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Chrome finishes

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  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Wichita, Kansas, USA
Chrome finishes
Posted by Recon89 on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 8:57 PM

Don't know whether this is an auto discussion or a painting discussion. I'm usually an armor diorama guy, but I have an idea on an auto scene I want to try. The chrome parts on the sprue in the kit look really fake. What can I do to make these parts look more presentable? Is there a paint finish I can use to make it look more like a chrome finish?

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 9:08 PM

Foil and Alclad paints come to mind for a better chrome finish.

 

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  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 9:55 PM

Soak the chrome parts in Clorox and after a few minutes the chrome will be dissolved. Next rinse with water and dry the parts, then shoot gloss black enamel and set aside overnight. I use Testors  gloss black enamel in the small square bottle. The black paint needs to be smooth as glass in order to get a realistic chrome finish. Then shoot Alclad Chrome in very light coats. The trick is to not completely cover the black but letting a hint of the black come thru giving it depth.

Using this method with Alclad will produce a very realistic chrome finish. 

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  • Member since
    May 2017
Posted by bugman9317 on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 10:01 PM

I have been using Molotow liquid chrome refill that I spray though an airbrush and it works really well. I have also used Alclad Chrome but it has sweet spot and particular spray method that you need to use to get a good finish.

  • Member since
    March 2005
Posted by philo426 on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 10:54 PM

All is cool!  

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 11:08 PM

plasticjunkie

Soak the chrome parts in Clorox and after a few minutes the chrome will be dissolved. Next rinse with water and dry the parts, then shoot gloss black enamel and set aside overnight. 

 

And,  in between stripping and painting- take the opportunity to clean up all of the mold part lines. I find those to be as annoying as anything with "chrome" parts.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Wichita, Kansas, USA
Posted by Recon89 on Thursday, June 28, 2018 6:13 AM

Thanks everyone for the coments. Clorox and I don't play well together but I'll get my hazmat suit on and give it a try. Thanks for the tips. 

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Summerville, SC
Posted by jeffpez on Thursday, June 28, 2018 6:25 AM

Oven cleaner such as Easy Off also removes chrome very well. I put the parts in a zip top bag and spray the cleaner inside and seal it. An hour or two later there's no more chrome. Afetr a good wash and the Alclad method as described above you're good to go.

  • Member since
    February 2013
  • From: Wichita, Kansas, USA
Posted by Recon89 on Thursday, June 28, 2018 7:26 AM

Oh man, that would be so much better for me. I can't take the smell of Clorox. Must just be me, nobody else I know is bothered as much by the smell. Thanks for the tip.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, June 28, 2018 8:33 AM

I have had good luck spraying right over kit chromed parts with a good primer, then a gloss black, then polished aluminum alclad.  Not much difference between chrome and a good polished aluminum.  I use the latter because I also do a lot of aluminum airplanes.

Indeed, there is a sweet spot.  You must put on just the right amount.  Too little and while it has a beautiful sheen, it looks too dark.  Too much and the sheen goes away, and it takes on a matt sheen.  To put on the right amount I dial the paint flow way back on my SA airbrush, and build it up very slowly.  I find an SA brush better because it is going on at a controlled rate- my airbrush finger isn't that steady.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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