Oliver77 Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 Need some advice from users of the Molotow Liquid Chrome markers. It worked great on the first day. 1mm size. Shook the pen well, pressed down to feed the ink, applied to the model. Looks pretty good! Now today I cannot get it to feed. Multiple pumps resulted in a blob of ink on my 'palette' but not really coming out of the tip. Is the tip clogged/dried? Do they supply replacement tips? Can I clean the tip with solvent? I downloaded the Molotow user guide, it does not address feed problems. Useful suggestions will be appreciated! Regards, Jeff Oliver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLMFAA1 Posted May 5, 2022 Share Posted May 5, 2022 My experience is that the tip is divided into 4 sections. I cleaned mine with 90% rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover. It has a larger wick inside the barrel. make sure that the tip at the end is exposed and not jambed up in the barrel. greg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricker81 Posted December 25, 2023 Share Posted December 25, 2023 On 5/5/2022 at 2:47 PM, Oliver77 said: Need some advice from users of the Molotow Liquid Chrome markers. It worked great on the first day. 1mm size. Shook the pen well, pressed down to feed the ink, applied to the model. Looks pretty good! Now today I cannot get it to feed. Multiple pumps resulted in a blob of ink on my 'palette' but not really coming out of the tip. Is the tip clogged/dried? Do they supply replacement tips? Can I clean the tip with solvent? I downloaded the Molotow user guide, it does not address feed problems. Useful suggestions will be appreciated! Regards, Jeff Oliver Experienced the same situation and results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mascari33 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I decant it onto a piece of card stock or a plastic dish. Then I apply it with a fine brush or toothpick. I also had trouble getting it to come out consistently. Sometimes with the bigger tip pen I shake it and then dab it a few times on paper, hen I can get a clean line or smooth "dispense" out of it. Either way I always wake it up first with shaking and then drawing lines on paper first to clear it or get it going smooth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I don’t use the stuff anymore, and haven’t for a number of years, but when I did, I used a small brush to apply it. The tips are garbage. Always have been. Might work okay for the graffiti art that they’re designed for, but they’re pretty much trash for the fine work required in model building. Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Po Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 After buying two pens and having one giving to me, I have gave up on using the pens for the same reasons others have stated. They are not user friendly for model building. I now use Green Stuff World chrome in the airbrush and brush on versions and I am happy with the results of both. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Hi-Po said: After buying two pens and having one giving to me, I have gave up on using the pens for the same reasons others have stated. They are not user friendly for model building. I now use Green Stuff World chrome in the airbrush and brush on versions and I am happy with the results of both. I agree. there’s nothing that I could do with Molotow that I can’t do twice as well with BMF and Alclad. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I've used Molotow for small things with reasonable results but it can be tricky. Recently went back to Alclad over gloss black for a grill and it came out nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 In the end, I suppose it boils down to whatever you can make work for you. That’s the bottom line I guess. But I’ll never shy away from offering my opinion on the matter. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) So...ummmm...let me see...everything I've read says this stuff won't feed from the pens reliably, stays sticky, fingerprints, turns to muddy silver if you clear over it, and doesn't look that great anyway. So what's the point of using it? Edited February 10 by Ace-Garageguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 23 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: So...ummmm...let me see...everything I've read says this stuff won't feed from the pens reliably, stays sticky, fingerprints, turns to muddy silver if you clear over it, and doesn't look that great anyway. So what's the point of using it? I’ve actually had some pretty good luck with AIRBRUSHING this stuff…although the pens have a very short shelf life before they’re useless, as some have noted. I like that it doesn’t need a black enamel base like Alclad, it’s easier to apply, it self levels pretty well and is AS tough as Alclad (in my experience) if allowed to dry for a couple of days or more before being handled. I’ve never experienced the ‘stickiness’ people mention, personally, and I don’t do anything special with the stuff except letting it dry naturally I couldn’t immediately find any good pictures of projects I’ve used it on, on my phone, but like most materials and techniques you CAN get decent results with it with some experimentation and perseverance…but I’ll agree with others here that the pens aren’t the best and you do still need to handle it carefully…and the longevity of the stuff is still relatively unproven… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Edit, found a couple of examples….all the chrome on this project is done with the Molotow: Plus some wheels I shot on the last project I built: I know everyone here has their preference, and I actually like using Alclad / Spazstix too, but just demonstrating that Molotow and its copycat variations have their uses too… 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 Mine dried nicely, and a few years later, still looks good, but I also minimize handling of my models once built. I've seen most people use alcohol to clean the tips, and buy a package of spares, or simply buy the bottle, and airbrush/paint-brush the material as needed. Never heard of Green Stuff Works. Looks promising. Site: https://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/403-chrome-paints# Charlie Larkin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 (edited) On 2/9/2024 at 10:57 PM, Ace-Garageguy said: So...ummmm...let me see...everything I've read says this stuff won't feed from the pens reliably, stays sticky, fingerprints, turns to muddy silver if you clear over it, and doesn't look that great anyway. So what's the point of using it? Bingo!! I suppose if you're going to spray it over some parts that you're not doing any detailing on, are never going to touch again, and are willing to take a chance on it turning green or flaking off or whatever, 5 or 10 years down down the road, it's a viable alternative. One thing that I always find a bit amusing, especially on the Facebook groups when the Molotow vs. BMF for body moldings discussion comes up, is that you never seem to get anything as far as definitive photographic proof from the proponents of Molotow that it performs, or looks as good as foil, even though that's almost always the claim. Usually just a single blurry photo shot with cheap phone from 6 or 8 feet away! In all honesty, with the thousands of Molotow users out there, I don't remember ever seeing a really good example of it being used for moldings. At least nothing ever approaching the quality of a good foil job. I suppose that there might be one or two examples in existence, as anything is possible, but I'd have to see a "LOT" of them to ever be convinced. Steve Edited February 11 by StevenGuthmiller 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 I hate the junk! There, I said it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Well I use it on wheels over a coat of Krylon Metallic Silver with good results. But yeah, don't touch it. BMF for trim. My 2-cents😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keviiin86 Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 (edited) Coming from using testors silver paint with a fine brush for all of my chrome trim and mouldings when I was younger to discovering a pen which applies with ease and arguably dries faster and can be handled (carefully) without smudging, I'd say molotow and it's variants can produce a pretty good result. I never liked bare metal foil and thought it was a PITA, so for me a chrome pen does just fine. Did the chrome trim around the windows of my nova as well as some other random parts, (fuel line from carb, thermostat housing, valve cover breathers, master cylinder cover etc). Edited March 12 by keviiin86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoMoCo66 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Man I just saw this thread. I almost thought when this happened $10 down the drain. I still haven't gone in and cleaned the thing. But I agree it gave great results on the first couple of days, then... This was what I did with it on the first day it was cracked open. This is the 1/16 amt 57 chevy convertible. The best dash I've ever done with no decals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugatti Fan Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 (edited) My Molotow pen tip dried out and got really messy when I tried to clean it out. Saw a video on Green Stuff World's website. They have an airbrushing chrome and one that was being applied by brush. They were using a figure for a demo and just dabbing the brush chrome onto it with fantastic results as far as I could see. Has anyone reading this used the Green Stuff chromes and can comment on them? Edited March 15 by Bugatti Fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 (edited) 4 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said: Has anyone reading this used the Green Stuff chromes and can comment on them? There are other threads (in the Questions section and in the Tips section) on chrome substitutes where many products are tested/compared, including Green Stuff. Without having done any comparison testing myself, the most promising of them seems to be the Revell product. No one has presented any information on ALSA Corp chrome though, and that's the one I am most keen to know about. I think I will be pulling the trigger on that stuff soon, and have a go. Edited March 15 by Bainford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Thorne Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 6 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said: My Molotow pen tip dried out and got really messy when I tried to clean it out. Saw a video on Green Stuff Hobby's website. They have an airbrushing chrome and one that was being applied by brush. They were using a figure for a demo and just dabbing the brush chrome onto it with fantastic results as far as I could see. Has anyone reading this used the Green Stuff chromes and can comment on them? I like the Green Stuff World non airbrush style daubed on with a micro brush. Wheels on the left are GSW and wheels on the right are model kit chrome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoMoCo66 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 That header looks awesome. One question about gsw, how long until it's good to handle. Molotow took forever to even be able to lightly handle it. That annoyed the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH out of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Thorne Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 3 hours ago, FoMoCo66 said: That header looks awesome. One question about gsw, how long until it's good to handle. Molotow took forever to even be able to lightly handle it. That annoyed the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH out of me. I let it dry overnight, then, handle as little as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugatti Fan Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 The holy grail of chrome finishes..........If only someone could make one that stays brilliant and goes off rock hard ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 54 minutes ago, Bugatti Fan said: The holy grail of chrome finishes..........If only someone could make one that stays brilliant and goes off rock hard ! That's what I'm waiting for. And I'll never be convinced that a chrome substitute will be a viable alternative for real chrome until that happens. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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