Black wash on an Alclad grill .. can I?

[Foxer]

I expect the answer to this question is NO, but maybe there's some experience here. The grill in question has only horizontal bars and can probably can be done carefully without getting on it the horizontal bars, but I expect any "spill onto the Alclad surfaces will not be removable without ruining the Alclad shine .. even using a water base paint ... Tamiya acrylic to be exact.

I think a fine line ink pen might work but a wash would give better results if possible.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this ... especially any experience.

Here's a photo of the grill in question ... it's been stripped to add the Infiniti logo

Edited June 26, 2012 by Foxer

[Guest]

That's some nice looking Alclad work Mike! I would use water based acrylic and try mixing the paint very thin with water,then just wick it in with a 3/0 or smaller brush. It may take a couple of times to get good coverage but it will look better than a black sharpie that always has a purplish look to it.

[Foxer]

Sorry I gave the wrong impression . the photo above is the original chrome before it was stripped.

Thanks for the opinions here ...

[Chillyb1]

I agree that Alclad is tough and durable. However, don't use any alcohol in your wash. That is my standard thinner for making washes with Tamiya acrylics. But the alcohol can have terrible effects on Alclad chrome.

[Foxer]

Thanks for that, Chilly .. I was beginning to think of a little alcohol to break the surface tension in the wash .... guess it's back to soap.

[my80malibu]

Acrylic waterbase is the way to go here. Other paint types may cause a disaster leading you do it all over again.

[Ddms]

I agree with everybody about using water-based acrylics over Alclad - and avoiding anything that has alcohol or lacquer thinner in it. The same applies to kit chrome.

Tamiya makes an acrylic called "Smoke" that will work. But I've run across something I like better. Future, aka "Pledge with Future for Floors," can be tinted with dye-based inks and used as a wash. Future is a water-based acrylic, so it's safe on Alclad and on kit chrome.

I like it better than the Tamiya clears because it's not as thick and you can adjust the tint. It's also glossy. The inks come in a range of colors, so you can use this method to tint headers blue, brown and orange. You can also blend colors by using a brush and dipping it into different mixes or clear Future.

I use dye-based inks. You can buy them at any art store. You can use ammonia to remove dried Future, but not from kit chrome. It dissolves it.

I actually like kit chrome pretty well when it's tinted with this method.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Ddms

[Steven Zimmerman]

Nine thirty on Saturday mornin, and i've ALREADY got two useful tips, forum is only half read so far; gonna be a great day !