Best choices for NMF?

I can't believe I haven't heard SnJ.
SnJ is the best way to achieve a NMF finish, but is a bit more complex and pricey.

My second choice would be Metalizers because they produce a finish similar to Alcad, but a lot cheaper.

Sadly, Alcad would be my last choice. Mainly because it produces a slightly better finish than Metalizers, but for nearly triple the cost. I willl recommend alcad for model cars. Their chrome and gold look great.

I'll have to get a digital camera pretty soon I guess. I don't have one to post pics with, unless maybe I can scan normal photos and import them that way.

TJ - good luck! It goes on surprisingly easy (wear a respirator as the fumes are rather noxious) also a well ventilated room helps too... once you take off the respirator some of the fumes are dissipating.

I do recommend reading both those links above, if I would have my firstr Alclad job wouldn't have cracked (looked perfect in everything but many small cracks showing the underlying color all over the drop tanks, (I sprayed it too thick in one pass instead of light multiple passes)

I'd love to some pics when you do try it!

Thanx for the replys guys. I'm feeling pretty confident about using the alclad. Now I just have to create time to actually work on my models.

Hi Guys,

thanks for that, will check those links out. I have found that by polishing the model with brasso, before doing any spraying whatsoever, you basically have a beautiful sparkling surface, where you can virtually see your face in it. This comes from the days when I was a firefighter and we had to polish our gear, helmets and all until they were mirrors. It was done for inspections. Plastic takes a real shine when using brasso. Try it, you'll be surprised

Thanks to all

Gianni

QUOTE: Also there is no sealer with Alclad although you can spray it with future.

MOST of the Alclad paints are solid as a rock once they cure. There are a couple (specifically Polished Aluminum and Chrome) that are rather sensitive. If you have to mask or handle them I'd recommend a coat of Future over the Alclad even though that will sometimes lower the sheen slightly (other times it just makes the sheen look deeper and brighter). I usually try to arrange things so that after I spray those colors of Alclad I don't have to do a lot to the parts.

Gianni - type is my middle neam name!

---edit--- great example above.. typO is my middle name, not type!

Gianni hit tha nail on the head... surface prep would be the same I would think for any metalizer, every seam well sanded, the body sanded till almost glossy. (those fingernail sanding sticks with the final polishing side work well for this)

If you are going to use Alclad there are two good sources of info for this:

http://www.alclad2.com/application.html

http://www.swannysmodels.com/Alclad.html

With alclad there is no buffing, and panel tonal variation can be had with different shades of alclad. Also there is no sealer with Alclad although you can spray it with future.

If you are using MM Metalizers Gianni pretty much spelled it out...

sorry about the typos, guys..

Hi TJ,

With the metalizer paints you have 2 choices buffing and non-buffing. I have tried the buffing aluminun on a sabre, but didn't know about polishing the plastic model before hand and also about the gloss black undercoat. As it is my first metal look model, I think id didn't come out too bad. I buffed the paint with a cotton T shirt, but careful here, too much rubbing and you go straight through the paint. I do not have access to Alclad, so I cannot comment on that, unfortunately.

You can very the finish of the different panels by more or less rubbing and by using different shades on the metalizer's range, you have aluminum, magnesium, titanium, stainless steel, etc. to choose from, what I usually do is to spray a sample piece of plastic with the diffent shades and practice buffing in order to get a bit of a view of the finished model. Remember that when you are happy with your finish, there is a metalizer sealer to be sprayed on, or else the paint job will rub off on your hands as you handle the model.

I hope this helps a bit, as I said, it was my first model to be painted in metal look, I must also say that every seam must be really, really well sanded and covered, the aluminum paint show every little detail, so extra work in needed


Regards

Gianni

Do you have to buff this stuff after you spray it? How do you vary the finish on individual panels? What do you use to buff it?

Hi,

I am busy with a P-38 as well, and read somewhere that an undercoat of gloss black makes things much better before spraying on the metalizer paints (I can only get the testors range). Any of you guys done that??


Thanks and regards

Gianni

another vote for Alclad. Even though I use acrylic for everything else, I use Alcald for NMF.

I'm an Alclad believer myself, but I have to say looking at that plane with the Floquil silver makes me think it is a close rival to Alclad!

I recommend the testors metalizer paints mainly because there is so many choices and they are very cheap compared to alclad. alclad is much better though. I like to use the testors metalizers for small parts though.

I have to put a vote in for Floquil bright silver. It's part of the railroad colors and is a very good silver paint. It's lacquer based.

Click here for a pic of a thunderbolt done with Floquil bright silver - this model is not mine it's by a friend in my club so I watched it being built.

I prefer Alclad myself. If you search this area for "NMF" you'll find a lot of posts on it.