Metalic Paints

[justin1985]

Following on from the really interesting "Choice of Paint for Airbrushing" thread, I'd like to ask about metallic paints. 

 

I get the impression from skimming aircraft modelling forums and blogs that metallic paints have come on a lot in recent years, and the traditional Humbrol metallics are a bit passé. I can't say I've opened a tin for a long time, but I recall the Revell and Humbrol metallics I had for copper and gold etc were very gritty in texture - almost like you'd covered your model in very fine glitter, rather than it being a solid metal object. 

 

However, a lot of the stuff written by/for aircraft modellers seems a bit impenetrable in terms of assuming you know your way around the different products and how to use them! They also seem to be focused very much on modelling "NMF" - natural metal finish - primarily for aluminium, rather than the metals we tend to need to reproduce for railways - brass, copper, and steel.

 

I gather paints like Alclad are popular, but I've not seen these at all in person. How do you use them? It also sounds like there is a method out there that uses a gold leaf type approach (with other metal foils). Modern paint brands like Vallejo and MIG also seem to be advertising new metallic ranges recently too. Any experience?

 

My current project involves some stills for the interior of a whisky distillery - which I've 3D printed but want to be a nice shiny copper finish to be visible through the windows. I'd also be interested to get genuinely smooth and non-grainy finishes on 3D printed domes, whistles, chimney caps, etc. to represent copper and/or brass. 

 

Cheers

Justin

 

 

[jonas]

For detail painting, I’ve always used Citadel (Games Workshop) acrylic metallics. They don’t have the ‘flake’ effect you mention and are generally regarded as pretty good. They brush on perfectly and are ideal for small bits on underframes, door handles and the like. For a metallic sheen personally I think you can’t beat ground pencil lead applied with a finger over a dark base coat - perfect for buffer heads etc!

 

Ive some airbrushable aluminium from Vallejo to try on a mustang for that NMF effect you mention - I believe a lot of these type finished including Alclad depend on a high gloss black undercoat to be effective, but I’ve not got any first hand experience, yet.

[Dominion]

I happened to witness a discussion on this yesterday between my son and a very knowledgable shop assistant. Context was metal armour on military soldier figures. The recommendation was for Vallejo or another brand the name of which escapes me. Apparently the metal particles are ground much much more finely. Sure enough the painted examples he showed us looked much better than the Tamiya or Humbrol metallics I have used. The catch is that the finer grind makes them more expensive but I thought the difference was well worth it and I decided to try Vallejo next time I needed gunmetal or copper or brass etc. Tom

[NickL2008]

On 23/08/2019 at 10:51, justin1985 said:

Following on from the really interesting "Choice of Paint for Airbrushing" thread, I'd like to ask about metallic paints. 

 

I get the impression from skimming aircraft modelling forums and blogs that metallic paints have come on a lot in recent years, and the traditional Humbrol metallics are a bit passé. I can't say I've opened a tin for a long time, but I recall the Revell and Humbrol metallics I had for copper and gold etc were very gritty in texture - almost like you'd covered your model in very fine glitter, rather than it being a solid metal object. 

 

However, a lot of the stuff written by/for aircraft modellers seems a bit impenetrable in terms of assuming you know your way around the different products and how to use them! They also seem to be focused very much on modelling "NMF" - natural metal finish - primarily for aluminium, rather than the metals we tend to need to reproduce for railways - brass, copper, and steel.

 

I gather paints like Alclad are popular, but I've not seen these at all in person. How do you use them? It also sounds like there is a method out there that uses a gold leaf type approach (with other metal foils). Modern paint brands like Vallejo and MIG also seem to be advertising new metallic ranges recently too. Any experience?

 

My current project involves some stills for the interior of a whisky distillery - which I've 3D printed but want to be a nice shiny copper finish to be visible through the windows. I'd also be interested to get genuinely smooth and non-grainy finishes on 3D printed domes, whistles, chimney caps, etc. to represent copper and/or brass. 

 

Cheers

Justin

 

 

 

Alclad paints are airbrush only, they are lacquer based paints that are ready thinned for airbrush use, they are much smoother in finnish than the Humbrol finishes, I resprayed a Hornby MGR hopper using their Polished aluminium lacquer and it gave a good result

 

NL

[jonhall]

I used Alclad on my 'silver bullet' tanks, scratchbuilt before the Dapol one came out, its interesting stuff. 

 

For the chrome/stainless steel effect you have to spray a really good GLOSS black undercoat, then you take the alclad, shake it to mix the 'metal' with the solvent, and spray on really close - IIRC 3 inches away - the result looks terible, the metal particles sit on the surface 'swimming' in the solvent and you think OMG what have I done.... then miraculously the solvent flashes off and you get a really shiny finish!

 

That said I've also used a rattle can of silver paint from Wilko's (plasticote perhaps? ) and got good results with that, but obviously only a very limited range of colours.

 

Jon

[justin1985]

On Jonas' recommendation I tried out Citadel / Games Workshop "Hashut Copper" (this was also convenient because there is a store very close to home).

 

I tested alongside Revell copper, which I still had a very old tin of. The Revell one didn't seem as bad as I remember, but the Citadel one seemed to have a very pleasant aged but polished copper look, whereas Revell looked like a brand new factory fresh bit of copper pipe.

 

 

Here's one of the main batch that I did using Citadel. I airbrushed the paint using Vallejo thinners over a base of Halfords Gloss black. Then after a few hours finished with an airbrushed coat of Humbrol gloss. 

 

There is still some "glitteryness" to it, but then the still is only about 2cm high, and will only be seen though a window ...

 

I think if I was doing a bare metal tanker or something I probably would try the Alclad route. Sounds fun to experiment with in any case!

 

J

[Dominion]

17 hours ago, NickL2008 said:

 

Alclad paints are airbrush only, they are lacquer based paints that are ready thinned for airbrush use, they are much smoother in finnish than the Humbrol finishes, I resprayed a Hornby MGR hopper using their Polished aluminium lacquer and it gave a good result

 

NL

Vallejo with the very fine metallic particles can be brush painted too.

[Silly Moo]

I’m very pleased this topic has come up, I’ve just painted a loco chimney with Humbrol gold metallic enamel and it looks dreadful, I’m glad there are some better alternatives for me to try.