as most WWII modelers know, NMF/BMF paint jobs can be a real pain in the rear with decent results that are hard to get - especially for those without an airbrush. Well, I may have just solved the problem (or maybe everyone knew about this and I’m late to the party).
I was feeling rather experimental today and had some free time. I was over on Hawkeye’s website looking for inspiration. I saw a part in one of the galleries where he mentioned using aluminium powder over gloss white or gloss black for a highly polished look. So I decided to give it a go - and I must admit, over gloss black, you do get a beautiful shine.
So, while I was waiting for the gloss black to dry, I decided to do a little experimenting. I took some parts from my spare box and using just the aluminium powder (no paints, no primer), I just dabbed it on the bare plastic and then buffed it with an old t-shirt - HOLY SMOKES, what a finish you get. In under a minute, I was able to turn a piece of gray plastic into highly polished aluminium. So I tried a few more pieces to make sure it wasn’t a fluke - and lo and behold, the same result. Then I took some pieces and sanded them with high grit pads and the results got even better.
So I started experimenting a little more and here’s what I found; it doesn’t just rub off, it doesn’t lift with tape (so far), no fingerprints and if you scratch it, dab on a little more powder and buff it again - good as new.
I suggest that anyone with some of Hawkeye’s aluminium buffing powder, give this little test a try. I can’t wait to give a try on larger assemblies. I’m guessing that when you have a seam, you just need to make sure it’s really smoth so it doesn’t show as there’s no primer to hide it.
I hope this helps some people get that finish they’ve always been after.
EDIT: here’s a poor picture. It’s actually much more reflective in real life
Thanks for the tip Fred! I tried the polishing powders on a coat of Future, and that worked well too. Looks like this could save me yet another step! [tup]
This method also works well with graphite powder. Unfortunately, it also shows up seams like a good’un, so for anything more than small details, you still need to clean up seams and hide them with a primer coat, and then a gloss coat onto which you, finally, rub the metal powder.
Of course, if the seams on your model are where they are on the real thing, then you could well be off to the races!
Just to be clear you are getting an aluminium finish using just the powder? I have a jar of the SNJ powder I picked up somewhere, no paint, no instructions and I really didn’t know what to do with it. Might give this stuff a try on my Twin Beech whose NMF I’m not to thrilled with, if it works on bare plastic it has to improve a so so aluminium paint job, Thanks. [#toast]
Have you guys ever read the MSDS sheet for Aluminum Powder ? That is some wicked bad stuff. [wow] Take the precautions to prevent inhaling or absorbing it through your skin. You use to be able to get it at most auto parts and ranch stores, One of the common uses was as a “stop leak” for equipment cooling systems. Now I think DHS rates with Fertilizer and Diesel …
I don’t know if the stuff that Hawkeye sells is the same stuff as radiator stop-leak. I’m sure aluminium is aluminium, but I think the stop-leak has other additives. This stuff just appears to be aluminium bar shavings. But I’m sure you could just double check with Gerald about that.
Fred I had not yet seen the post for Hawkeye.( I type slow) We use to get it in bulk drums,(Mining Co.) to clarify that. Who knows what may be in those little tube things from the parts counter. [:-^]
I’ve tried some short-term masking (about an hour). When I took the tape off, it looks like it had dulled a little, but it buffed right back to it’s previous shine. I’m guessing that since it’s a powder, the tape is only adhering to the top layer. Then when you pull it up, it’s only taking the upper most layer with it, but you can rebuff the part with no affect.
I just tried some on my Twin Beech, started with a Q tip but then started using my finger (with gloves), I accidently broke off on of the vertical stabilizers and rubbed in between my fiinger and thumb, it looks great. Overall the plane still doesn’t look that great because of the surface but it does look 100% better than it did. It might be worth going back and smoothing the rough spots in the finish, I might be salvage it yet. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for an interesting concept. On a similar note, I found that laying MM Buffing Metalizer directly on a plastic scrap gave me a nice bright finish. I already had a P-51 painted with an aluminum silver rattle can, so I thought I would try the Buffing Metalizer over it. Nice thought, but it really didn’t do much to brighten up the finish. Next time I will try it w/0 undercoat. Also, guess I’d better give Hawkeye’s stuff a try.
Well, I just tried it on a larger scale and it still works [:D]
I did the wings of my F8F Bearcat and they turned out sweet. I even used steel over the aluminium to differentiate some panels and it turned out beautifully. I’ll try to post some pics tonight.
The absolute best part is that you can finish the entire kit before assembly. Leave about 1/4" on either side of the seam line, then when you glue the parts together, sand out the seam, then apply the powder over and buff it out.
sorry but I was in the slow class…Where again is it that I can get JUST the metal powder? I looked at the link posted earlier and I see spray stuff, like I said I’m in the slow class, it takes me a while to catch on to these things. But I’d REALLY like to get a good NMF/BMF (which I’m guessing is natural metal finnish/bare metal finnish, correct?). I still dont really want to get an airbrush yet, I like my brush’s.
But you just rub the powder on to the bare plastic and buff it? What about decals, wont there be a problem with them sticking to the powder? I need some more educating in some of the fine arts you guy’s do here. I’ve thinking about getting bare metal foil to do NMF, to try that out but I think it would be a pain to work with. Plus cost would make it worth it only on single engine fighters, and not 4 engined bombers. Let me know what you guys think. Any info/help I can get is always a good thing.
B-17 Guy, click on the link and then clickon “plastic Model Supplies” on the left side. Then scroll down to about midway and you’ll see the SnJ Buffing Powders.
So, here’s a larger scale test of mynew theory
On the top, a 1/48 F8F Bearcat fuselage treated with just the buffing powder (aluminium)
In the middle, the other half of the fuselage, untreated
On the bottom, an upper wing surace treated with the aluminium powder, masked off and then treated with the steel powder for panel differentiation.
If you buff it until no more powder comes off on your buffing rag, you won’t leave any fingerprints and decals should adhere just fine.
A little more experimentation shows that I can’t get the same results with steel powder on the bare platic; it just rubs right off - but it adheres just fine to an aluminium undercoating.
Fred - I’ve been following your thread and it’s very intereting indeed! Many thanks for your continued efforts and in sharing them with us.
I am very curious to know what the actual physical bonding mechanism is that allows the AL powder to adhere so well. Maybe one of our chemist members can share some light on this.
If you have the time to continue your experiments, maybe you could do a comparison of a solvent based NM application vs. your method to test the bond. Maybe do both methods on a test piece and then compare the results after lightly buffing them with something like a light manicure stick or something (and just so you know, I only use those sticks for plastic modeling purposes!! [:-^]). I’d do the test myself but my AL powder is lost somewhere amongst my nail polish bottles.
Anyway, thanks for the info and keep us updated on your experiments. Who knows, it may lead to an article in FSM!!
Man!! I really wanna try this!!! I’m gonna try and see if my LHS carries this stuff. I’ve got a revell 1/48 P-47 I can try it out on. But I’ll use left over’s from my B-17 graveyard to try it on a larger scale. I wanna be able to see about painting on it, decal’s etc…
I agree, a clinical comparative test would be a good idea…but probably left to someone who has a much better idea of what people want to see done.
Here’s what I know for a fact, so far:
Adheres to bare styrene and delrin with no prior treatments to the plastic.
Polishing the bare plastic with a high grit sandpaper (4000 or better) produces a higher luster in the finished product.
Can be applied with a q-tip and buffed with both a cotton rag and a cotton buffing wheel on a motor tool.
Once buffed clean (i.e. no more powder residue appears on your rag), you can handle the piece without lifting color or leaving fingerprints.
You can mask over it with Tamiya tape without lifting color.
You can apply a second powder (i.e. steel) over the aluminium - provided, you don’t rub vigorously. When applying steel powder (because of the corseness of the steel powder), apply several light coats until you achieve the level of darkness you are looking for). Dab on the powder and rub lightly. I t make take several coats to get desired coverage.
If you scratch the finish, you can dab on more powder and buff it out with out any blemishes showing. Much easier than having to repaint the piece and hoping to match the surrounding sheen and reflectivity.
I’ve found the best application to be;
A)Rub on powder with q-tip
B) Buff with cotton rag
C) Apply second coat of powder
D) Buff with cotton wheel on motor tool
E) Apply third coat of powder
F) Buff with cotton rag
I don’t know why, but this has given me the deepest luster so far.
Next, I hope to test paint and decal adhesion.
B-17 guy, there’s nothing to paint as it’s just a finely ground powder. Just rub it on with a q-tip and buff it out with a cotton rag - no brushes necessary.
No,no…I got that part. I meant painting on top of it. Like painting on the anti-glare panels on the mustangs nose, or the inner part of B-17 engine nacelle’s. Painting over top of the almn powder…will the paint lift the powder and blend/bleed etc…
