Airbrushing metallics???

Up to now I've always used SnJ Spray Metal, tinting their basic aluminum when needed for adjacent panel variety. You can easily mask over the SnJ, too, as the cured finish is tough, unlike other metallics. SnJ is already thinnned for easy airbushing and comes with a bottle of alumimum polishing powder for adding "grained" buffed panels.

I love SnJ, but....

I have to say, I'm seriously thinking of converting to acrylics for all future metal finishes, largely for health/safety issues. I have done this for my other painting already. I've always found the high VOC fumes of enamels and lacquers unpleasnt to work with even with a resperator mask and vented spray booth. (I've been back in this hobby for 18 years.) But I'm concerned that the final product just won't look as good. Can anyone discuss their experiments and experiences with shooting acrylic metallics? I'd like some feedback.

--Ken

I have used Citadel's Mytril Silver in my airbrush, it gave a very nice but fragile finish. To enhance the effect, I polished the "metal" with grafite powder.

PolyS makes some very, very good acrylics. I've used several of their colors and they all work great. For stainless steel I also use some paint from Citadel in their Games Workshop line called "Boltgun Metal" I think. It is great for dark-ish metal colors.

Tried a test spot of Polyscales' "Stainless Steel". Like the looks better than Tamiya's silver and seems more scale realistic for aluminum. Also pigment seems finer.

Bud

Be carefull using the tamiya silver metallic paints because they are quite grainy and can sometimes ruin a finish!

I use the Alcad 2 metallics with tremendous success. What you use for an undercoat depends on the metallic you choose. Their website has a small tutorial on it that is very helpful (and accurate)

I ditto the Alclad comments, another good one is Model Master Aluminum enamel... really goes on uniform and has a nice glow to it. almost as good as Alclad!!

I know Alclad suggests using a gloss black base I think it is enamel... this also helps you see any areas you need to touch up and sand over which is important with any BMF color... everything shows up when you paint it the natural metal colors...

I haven't sprayed that much Tamiya silver, but from what I recall I didn't have any issues in spraying it.

If you want a true aluminum look you might consider Alclad metallizer. I haven't used it much either, but from what little I have it looks great. I'm building an F-86 right now and am using it on that. Unfortunately it's a laquer and I really prefer acrylics.