BMF job or a great masking job and Motolow sprayed through an air brush. These pens simply can't lay down a chrome quality finish. 

Free hand trim work or any other attemp to represent a crisp line can not be accomplished without masking. 

Edited October 12, 2018 by Rider

[Deathgoblin]

Depending on the application I alternate between BMF, Molotow pens and Allclad.  I did do the trim around the bed of an El Camino with the pen and it turned out really well.  The trick was to catch the pen just right on the lip of the bed and keep the angle straight. There's still no substitute for BMF, though.  I like them better for retouching chromed parts.  I'll post a picture later today.   

[samdiego]

What Deathgoblin said. It won't do everything that foil can do, but I'm loving it for window and fender garnish. I use the 2mm for that. But even the 1mm flows too much for emblems. I still use sharpened toothpicks and Testors chrome for those that I don't want to foil.

Edited October 12, 2018 by samdiego

[StevenGuthmiller]

Personally, I don't trust using these pens for body trim at all.

Aside from the obvious durability question, even with masking, one small spot where the tape is not perfectly sealed & you have bleed under, potentially ruining a perfect paint job.

It is virtually impossible to make a mistake with foil.

If a piece doesn't meet your standards, you simply pull it off and apply a new piece.

Fool proof, and it will last essentially forever.

 

Steve

[Tom Geiger]

  On 10/12/2018 at 2:26 AM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I think too many people are looking for some sort of "miracle" or "silver bullet" with these pens.

The pens have their place, but if you think you're going to whip out a perfect trim job in a few minutes by just pulling out your magic pen & drawing on some trim, I believe you are mistaken.

Model building is supposed to be an intricate & time consuming operation.

People need to learn to take the time to do it right if you want the finished model to look great.

In my opinion, there are no short cuts.

Expand  

We have a winner!  Let that man pick a prize from the top shelf!  

[cobraman]

Does the pen have paint or ink ? I heard it was more of an ink. ????

[Tom Geiger]

  On 10/13/2018 at 12:35 AM, cobraman said:

Does the pen have paint or ink ? I heard it was more of an ink. ????

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inky paint!   

Ink is opaque, the silver is glossy and solid out of the pen so it's more like paint. 

I found a new use for mine today.  I needed to cut a dark colored part for cutting.  I marked it with the silver pen.

[GaryR]

Interesting that some of you seem to think painting trim is a moral issue.

Have any of you tried the old paint on a flat eraser the press on the script trick?
Used to do it (in variations ) with lettering tires.

I'm not looking for some magic anything, just asking modelers experiences, sheeeesh.

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 10/13/2018 at 1:02 AM, GaryR said:

Interesting that some of you seem to think painting trim is a moral issue.

Have any of you tried the old paint on a flat eraser the press on the script trick?
Used to do it (in variations ) with lettering tires.

I'm not looking for some magic anything, just asking modelers experiences, sheeeesh.

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I'm not trying to disparage anybodies methods Gary.

I'm a firm believer in everybody using what works for them.

I'm just trying to offer my opinion on the Molotow pens.

I personally think that they are greatly over rated.

I have seen & tried nearly every method including silver paint, Sharpies, Molotow  & have yet to see a better result than foil.

My experience with the pens has been that in order to get a reflective "chrome" finish, the paint/ink needs to be applied quite heavily.

When applied heavily, it has a tendency to pool & run & go places where you do not want it to go.

Even the 1mm tip is too cumbersome for many applications and it's very easy to make a single error & wind up with ink flowing all over the place.

My suggestion for anyone proficient with a brush who wants to use the Molotow ink is to avoid the pen itself & apply the ink with a brush.

You will achieve much better control with a brush.

 

I have not tried the eraser trick.

I believe that I would not be as satisfied with the result compared to the "foil under paint" technique.

It's very hard to beat.

 

Steve

 

[Fat Brian]

The pens are just another tool in my tool box. They have their uses but I prefer foil for most things, it looks better to me and is much less susceptible to handling. 

[martinfan5]

I agree, for the moment, for trim BMF is still king, and believe you me, I would love to find that magic bullet that would replace having to use BMF, I would rather pound on my coconuts than use BMF , but its the only game in town when it comes to having "decent" looking chrome trim.

I think the only way you might be able to use the pens for trim is to air brush it on, I do believe Ive seen one maybe two people make mention of that, but don't quote me on that.