Problems with Alclad II gray primer and microfiller

tempestjohnny

This thread is 7 years old

Imagine how stupid I felt for just typing out my suggestions for using Alclad. :( 

This thread is 7 years old

You should have any problems.Remember to polish the primer w/ emery fine cloth/paper.

Spray a small amount of enamel thinner through your airbrush then run the Alclad primer through.You spray on a piece of cardboard to check the flow.

I wanted to follow up on this post.  Alclad was kind enough to send me a new bottle of the Gray Primer/Microfiller paint.  I could tell just by looking at the bottles that there was something different about the new paint.  The new bottle looked and acted like I would expect.  I shook it up, loaded it into the airbrush and it went on beautifully.  I did take some advise and increased my pressure to 25 psi and used a slightly larger No. 3 paint tip.  No clogs and a perfect finish.  I am very pleased and extremely satisfied with the experience I had with Alclad. 

Dave

weebles wrote:

There are so many ways to use this paint.  It's great stuff.  I'll have to grab some Tamiya polishing compound and give it a try.  What do you do about the canopy though?  Do you paint the frame first? Dave

Make sure you WASH the model after buffing it out with the compound. Any polish residue will ruin your Future application. Windex works extremely well also.

As for the canopy, mask and shoot the inside frame off model as a first step. dip in future and cure, then prior to the Alclad, mask, expose the frame work using a scalpel or suitable exacto blade, and then attach to fuselage w/ white glue or Krystal Klear. Shoot the Alclad, cure, and remove the mask. Then use the fine compound or liquid plastic polish and a Q tip to polish clear areas.......

For the majority of most kits, canopy fit up (gaps) etc., are less than ideal. Do a lot of test fitting and any putty/filler work prior to paint and final assembly...

regards,

Steve

   A shot of the Hobbycraft C-45 with the Alclad 2. A very light coat of their Micro Filler and their Black Primer was used on this particular model. I have never had the problem with the Filler clogging but I sure don,t like their Black Primer Base. Takes way too long to dry. I strictly use Floquil Gloss Black as the Base now. Dries really shiny and smooth. The shininess of the Black seems to affect the look of the final finish, but thats just my opinion. I also have used the Airbrush you described along with other single and double action airbrushes. With the Paasche H Single Action I used the # 5 aircap and tip. The hole on the # 5 spray tip is bigger in diameter than the # 1 or the # 3. If you did not use the # 5 aircap and # 5 tip this may be the problem with the clogging no matter how much you thinned the primer . The primer is pretty heavily pigmented with fillers. If you have,nt already tried a different tip, be sure you match the aircap with the spray tip  # 5 air cap with # 5 needle body or # 3 with # 3 etc. The # 1 setup and # 3 may be way too fine for the heavy pigmented filler.

There are so many ways to use this paint.  It's great stuff. 

I'll have to grab some Tamiya polishing compound and give it a try.  What do you do about the canopy though?  Do you paint the frame first?

Dave

I never had success with their primers either. I prime with Future now, and it gives the results I want every time. Their gray always gave me a rough finish, and the gloss black took forever to dry (and would crack the Alcad if it wasn't thoroughly cured).

 

It's Future for me from now on.

weebles wrote:

Just following up on this old post of mine.  I did an experiment with a wing section of a kit I'll never use.  On one side I sprayed Gloss Black Automotive Acrylic Lacquer.  On the other side I sprayed Floquil Engine Black followed up by a coat of Future.  Next I sprayed on the regular Alclad II Aluminum.  It looked about the same on both sides.  Then I shot a coat of Polished Aluminum and that's when I saw a difference.  The side with the Automotive Acrylic Lacquer had a shinier appearance than the Floquil side.  This was just a test and I'm sure I would have better results if I buffed out the primer and finished paint prior to painting with Alclad II.  But I'm confident that the Automotive Acrylic Lacquer will produce a shinier result in the end every time.  On some subjects it might be too shiney though.  So I would suggest doing what I did and creating a test piece with all the different shades of Alclad II you might want to use.  Be sure to buff out the coats with at least some 1000 grit paper or finer for the best finish.  Keep good notes so you know what you did. FYI, I also tested the Alclad II on straight gray primer and on primer covered with Future.  The primer covered with Future was superior in appearance.  Gloss finish is a must I would say.  Thanks everyone for getting me hooked on natural metal finishes.  Dave

 

Dave,

I struggled with the Alclad primer issue myself until I came upon a technique that is virtually fool proof. I polish the bare plastic with Tamiya fine polishing compound to my preferred level of glossiness, wash and dry the model thoroughly and seal with Future. Thenshoot the Alclad straight on. Perfect every time, and simple.

regards,

Steve

Just following up on this old post of mine.  I did an experiment with a wing section of a kit I'll never use.  On one side I sprayed Gloss Black Automotive Acrylic Lacquer.  On the other side I sprayed Floquil Engine Black followed up by a coat of Future.  Next I sprayed on the regular Alclad II Aluminum.  It looked about the same on both sides.  Then I shot a coat of Polished Aluminum and that's when I saw a difference.  The side with the Automotive Acrylic Lacquer had a shinier appearance than the Floquil side. 

This was just a test and I'm sure I would have better results if I buffed out the primer and finished paint prior to painting with Alclad II.  But I'm confident that the Automotive Acrylic Lacquer will produce a shinier result in the end every time. 

On some subjects it might be too shiney though.  So I would suggest doing what I did and creating a test piece with all the different shades of Alclad II you might want to use.  Be sure to buff out the coats with at least some 1000 grit paper or finer for the best finish.  Keep good notes so you know what you did.

FYI, I also tested the Alclad II on straight gray primer and on primer covered with Future.  The primer covered with Future was superior in appearance.  Gloss finish is a must I would say. 

Thanks everyone for getting me hooked on natural metal finishes. 

Dave

I dont know if this helps or not but I have found that It will clog if you try to shot it too fine.

 

Thad

weebles wrote:

Rick, Do you use your technique with Future for the standard Alclad II metal finish too, or just the polished metal finish products?  I'm wondering if you need to lay down the future over Floquil Primer Gray. Thanks

I use the technique for the standard Alclad2 metallics.  Alclad2 works best over a smooth, gloss finish.  I normally prime with Floquil grey, then very lightly sand the entire model with a 3000 grit micro mesh pad.  Clean, then apply 2-3 light coats of Future.  Let cure for at least 24 hours & then spray the Alclad2 in light coats.  If I decide to use black as a base coat, I follow the same procedure.  If you apply Alclad2 over the primer without the Future, you will get a grainier, more weathered look, which is OK if that's the look you want.

Regards,  Rick

Rick,

Do you use your technique with Future for the standard Alclad II metal finish too, or just the polished metal finish products?  I'm wondering if you need to lay down the future over Floquil Primer Gray.

Thanks

Thanks guys

I would agree there's something odd with the paint.  I wrote Alclad and Tony wrote back immediately and said he would send me another bottle.  I was very impressed with his response. 

It's not a straining issue and it is very well mixed.  There was kind of a cream color residue in the bottle which I assume has something to do with it's microfilling properties.  Maybe not.  But I mixed it up until this material was completely absorbed in the paint.  Frankly if I run this through a strainer I'm pretty certain that will gum up too. 

I think I'll try both of these methods you guys suggested and also see what happens when I get the new bottle from Alclad.  I have a video on how to use Alclad II and when the host used the primer it went on like Floquil. 

 Thanks again

Dave

Dave,
Sounds odd.......normally thinned primer wouldn't behave in that fashion.  The only time I've ever had that happen is when the paint is too thick or a "blob" of pigment glogs up the airbrush.
Just strip the airbrush, clean it thoroughly, strain the paint, thin it and try again.

Remember, your airbrush can never be "too clean".........and you can never assume the paint is an even consistency - blobs happen - always strain the paint.

I never use the Alclad primers........I've always gotten better results using a good automotive acrylic laquer from a spray can - gloss black or gloss white, depending on the Alclad shade I want to spray - I decant a little paint into my airbrush jar (I use a Paasche VLS double action) and then thin it and spray it.  They say you should use gloss black, but I've found that the Alclad chrome is brighter when using a gloss white primer.
Works every time.

I love Alclad2 paints, but don't like their primers.  I stick with Floquil Grey or Engine Black as my primer & Future top coat before applying the Alclad.

Regards,  Rick