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Aluminium paint finish products


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Hi All

I have been considering doing a aluminium paint finish on my scratch built Saab Viggen as shown in my attachments. I have been looking at different products to do this and was wondering if anybody here has had any previous experience on any of these products?

Alclad 2

Engine enamel : like THIS

Alloy wheel paint : like THIS

Tamiya Flat aluminium : like THIS

Mr. Metal

Others?

I have heard that Alclad 2 paints are supposed to give good results if used with a gloss black undercoat, but it is expensive and only comes in 30ml bottles - How many would I need to paint a 90mm EDF airframe? quite a lot I expect...not really sure if it's viable. Also it's very thin and doesn't go a long way. Also apparently it will show up the smallest imperfection so a perfect surface is a must.

Then I had a look at engine enamel and alloy wheel paints - look durable and cost effective but I'm wondering about the weight these products will add to the airframe. Any experience ?

I have heard about the aluminium foils that you can get but I don't want the fuss with these - too time consuming.

I want to achieve the best result with the minimum work. How did you achieve your aluminium finish?

Any advice greatly appreciated yes

Thanks

Paul

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Hi guys

Ken if I were going to use covering of any sort, I would probably opt for the aluminium foil, but I am probably going to spray it.

Jim the chrome enamel looks pretty good! I will have a look out for some of that and also for that thread that you mentioned.

Anybody have any opinions or experience on the use of engine enamel? Do you think this would be too heavy ?

Thanks

P

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Paul,

I haven't tried this paint yet, but if you're worried abut weight then this link shows what can be achieved with Xtracolor enamels and a simple airbrush ... { "The paint finish is Xtracolor RLM Silver enamel, thinned with dope thinners ..."}

The website's all about Free Flight, but the quality and density of the paint finishes look superb. And of course, being FF it's got to be light.

Luckily, I got an airbrush system for Christmas smile so I'll be experimenting with a few different paints very soon.

Norm

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Hi Make sure the enamel is a oil based and not acrylioc type as it can eat the foam .You can get artist acrylic(water based) silver that sprays well . Its quite cheap on e-bay or from craft shops. I haven't used the silver but have used solid colours on foam and it works well. Once dry seal with Ronseal matt or Satin clear . I sprayed it straight from the can in a small touch in gun at 50psi .

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I'm not sure about oil-based enamel on foam indecision Certainly I can vouch that water-based acrylics don't attack it -- I've used them on Depron, Elapor, and regular styrofoam or whatever it was the Mk 1 version of the Multiplex Twinstar was made from.

As for the Alclad, yes it's quite expensive, but you don't need to use their own brand for the gloss black base enamel coat (doesn't even have to be enamel, I don't think, so long as it's gloss black), and the metal coat goes on ever so thinly -- it's just like a mist coat -- that I think one small bottle will easily cover your model.

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I think I'm going to go for the Alclad 2 paints now that you have allayed my fears about the quantity needed - I thought I might need loads of bottles!

Allan, do you know when and if a clear coat should be applied? Is it purely to fuel proof or does this also provide a tough 'skin' to protect the paint from chips / dents etc ?

Thanks all for your input wink

P

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I haven't used a clear coat on mine, though my models are all electric so there's no need for proofing. One comment I would make is that "polished aluminium" Alclad comes out, in my view, just like real new but unpolished aluminium -- not even quite as shiny as the aluminium cowl that came with my Flair Magnatilla.

The "chrome" (or is it "polished chrome"?) came out as very shiny authentic-looking chrome with no effort at all.

Just follow the instructions (about 30psi on your airbrush if I remember correctly), get the black coat nice and solid and blemish-free first, and then a fine mist coat of your "metal".

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Posted by Allan Bennett on 27/03/2015 20:33:25:

I'm not sure about oil-based enamel on foam indecision Certainly I can vouch that water-based acrylics don't attack it -- I've used them on Depron, Elapor, and regular styrofoam or whatever it was the Mk 1 version of the Multiplex

Hi yes paint like Humbrol enamel , the type in tins will/should be fine on foam but beware of the Humbrol aerosols as I believe they contain a solvent or possibly a propellant that will attack foam. Its still best to do a test piece as paint formulas seem to change quite a lot these days . Humbrol is I believe now made in China and it isn't the same as it used to be so probably best to stick to water based acrylic.

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Posted by Jim Carss on 28/03/2015 10:44:31:

Ken

I still love you and you are not lifeless and dull

smile p

JC ne23 L&D dept.

.............................................................................................................................................

me thinks JC has been at the falling down juice again......kulou

ken Anderson...ne...1............... J Carr's(hic) dept.

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