landman Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Has anyone come up with an adequate alternative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 There's a lotta stuff out there now for doing different metal finishes (somebody who's much more familiar with them than I am...your input is needed here), but to the best of my knowledge NOTHING that works like the "buffing" metalizers did. And they were wonderful once you understood how to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 MM Metalizers are pretty hard to beat, especially the buffing Metalizers. They are ridiculously easy to apply, and the Aluminum Plate Buffing Metailzer is pure magic. And tough as nails, too. I have experimented with very aggressive buffing of the paint, and it just gets better looking. All the Metalizers were great for dry brushing details, too. I have a small stash, but it won't last forever, so I have been curious about alternatives, too. I use the Alclad metal paints quite a bit now. Like the Metalizers, they are airbrush-ready lacquer and are easy to apply. The results are generally pleasing, though nothing like the buffing Metalizers. https://alclad2.com/finishes/regular/ I am curious about the AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paints, but haven't tried them yet. https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/xtreme-metal-paints/ These are also airbrush-ready. I am told they are enamels, but have been unable to confirm and not sure I believe it. There are also some acrylic options that I see on the forum that look quite impressive, but I have no knowledge or experience with them at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Mr. Color and Mr. Metal Color are decent alternatives. I also like Humbrol Metal Coat, but the selection is limited, it seems; at least locally. I bought a lot of Model Master Metalizer once it had been announced they were discontinuing it. I didn't see having a decent stock as reason to stop looking for alternatives. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSheep214 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 I’ve got 2 bottles of Model Master Metalizer paints Dark Andonic Grey Non-Buff Aluminum Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 I'm with everyone else, several choices in metal finishes but the MM buffing has not been duplicated as yet. IMO. I have perhaps half a bottle left of Aluminum Plate Buffing. Hah, and I try not to use it lol !! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 On 1/30/2024 at 12:27 AM, Straightliner59 said: I bought a lot of Model Master Metalizer once it had been announced they were discontinuing it. I didn't see having a decent stock as reason to stop looking for alternatives. Yup. I bought every bottle and can I could find before the prices skyrocketed. I wouldn't be surprised if some enterprising hobby-paint manufacturer came out with a line of identical "buffing" products. Not hard to reverse-engineer what was in the Testors stuff, and if the formulas were patented, the patents have surely run out by now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 12 minutes ago, Dave G. said: I'm with everyone else, several choices in metal finishes but the MM buffing has not been duplicated as yet. IMO. I have perhaps half a bottle left of Aluminum Plate Buffing. Hah, and I try not to use it lol !! For many years I wanted a gravity feed airbrush. When Model Master pulled the plug on the Metalizers, I finally sprung for a gravity feed airbrush so that I can use my stash of paint one drop at a time. With my old Badger 200 siphon feed, painting a set of wheels with Metalizer, I would waste as much paint as I applied to the wheels. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 11 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: Yup. I bought every bottle and can I could find before the prices skyrocketed. I wouldn't be surprised if some enterprising hobby-paint manufacturer came out with a line of identical "buffing" products. Not hard to reverse-engineer what was in the Testors stuff, and if the formulas were patented, the patents have surely run out by now. That would be excellent! We should get right on that!😁 All kidding aside, Testors metalizers are sorely missed. My sprays are thinning out. Fortunately, I have 2-1/2 cans of aluminum left, and probably at least part of two bottles. I have most of a bottle of the old SNJ buffing aluminum, as well. I thought I heard, way back when, that Testors bought their formulas, but, I can't say, for certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 11 hours ago, Bainford said: For many years I wanted a gravity feed airbrush. When Model Master pulled the plug on the Metalizers, I finally sprung for a gravity feed airbrush so that I can use my stash of paint one drop at a time. With my old Badger 200 siphon feed, painting a set of wheels with Metalizer, I would waste as much paint as I applied to the wheels. I've had a 100G for over 30 years. I absolutely love it! So much so, that I sold all my other airbrushes. The times I miss a siphon tube are virtually non-existent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Roberto Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 On 1/29/2024 at 8:06 PM, Bainford said: MM Metalizers are pretty hard to beat, especially the buffing Metalizers. They are ridiculously easy to apply, and the Aluminum Plate Buffing Metailzer is pure magic. And tough as nails, too. I have experimented with very aggressive buffing of the paint, and it just gets better looking. All the Metalizers were great for dry brushing details, too. I have a small stash, but it won't last forever, so I have been curious about alternatives, too. I use the Alclad metal paints quite a bit now. Like the Metalizers, they are airbrush-ready lacquer and are easy to apply. The results are generally pleasing, though nothing like the buffing Metalizers. https://alclad2.com/finishes/regular/ I am curious about the AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paints, but haven't tried them yet. https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/xtreme-metal-paints/ These are also airbrush-ready. I am told they are enamels, but have been unable to confirm and not sure I believe it. There are also some acrylic options that I see on the forum that look quite impressive, but I have no knowledge or experience with them at all. Yep, they are enamels and they are very nice. Don't have to but a black base coat like Alclad. Their chrome isn't great but the others like magnesium, aluminum etc. are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 On 1/31/2024 at 1:57 PM, Bainford said: For many years I wanted a gravity feed airbrush. When Model Master pulled the plug on the Metalizers, I finally sprung for a gravity feed airbrush so that I can use my stash of paint one drop at a time. With my old Badger 200 siphon feed, painting a set of wheels with Metalizer, I would waste as much paint as I applied to the wheels. I just use the metal side cup on my 200 for metalizer, I like the taper in that better than in my gravity feed. Just turn the 200 on it's side and swing the metal cup upward. I think the ideal airbrush for Metalizer conservation in my case, though would be the tiny cupped version of the Badger 100 using a .2 or .25 tip setup.. I use the .25 on the 200 ( same tip sets as the 100, thus they could be shared)/ My own gravity brush is an Iwata knock off the cup is too big, though you could eye dropper the paint right into the body I suppose.. I have a .2 for that one. Also there is a nice little metal cup with good taper for the Paasche VL. If you cut the flow way back using the fine needle, it does fairly well too on conserving paints in general. But the small tip is something like .4, though it will only feed what you give it munch on. Still, and since I don't own a 100, the Badger 200, metal cup, .25 tip is my favorite for Metalizer and lacquers in general. Always has been, I've owned that brush since 1975 or 76ish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, El Roberto said: Yep, they are enamels and they are very nice. Don't have to but a black base coat like Alclad. Their chrome isn't great but the others like magnesium, aluminum etc. are very good. Cheers Robert. I was hoping someone would positively deny or confirm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, Dave G. said: I just use the metal side cup on my 200 for metalizer, I like the taper in that better than in my gravity feed. Just turn the 200 on it's side and swing the metal cup upward. I think the ideal airbrush for Metalizer conservation in my case, though would be the tiny cupped version of the Badger 100 using a .2 or .25 tip setup.. I use the .25 on the 200 ( same tip sets as the 100, thus they could be shared)/ My own gravity brush is an Iwata knock off the cup is too big, though you could eye dropper the paint right into the body I suppose.. I have a .2 for that one. Also there is a nice little metal cup with good taper for the Paasche VL. If you cut the flow way back using the fine needle, it does fairly well too on conserving paints in general. But the small tip is something like .4, though it will only feed what you give it munch on. Still, and since I don't own a 100, the Badger 200, metal cup, .25 tip is my favorite for Metalizer and lacquers in general. Always has been, I've owned that brush since 1975 or 76ish. I have had my 200 for quite a while as well. I got it in 1981 and it has been a rock solid workhorse since, though I never had a side cup for it. I do have an unused 30 year-old Badger 150 with a side cup, but it doesn't seem to fit the airbrush body in any usable way. In 2020 I sorted my gravity-feed jones with a Harder & Steenbeck Infinity along with the optional 'tiny cup'. The taper of the paint cup is great for efficient paint use and for cleaning. I have the full set of tips & needles for it (0.15, 0.2, & 0.4), but the airbrush is so paint-thrifty that I primarily use the 0.4 needle for most things. It sprays so beautifully with that needle at low air pressures. I use a dropper to feed the Metalizer to the paint cup one-two drops at a time and it works great. It helps that the Metalizers cover so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, Bainford said: I have had my 200 for quite a while as well. I got it in 1981 and it has been a rock solid workhorse since, though I never had a side cup for it. I do have an unused 30 year-old Badger 150 with a side cup, but it doesn't seem to fit the airbrush body in any usable way. In 2020 I sorted my gravity-feed jones with a Harder & Steenbeck Infinity along with the optional 'tiny cup'. The taper of the paint cup is great for efficient paint use and for cleaning. I have the full set of tips & needles for it (0.15, 0.2, & 0.4), but the airbrush is so paint-thrifty that I primarily use the 0.4 needle for most things. It sprays so beautifully with that needle at low air pressures. I use a dropper to feed the Metalizer to the paint cup one-two drops at a time and it works great. It helps that the Metalizers cover so well. I've only ever heard and seen great things about the Infinity ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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