I’ve put a sealer on AlcladII. Looks okay, but probably better without it. What’s the advice about using sealers on Alclad? Which are best? [?]I used the sealer because I wanted to fill in the panel lines.
I’ve never had to use a sealer over an Alclad finish. It should’t require one. Dries rock-hard and doesn’t lift or peel. Good stuff.
like keyworth said, no sealer needed on Alclad. Fill in the panel lines? Not sure what that means.
What about washing over Alclad without a sealer. Will it damage the finish?
He means a panel wash. Alclad is a lacq. If you give it at least 48 hours to cure and set you should be able to use an acrylic wash on it and be able to get it off.
Ah, I understand now. Acrylic wash will work, so will oil paint. I’ve tried both to good effect.
Do you need a sealer over decals that are applied on Alclad?
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Darwin, for me it all depends on the decals. The problem with any metal finish is that a sealer is going to give it an “artificial” look no matter what you use. So you should avoid a sealer where you can. I believe one of the great advantages of Alclad over Metalizer is that it does not require sealing.
Now, as for the decals, if you have really good, generally pricey AM markings, sometimes they’ll be almost as thin as a coat of paint and have very little noticable clear film hanging over the edges, so you can get away with no coat of varnish, which is always best with a bare metal finish.
You also get, with no overcoat, the added bonus that the decals will have a different “sheen” than the paint they are sitting on. If you look at most real airplanes (except modern F-16-type low-viz paint jobs, where everything deliberately has a uniform flatness to the finish), the national insignia and personal markings, even stencils, are a little shinier than the paint underneath, or sometimes a little flatter.
Also, a warning to those less experienced modelers who might be tempted to cut off the clear film from their decals right up to the color line: Don’t, unless you know what you are doing. Often, that makes the decal look like it has a ridge and therefore much less realistic.
As usual, Darwin, I’ve spouted off more than was asked for. But I guess to make it short: avoid an overcoat unless you absolutely have to use one to protect the finish.
TOM
Any top-coat you put on any NMF will reduce the metal effect. Best to leave it alone. You can safely use acrylic or oil washes over Alclad2, to enhance panel lines, as long as it has completely cured.
Regards, Rick