Solving paint problem

[misterNNL]

I finally got to the paint stage on my latest project, a drag themed chopped '54 IH Metro bread sled van. I applied some decent Testors aluminum plate metallized first. That dried for a couple hours then I buffed it per can instructions then applied their metalizer sealer and let that dry. I decided that was not enough gloss so I applied a coat of their clear goalscorer # 1261. To my great disappointment that dried to a flat finish. I applied a second coat with the same end result.....no gloss at all.

Now what do I do...wait for lower humidity and give it another coat,or..sand then recoat,or... strip it to the resin and start over?

[1930fordpickup]

Tom I don't think you can use clear on the metalizer. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Every time I've tried to coat buffing metalizer with any clear, it's turned to a dull silver, completely ruining the effect of polished metal.

I've found that shooting the metalizer as wet as possible without running produces the best results, allowing the material to flow out dead flat and smooth.

I recommend allowing it to dry for 2 hours prior to buffing, and buff with a soft cotton material like the nappy side of an old cotton sweatshirt.

If you then allow it to dry very thoroughly, after a while it gets hard and no longer transfers color or fingerprints during subsequent handling...with NO clear...though if you're going to need to handle it excessively for subsequent building operations, I still recommend wearing gloves.

This polished Gee Bee cowling still looks like this, years later, with NO clear (the silver cockpit cover is a different technique).

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[misterNNL]

Thanks guys. This was my first attempt at a full body in the metalizer so I was not that familiar with the potential pitfalls of clear coating.I( have decided to sand a little and repaint. To achieve a little darker color than the aluminum gives I am spraying it over Krylon gloss black. Of course I did the spoon test first using white,gray and black base coats and the black will give me what I am looking for(if it ever quits raining that is).

Edited October 28, 2018 by misterNNL
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