I have airbrushed Alclad II Chrome over the recommended Alclad Black base but i have a problem with the finish rubbing off if i handle it. The chrome dulls and rubs off to the touch. Is this normal?I have tried both the Alclad black primer and Tamiya gloss black from the can. Same result from both. The chrome finish i get is perfect, but if i accidentally touch the surface of it, it deteriorates very easily. Any suggestions???
How long are you waiting to handle it?? I do believe the Chrome and I think Polished Aluminum are more fragile than the rest…
do you touch the primer coat at all and get oils onto it?
in the end; simplest suggestion seems to be dont touch it :p. not the answer your looking for; but if you can get good results and just have to not touch it… not too bad.
I used some Alclad II on airplane models (but not the chrome). I learned that it is a good idea to seal the paint with a coat of Future floor polish. After you can touch it, or even put Tamiya tape over it without problem
Thanks for replying guys… I guess i have become a bit frustrated with using the Chrome. I hear of others using it and getting great results…but there doesn’t seem to be too much mention about it’s fragility. I know i’m doing everything correctly in the prep work and i’m getting an almost mirror finish in the chrome…just as long as i dont handle it!! (hard to do when you need to stick the part to your model) I have tried using Future to seal it, but it dulls the finish right down.
I have the same problems both in the wearability and the dulling of the finish. You have to let the black “primer” for the Alcad 2 chrome dry completely (even a lacquer I let go for 24 hrs). Model Master Clear Coat for Metalized Finishes does the least amount of “damage” to the Alcad2 finish that I have found so far but leaving it uncoated is the most satisfactory. Paint the piece with the Alcad finish and forget it for a few days, it does get a little more rugged.
That’s strange… from what I’ve heard that stuff’s supposed to be pretty durable. I’ve never used it though, but I hope I get different results… 
I’ve never used their black basecoat. Is it enamel or lacquer? Try using some plain old gloss black enamel. You don’t have to give the enamel a lot of time to cure/dry. It will dull or rub with enough handling but as long as you’re careful with it you should be able to install the parts without messing them up. I usually strip and Alclad most or all of the chrome on a car kit and haven’t had any trouble with it. For lack of a better description, the Alclad kind of burns into enamel. If you handle it enough it will dull but isn’t nearly as delicate as Metalizers. And you can’t seal it with anything without changing the appearance. Their website says to use Chrome and only Chrome over gloss black enamel but I use their Stainless Steel the same way and most times it turns out even more shiney than the chrome.
Tony
I have used both Chrome and polished aluminum on aircraft. Never had a problem with it coming off or dulling, and I didn’t overcoat them. I have found several types of overcoat dulls the finish a bit.
How long are you waiting for the black primer to dry? I would let the primer stand at least 2 days. I want to use it on a 1/72 scale Super Connie that I have so I did a test sample on a large plastic cup and let the black primer dry for about 3-4 days then shot it with the chrome. It looked like real metal and did not lift either.
The first time I used it I sprayed right over the black styrene & it would all rub off. Then I sprayed a gloss coat of black laquer, let set overnight then applied the Alclad. Beautiful bright finish & you could rub it with a rag & it did not come off. It needs something to bond to & the styrene wasn’t it. I love the stuff. It looks more accurate for mag wheels than the factory chrome wheels.