Crazing Alclad II issues

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Howdy all,

I am in the process of finishing my P-51D.

I used Alcad black primer, Alcad gloss black base coat, and air frame aluminium on the fuselage.

The wings were painted the same, except I used silver candy base instead of air frame aluminium.

The model was sealed with Future before the decals were applied.

I used Micro Sol and Micro Set on the decals.

Then I weather the model, and applied a wash of artist oil black, thinned with Mona Lisa mineral spirits.

Another coat of Future, with a dull coat of Testors acrylic dull coat.

I did not notice any issues, until a few hours after the Testor’s coat. The fuselage crazed for some reason, but the wings did not.

Any help out there why this happened?

Thanks,

Don

2

By crazing do you mean like frosting from the flat coat? Can’t see how an acrylic would attack and craze Alclad. Or do you mean Testors lacquer dull coat?

3

How long did you wait before puting on the final clearcoat over the thinned wash and spirit?

Maybe some solvents may have been trapped and that messed up your alclad?

I do my washed over all my models with artist’s acrylic ink thinned with water and a drop of dish soap…wipedsoff easly and never had hassles with it.

Theuns

4

I hate this stuff. I have lost two paint schemes to this primer. Something about the Alclad black is crap. The rest of thier stuff is fine, but not this. Everytime I have had problems it has been when using that primer. When I change only that in my mix of layers I don’t have any issues.

BK

5

Agree with their so called gloss black coat not working, I use tamiya black enamel.

6

Crazing, like cracks in the finish.

I use Testor’s flat clear acrylic.

7

Theuns,

I sprayed the final coat wash, then the Future, then the clear coat in about 12 hours.

Maybe this did not gas out properly.

8

Okay, so I use Vallejo Surface primer, and Tamiya Gloss acrylic, then Alcad II airframe, does anyone feel that will improve the paint finish?

And, should I spray Future between the Tamiya and Alcad II?

Thanks again,

Don

9

And, how to you insert a photo, from like Google Drive?

10

If you can use enamels I would sugest you do the gloss black in enamels rather than acrylic with future over that.

The enamel is already gloss and you can shoot the alclad straight over that thereby skipping the extra gloss clearcoat needed.

Theus

11

Stop using Future. It isn’t made the same way anymore and it really just never hardens up like the old stuff used to. You can get all you need from the MM clears or someone elses clears. Future is only good on canopies anymore.

BK

12

I agree 100% with BrandonK regarding Future. Never use Future as a clear coat because it will micro-crack. I used it on a very expensive 1/12 scale Ford GT40 MKII. The kit alone cost over $300, plus I added over $200 worth of after-market goodies. The Future ruined the model.

13

I too have stopped using Future for anything but dipping canopies. I prefer to use Alclad Aqua Gloss or if I’m in a pinch, I’ll use Testors Acryl Clear in Matte, Semi-gloss and Gloss. I do like the Alclad Aqua Gloss, it goes on smooth and dries fast.

14

Jello,

Testor’s or Model Master?

15

Johnny,

I am with ya. I have a rather expense 1/32 Tamiya P51-D, and I don’t want to screw it up with a bad paint job.

This is why I am making sure all of this works on a smaller model first.

Don

16

The best results to get with clearcoat over alclad is the range of alclad clearcoats- it als smels like a laqure I think ( it is not aqua gloss) and you get it in all different ranges of shine level.

It is the only stuff I have found that does not really change the look of alclad.

Theuns

17

Theuns,

How does it react to Micro Sol and Micro Set?

18

Don, check out this Sabre I just did. I used allot of micro sol the get the hard decals to form well and it did not affect the alclad. Look also at the clearcoat I put over it, it basically just tied the decals into the rest of the scheme without reducing the alclad look.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/169849.aspx?page=2

Hope it helps.

Theuns

19

OK, that darn link doesn’t work it seems - go look at my post in “metal masters” GB

20

Decal solvents and setting solutions do not seem to affect Alclad, but CA accelerator does! Do not use accelerator after Alclad is on model.