Monogram chrome vs paint thinner?

[Aaronw]

I'm building the Monogram Packard Speedster and ran into a problem I am surprised with. I've started using oil paints for washes and it has been going well, unfortunately when I did a wash on the grill and rock screen some of the chrome has disolved.

In the past I've done washes like this with acrylics with no problems, but I am really liking the way oils work for the job. Is this a fluke or does paint thinner usually strip chrome parts? I'm using Mona Lisa mineral spirits which has been recommended by name in several weathering articles because it is supposedly fairly weak by paint thinner standards.

If this is a normal issue what do you guys that use enamels do for washes in chrome grills?

Luckily in this particular case the underlying plastic is dark brown so the missing chrome gives a kind of patina effect, but this would have been a disaster with a less accomodating plastic color.

[lordairgtar]

Yes, thinner will pretty much dissolve the chrome. I guess the suggestions for using that product wasn't thinking someone might use the technique on chrome.

[Aaronw]

Oils seem to have come from the armor guys, so yeah, probably not much chrome. I haven't used enamels for years and it just didn't occur to me that it would strip the chrome. Bummer too, because the oil paints get down into the cracks much better than acrylics. Guess I'll have to try some experimentation with the chrome sprues, I'll see if a clear coat of future will be enough protection.