Natural Metal Finish

I've always used Alclads over Future, ever since I first started using Alclad. Never had any issues doing it that way.

Yeah , ! that's the stuff !

Yes Don, I have heard of even acrylics like Future used as a primer for the Alclad. I thought it would affect the Acrylic but maybe cause Alclad is sprayed in such thin layers and has a very fast drying time it doesn't affect it?

Alclad is okay over enamel. I use Testors Gloss Black as my regular undercoat.  I have heard of folks using it over acrylic okay, but I am not anxious to try that.  And watch out for "lacquer".  Some auto touchup paints are now acrylic lacquer and I have had bad luck with using hot stuff over that type of paint.

Lockon

One word of caution when using the polished AL Alclad finish - spray it over a real lacquer-based glass black - I found out the hard way that Krylon gloss black isn't lacquer-based anymore :(

IMHO, every metal finish I've ever seen in person that is done with foil looks like foil glued to a model.  I also do airliners and the spray on metal finishes from Alclad and MM offer great versatility & realistic looks.  

One word of caution when using the polished AL Alclad finish - spray it over a real lacquer-based glass black - I found out the hard way that Krylon gloss black isn't lacquer-based anymore :(

By alclad, I mean, officially Alclad II stuff- that is a brand name. It is a very thin mix of a lacquer carrier and finely ground aluminum powder (for aluminum appearance- there are other metal colors like titanium and burnt metal).  The main secret to use is that it must be applied over a gloss black coat of paint.  That undercoat must be flawless, because the Alclad coat will be very thin.

Counter-intuitive to many, the more highly polished/glossy you want the aluminum to be, the thinner you must apply it.  As you build up a thicker and thicker coat, it becomes duller.  For aluminum airframes, there are three "colors" you can by.  Polished aluminum is for civil aircraft and maybe the squadron-commander's aircraft.  Just plain aluminum is for normal aluminum airplanes.  White aluminum is for more weathered, very matt planes.

Experienced users will use different colors on different panels of the same airframe.  The irregular look is very realistic.

Alclad is the way to go. I doesn't look paint but real metal. The stuff is so good that model car builders strip off the chrome off the kit parts and spray it with Alclad for a more realistic metal finish. The results are excellent, easier to apply than foil, it's durable and bullet proof and will not take days to complete like foil will.

do you mean a link to a tutorial on using alclad

www.swannysmodels.com/Alclad.html

or the product site

http://alclad2.com/

I am sure Don has more personal info on using alclad than these two sites put together. 

Don can you throw a link up to alclad please? I've realized I'm not a fan of the whole plane being metal foil.

small panels are best, and try to wrap the foil over edges like wings or the foil will catch on everything and pull up. i found normal kitchen foil is fine, but where it really needed forming round awkward detail i used the BMF as it is stronger.

foiling a whole plane can make it look like a kit-kat (too perfect), so you may have to be prepared to dirty it up or it will look very false.

you may be better going up a scale or two as suggested, as its less awkward. mine were 1/48 and that was bad enough in places.

there are WIP and final pics of mine in theoficial  natural metal finish 2013/2014 GB and the vietnam air war extended GB if you want to see what i mean.

You mean Rub N Buff? It looks pretty cool on a model, but you can't mask or paint over it very well.

You Know :

     Some years back I tried a product for silvering antiques .It came as a paste in a tube .If done right it shines like new silver .Problem is I never could find a sealer , so after doing the decals with surgical gloves on , you cannot touch it or it will turn blackish in that spot .Tarnish is a bear to fix .It does work though .

I long ago tried regular aluminum foil- didn't like it.  Then, tried bare metal foil.  Not much better.  Tried one aircraft- never again.  To me, BMF is only for small areas.

Then, I discovered alclad.  That solved my problem with NMF. I am a frequent user of the stuff now (I build a lot of airliners).

My only advice is to try on a larger scale kit, should a lot easier.