Grill slot blackouts

[NOBLNG]

I am working on a ‘41 Chevy pickup. The grill has wide shallow indentations that represent the open slots. What black paint would look better, flat or semi-gloss? Actually opening them up is too difficult and would destroy the chrome. I think the SG might give the illusion of more depth.

Edited February 28, 2020 by NOBLNG

[Bainford]

I find if you to represent open space, gloss black is the way to go. It disappears better. Some applications better than others, I suppose. YMMV

Edited February 28, 2020 by Bainford

[Mike 1017]

I use any Black Acrylic paint and thin it with Golden Airbrush Medium . Once I get the effect I want I let dry for about 30 minutes. Next I gently remove any paint that winds up on the grille bars with a tooth pick. It is a lot easier to remove it dry than wet.

Good luck

Mike 

[Repstock]

I use Tamiya flat black and do any clean-up work with a cotton swab dampened with Windex.

[cobraman]

I use the Detailer in black.

[espo]

All of the prior suggestions will work and sometimes combining some of them also. I use Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color for the most part. In addition to Black they offer other colors also. A thought on the Grill you're working on now has a large area between the Grill Bars. Something I have noticed is that most any paint doesn't want to cover the kit chrome very well. Some times just a couple of passes with a #11 blade will create a grove in the area you're wanting to paint Black. Just about any thinned out paint has a hard time covering the chrome surface so you may have to apply more than one coat.   

[cobraman]

You also could strip it, paint it black and use a chrome pen on the raised portions.

[NOBLNG]

Thank you All for the suggestions. I think I will try the gloss black. I don't believe the panel line accent would work well here because the slot is very wide and the accent very thin. Stripping it and using a Molotow pen or silver sharpie will be a last resort if I screw it up. I am going to try to mask the bars with some 1mm tape I just bought and spray it. I have some self-etching primer that I may decant a bit and give it a mist coat to help adhesion to the chrome. Wish me luck!

Greg.

[Exotics_Builder]

I went all in and stripped it, cut out the "vents", and then used Alclad Chrome followed by Alclad Aqueous Clear

[NOBLNG]

That looks GREAT Gerry! If I screw up the paint I think I will try that instead of painting the whole thing black and then trying to do the reverse of painting the slots. Did you strip the bumper and headlight bezels also, or is that the kit chrome still?  Do you have a thread on that truck somewhere?

Edited February 28, 2020 by NOBLNG

[peteski]

I would never think of using glossy black paint.  Gloss (like a mirror) reflect light.  Flat black is what I use to simulate grille openings. Flat black absorbs (not reflects) light, so the black area looks liek a hole.  Flat Black Hole!

Edited February 28, 2020 by peteski

[StevenGuthmiller]

6 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

I use any Black Acrylic paint and thin it with Golden Airbrush Medium . Once I get the effect I want I let dry for about 30 minutes. Next I gently remove any paint that winds up on the grille bars with a tooth pick. It is a lot easier to remove it dry than wet.

Good luck

Mike 

I use the exact technique using acrylic craft paint thinned with regular old tap water.

It has worked very well for me for in excess of 35 years.

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

That looks GREAT Gerry! If I screw up the paint I think I will try that instead of painting the whole thing black and then trying to do the reverse of painting the slots. Did you strip the bumper and headlight bezels also, or is that the kit chrome still?  Do you have a thread on that truck somewhere?

There's really no need to strip the chrome to open up a grille like this.

A deep grooved grille like this one is relatively simple to grind away at the back of the grille with a variable speed Dremel tool fitted with a reamer bit.

Just keep carefully grinding until the slots are close to opening up, and then if you're unsure of your Dremel skills, you can finish with sand paper.

The chrome on the front of the grille will remain intact.

 

On this particular grill, you would need to leave a little material at the bottom for strength purposes because there is no border around the base of the grille.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Dave G.]

I usually use acrylic artist paint, Liquitex to be more exact. And I make almost a wash out of it thinned with a combo of there airbrush medium and some thinner I make up for acrylic paints. Liquitex sticks well to plastic and chrome is why. But I've also used craft paint made into a wash as well, in fact the most recent build of a 39 Ford I used that on it ( licorice black). Looks good, don't know how it will hold up compared to the artist paint though.

[moparfarmer]

Seeing the question was already done by opening the grill, I use Tamiya Smoke..Just brush it on and its done..

 

[NOBLNG]

Well I took the easy way out. This is Tamiya acrylic flat black free handed and cleaned up with some nice tapered cotton swabs that I got at a local electronics supplier. It needs at least another coat, and I may try semi gloss?

Edited February 29, 2020 by NOBLNG

[cobraman]

That looks darn good to me.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

Well I took the easy way out. This is Tamiya acrylic flat black free handed and cleaned up with some nice tapered cotton swabs that I got at a local electronics supplier. It needs at least another coat, and I may try semi gloss?

Looks great the way it is.

I wouldn't change a thing.

 

 

 

Steve

Edited February 29, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[moparfarmer]

I'd leave as is, looks good to me..Don't press your luck..Very nice..Leave it alone..

[Bucky]

I agree with those guys!

[1930fordpickup]

Yes looks great. I like the flat black, shadows don't have a shine. When you put it on the body for mock up you will have a better idea of how it looks. 

[NOBLNG]

Okay, I am happy with it too.

[Roadrunner]

Agreed. If it aint broke, don't fix it, and your grille looks great to me.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Roadrunner

[dino246gt]

I did this one using Panel Line black, your opened up grille looks FANTASTIC!

[ratherbefishin]

Like Steve, I made a wash but I used black “chalkboard” craft paint and water.  Usually I need two coats over chrome, but it seems to work great with one coat for weathering a motor, chassis or suspension parts.  Really brings out detail next to a gloss finish like steel wheels for depth and definition.