I use Mr. Color GX 2 gloss black overcoated with their K2 clear as a base. No sanding required. This combination does wonders for a good shiny aluminum finish and lets you cover the black well so none shines through. The final NMF has no grainy appearance to it viewed up close like it would with sparsely coating the Alclad.

Check out Will Pattisons' vid on youtube 

ep180b - the chrome showdown, part 2

plasticjunkie

I use black gloss enamel in the small Teators bottle heavily deluted to get a glass smooth finish for the high shine Alclad shades. The trick is not to completely cover the black enamel. Leaving a hint peeking thru will give the Alclad depth and a realistic metallic finish. 

 

I agree.  I control the level of sheen by controlling the thickness of the Alclad.  I dial the paint flow way back, and lay it on gradually until I get full coverage but that polished look. It is easy to go too far, and then it looks less polished.  In fact, I sometimes vary panel look by masking off first, highly polilshed coat by letting it dry a few minutes, then masking panels with Post-it note papers, applying the same polilshed aluminum, but build it up thicker, and thicker yet on some panels.

I use black gloss enamel in the small Teators bottle heavily deluted to get a glass smooth finish for the high shine Alclad shades. The trick is not to completely cover the black enamel. Leaving a hint peeking thru will give the Alclad depth and a realistic metallic finish. 

I agree with Don. I have better success with a gloss black enamel under Alclad. I have used Alclad's black primer but I have found the surface to be rather rough and have had to buff the surface with an 8000 grit micro fiber pad before applying color. I haven't tried a flat black enamel yet but I'd think it would work well too.

I have used many different undercoats.  The Alclad primer is my least favorite.  My goto is Testors gloss black enamel.  I found automotive lacquers work fine. 

I have also used colored undercoats if I wanted to tint the Alclad. I have successfully use both blue and yellow to create tinted alloy looks.

I prefer to use Alclad grey primer and microfiller (my goto primer) and then overcoating it with Alclad aqua gloss.

I've had good results with gloss black enamel. I think I had a bad bottle of Alclad Black

Useing a gloss base is only needed for their high shine finishes, but some people do use it for their regular finishes. I use Alclad Black primer all the time, and i really like it. But you don't have to use it, but it does give a great finish.