I’m getting ready to try a NMF finish for the first time (Tamiya 1/48 F-84) and recall reading something about some of the finishes not being very durable - meaning they come off if you use masking tape, or scratch easily, etc.
Does anybody recall what the “strong and durable” ones were? What about spraying the model with Tamiya “Flat Aluminium”? or other metal colored paint? I remember there are buffable finishes, some you have to put on over a black undercoat, etc., I just can’t recall which are which at this time.
I would suggest Alclad II products. They are laquer based and very durable. The only “trick” is flawless surface preparation (it will show every scratch, etc,…but so will other products) and a glossy black base coat…most recommend Krylon brand glossy black, but there are several other products that work for the basecoat.
Alclad II not only is one of the best looking NMF’s, it’s also one of the most durable.
Have to agree with mucker on this. Alclad is the way to go. The black undercoat is only required by a couple of the Alclad color. Many use Future for the needed gloss surface. I have used Model Mater gloss lacquer with good results. He is also dead on regarding surface prep. Say at low pressure, I use about 10 psi, spray in a bit closer than normal so it does not dry before it hits the surface. And light coats are a must.
I have used as have many, Floquil railroad paints like old silver and platinum for years. They require no primer( assuming your surface is clean and error free) and because they have a different solvent, are rock hard when they dry. I cannot understand the obsession by others in using Alclad. I have never found a reason to switch!
For what it’s worth, here’s how I rank the major metalic paints. Alclad2 is the most durable of all metallic paints currently available. A close second is Floquil. They offer 3 very useful metalics, “Old Silver”, “Platinum Mist” & “Bright Silver”. They can be masked with very low tac tape. ModelMaster non-buffing metalics are third, very useful, but require caution when masking. ModelMaster buffing matalics come in fourth for durability. Very difficult to mask & very fingerprint prone. Handle with care. I don’t use acrylics, so can’t comment on those.
Thanks for the advice so far guys, I really appreciate it! I looked at the Alclad site, and they even had a pic of an F-84. Very nice looking finishes to be sure, but that leads to my next question:
If you buy Alclad aluminum color to spray your model, what’s the difference between their aluminum color and say, Tamiya’s aluminum paint? (I ask 'cuz I have Tamiya’s on hand. . . .) At 3x the price, I think it’s a valid question. Is Alclad’s more “aluminy” than the others?
Also, In looking back thru some FSM magazines, I saw something about “SNJ Powder”. Is that the one that’s not very strong or durable? They also mentioned Testor’s buffable metalizer or soemthing like that.
BTW MUcker - I just got that same P-39Q - looking forward to adding it to my Bud ANderson collectiion. . . .
I think the answer to the difference in Tamiya and Alclad is the size of the metal flakes/grain used. If you remember the old 1970’s cars used that cool “Metal flake” look…Alclad uses very ultra fine flakes to come up with a smoother looking finish.
As for the AM P-39Q…I hope you can join the P-39 GB starting in January. There’s a few of us doing the Old Crow version and it would be both fu and welcomed to have another one join in. Heck, I may even learn a few things from you! Check out the thread in the GB section if you have time.
I didn’t list SNJ because they are now OOB & getting scarce. The basic SNJ paint was OK, but a little grainy for my eye. The buffing powders worked well, but were definitely not durable.
If you should get hold of some of the SNJ powder, use it with extreme care. The metallic flakes get airborne fairly easy and you don’t want to be inhaling them. Dust mask or respirator is a must.
Well, after reading about all your god wordds about Alclad, I decided to give it a try. I went by the LHS today and got a couple of bottles. Now I have a couple more questions:
What do you use to clean the airbrush after spraying Alclad?
how long does it take to dry or cure before you can handle it?
can you use things like micro-set and micro-sol for applying decals over Alclad?
how long do you wait between “light coats” when applying it?
Thanks again for all the help and suggestions. I tried to ask the guy at the hobby shop these questions, but he was more of a “train” guy and didn’t really know about this stuff.
I didn’t list SNJ because they are now OOB & getting scarce. The basic SNJ paint was OK, but a little grainy for my eye. The buffing powders worked well, but were definitely not durable.
SNJ is back in business under a new owner, saw the vendor at a show in Milw. Wi. Here is a link
Here is a rather odd one to throw in, but Duplicolor automotive chrome bumper spray. Prep the surface just like you would with alclad, and spray down a good glass base coat [black]. then spray on thin coats of duplicolor until everything is covered and then let it dry. It is very durable, and comes out looking like polished metal.
A guy in our IPMS club, Rick Bassle [winner of two 1st place awards at Nationals- both in Auto] brought in an experiment he did. He took a bunch of plastic spoons and shot them with every shade of alclad, duplicolor, Metalizer, and every other metal paint he could find. He used both flat and gloss black and grey base coats. The duplicolor looked better than alclad. It looked like a real silver spoon.
This one was done with Plastikote Bumper Chrome. Same prep though. With panels done in various metalizers. Bonus points to whoever can guess what it is.
