Clearing alclad chrome

[majel]

I'm working on a Snowman Vega, I have the body painted and am now ready to do the bumpers in alclad chrome. I want to clear the body, my question is should I apply the clear before spraying the alclad (taping off the bumpers) or can the alclad chrome be cleared along with the body?

[Longbox55]

From what I understand, clearing over Alclad will alter the "chrome" effect, making look more like silver paint.

[Chillyb1]

Clearing over Alclad chrome usually ruins the effect and just makes it look like shiny silver. If it were my project, I'd paint everything else and save the bumpers for last. I'm assuming the bumpers are molded integrally due to the subject.

[Erik Smith]

Don't clear over Alclad shiny finishes - I have even got mixed results using Alclad's clear designed for it - takes the shine down and leaves a dull look.

[Steven Zimmerman]

You can clear ALCLAD if you use a waterbase / acrylic clear. Test on a piece of alcladded ( is that a word?) sprue, but it has worked for me..........'Z'

[Exotics_Builder]

You can clear ALCLAD if you use a waterbase / acrylic clear. Test on a piece of alcladded ( is that a word?) sprue, but it has worked for me..........'Z'

Alclad actually sells a waterbased clear to use over their chrome and it does work. The grill was done in Alcad

[Nitro Neil]

You can use Future to clear over the Alclad to protect it. And then you can use an enamel clear over that.

[blackbeard]

great tip

[935k3]

Future and Alclad's Aqueous Clear are the best to use. Both are very inert and do not react with the paint. Future can be put on to protect the part while handling then removed with ammonia after installation. Ammonia will not hurt the paint.

Edited January 27, 2014 by 935k3