I’ve used Alclad chrome many times (over black gloss) and it always gives a mirror like shine. I’m trying to get the Alclad Polished Brass to do the same, but hasn’t given me the shine I’m looking for. I’m just beginning to experiment. I’m going to try clear gloss over the Polished Brass (over black). Maybe the polished brass never will shine like the chrome.
Anyone have any advice with the polished brass?
This color will be the radiator on the Italeri Mefistofele that I’m just starting.
Believe it or not I’ve built the chains successfully. I’ll post in the Autos forum when I really get rolling.
I have had good luck with the stuff. I apply it just like I do the polished aluminum. It may take a little more than the aluminum, but not much. The secret to both Polished Aluminum and Polished Brass is a flawless finish and putting it on very thin, so you can build it up to just the right color. But you can overdo it so easily.
Also, I have not seen this talked about a lot, but you do need to shake the stuff very well before using.
Thanks. I now know it’s possible. I need to keep trying. The lightest application is just grainy (visually, not texturally). Maybe the base coat wasn’t fully dry.
One thing you need to remember . If you are representing the ship , even on a stand in her wartime fit and weathered , the props would not be shiny . They would be a brushed pale bronze color . Salt water is terribly abrasive to anything in or on it that Moves
The only time I have seen them almost a Golden Chromy finish is in Museum settings and Home builds . Oh , and Builders Models . Such as the models that used to be in the Foyer of the Admin Bldg . At Bremerton Naval Shipyard back in the 60s !
It has always tickled me to see Pristine sailing and powered ships with shiny brass and fittings . They are NEVER depicted , except in Dioramas as weathered and dirty and all the brass off the quarter deck green with corrosion .
Our ship’s Plaque on the Quarter deck was removed at sea so it wouldn’t be exposed to the elements ! Everything else ( Turnbuckle heads , Flag clips and anything away from the bridge was kept clean , But , polished only in port ! ) in the Navy .
Leastwise the outside stuff . Everything inside was polished till it got darned near worn away ! T.B. P.S. I got teased by our British Petroleum/Shell , Business manager in Bahrain . He saw all the Brass shining Brightly and Blindingly and said I must’ve been a British Officer on a Sailing Ship in a former life ! I told Him that that is how I disciplined my crew without running afoul of the Maritime Unions !
Also, on large ships prop is bronze or steel, not brass. Brass only used on props for speedboats, cruisers, etc. If it can be held up by a person, it can be brass, otherwise bronze, or in late 20th century on, could be steel.
This is in spite of kit mfgs calling for gold or brass color on props for carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, etc. Hate to say they are all wrong, but they are. Favorite rant of mine
I did another test and got better results. I think the base coat wasn’t fully dry and the Alclad affected it. I also switched airbrushes, but I don’t think that mattered. What puzzles me is that I get perfect results with the chrome. (I know about keeping the coat very light and going past that perfect point in spraying.) The polished brass will shine, but seems to have a darker cast than the chrome. Probably just the nature of the color. This is going to be the radiator frame of the Fiat Mefistofele, so a darker brass will look OK. Here’s the look I’m going for.
They may also be fairly bright colored and/or even shiny if you are doing a build representing a ship in drydock, after a refit, or as-built/at launching, as shown below.
Keep in mind that a highly polished metal is like a mirror, and the color will be affected by what is around it. That shot looks like somone with white shirt and pants. Normally with a balanced background polished brass is not that light a color. Also, the camera has a bearing on it. I interpret this photo to be using averaging metering. Most of the shot is quite dark, so the light colors from that reflection tends to burn out, making it lighter than your eye would see it.
Better results. I just got some Alclad black gloss base. That produced better shine than the previous tests with MM gloss black. Don’t know if it’s the difference between enamel and lacquer or just a better choice. Lesson learned: Use the manufacturers products.
The color is a little darker than what I was looking for, but the shine is much better.
I’m also trying the Krylon foil line: copper and gold. The Alclad looks better than the Krylon gold, but the Krylon copper is promising. All of this experimenting is for copper parts on the Italeri Mefistofele. I also have some BMF copper foil but don’t know yet how forgiving that will be over irregular curved surfaces.
