Tips on silver/metal finish using a brush?

[Guest]

Afternoon all

In my stash I have a North American Sabre which I am looking to do in a Metal/Silver finish

Now I know people are going to say get yourself an airbrush and you will be okay but at the minute me and my lad are trying to do this on a shoestring and we don't have anywhere to use an airbrush at the minute anyway.

So we are looking for tips on how to do it using a brush and a pot of humbrol silver paint (not sure of the number will update later) the paint is quite good on small items and areas but am not sure how it will turn out on large areas and want to cut down brush marks and thick finish and still keep the details of the kit.

is there any tips and hints that any of you good members could pass on.

Many Thanks Paul

[eddiesolo]

Hi Paul, on large areas ali/metallics do not tend to sit well, well I have found they don't. My tip to you, bearing in mind that you do not have a AB is to go to the next best thing...rattle can the model in a silver and use the Humbrol silver for highlights. For the sake of a fiver or so for a can of silver paint you will get a quicker, less messy and more of a quality finish than brushing.

Si

[Ian M]

Or you can buy a tinlet of Humbrol Metal cote. They do a polished Aluminium that brushes on very well. Stir it VERY well then stir it some more. Make sure that you have a good primer that has had plenty of time to dry AND HARDEN.

When you have brushed it on it will look flat and boring. Take a soft lint free cloth (old tee shirts are great) and GENTLY buff it up. any small nooks and crannies can be got at with a cotton bud. You will now have one very shiny aeroplane.

You can add tints using humbrol Enamel paints so that you can get a bit of variation in some of the panels if you so wish.

Try not to put your fingers all over it after it is polished. A pair of cotton gloves comes in handy here.

Ian M

[Guest]

Hi, have a read of this it is quite informative.

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2005/12/stuff_eng_tech_nmf.htm

I had a go at doing what they suggested on an Airfix Mig15 and it turned out like this





then I gave it a couple of coats of future to give it a nice gentle sheen. I used a quarter inch flat brush and thinned the paint and just used the tip of the brush very gently. It took several coats. Or you could do what I did for my F86 Sabre and go to Halfords and get a spray tin of Nissan Silver.

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

As long as you do all the prep work before hand I'd go with Alclad II paints, you can spray them straight from the jars, I've used them over large areas without loss of effect, it is though as I said all down to prep work. Smooth body work, Alclad gloss black under coat and thin layers of the colour you want built up over several applications

Adrian

[Alan 45]

I'd go with the rattle can option but if you do want to use a brush then do what I did , I painted this in two coats of revell silver 90 I noticed that it wasn't completely even so I added some tank grey weathering over the noticeable parts

Here's a pic [ATTACH]80921.IPB[/ATTACH]

[flyjoe180]

I'm lazy and usually go down the rattle can option too Paul, but Ian's Humbrol Metalcote is worth a try if you can get some and are prepared to paint a primer on first and then buff it up. Brushing on Humbrol 11 Silver is a nightmare at the best of times, covering a large surface area will inevitably leave brush marks, which can be largely blended later using a nice gloss varnish to even out the finish if you prefer.

[Guest]

Hi guys thanks for the info.

The paint i was looking to use is humbrol metalcote aluminium number 27001.

Rattle can sound like a good idea but not sure if i will let the lad do it think it maybe a bit advanced for a 7 year old.

Thanks for the link Bari will give it a read this afternoon in the quite time at work lol.

I have a few more questions would it be best to thin the paint and do more then one coat and what color primer would be best?

Many Thanks Paul

[colin m]

And now for something completely different. It's a Polish called 'Rub and buff'. I used it on a B36, it works really well. That might actually be Rub 'n' buff.

[Guest]

Hi, When I tried the ipms method I thinned the mixes down with about 25% thinners. I haven't used metalcote so couldn't tell you about that. For primer I use a Halfords (or any make,try your local motor spares shop) plastic primer, it usually comes in grey or white, it is a rattle can though. Give it a gentle rub down with 1000 or 1200 grit emery paper after applying to make it really smooth. If you don't want to use a rattle can Humbrol do sell a primer, I think its number 1 and its grey. .

[Guest]

Hi Bari

I have the humbrol primer already but find that it doesn't cover well or it covers to thickly nothing in the middle was thinking about a rattle can primer just any halfords home bran then?

Ian if i painted it with the metal cote and buffed it with a lint free cloth would this be a dry buff on polish?

Many Thanks Paul

[Guest]

Yes any will do, I'm using Autotek white plastic primer at the moment mainly because it comes in a can a lot bigger than the Halfords one for the same price and it seems to be doing the job ok. Do get one that says Plastic Primer on it though, as I think (but not sure) that primers for metal are a different spec and some can damage the plastic or the paint that you put on top. The Plastic one is mainly for bumpers etc. Hope this helps.

I found that putting several coats of thinned paint on took a long time as I had to let it dry completly before putting the next one on as I was using white spirit as a thinner, and if the previous coat hadn't cured I would start pulling it off. However this may not tie in with a seven year olds time scale so the metal cote may be the best way.

[Guest]

Hi guys thanks for the info.Rattle can sound like a good idea but not sure if i will let the lad do it think it maybe a bit advanced for a 7 year old.

Thanks for the link Bari will give it a read this afternoon in the quite time at work lol.

Paul

Think you are right Paul. A year or so my 4 Grandsons were introduced, by me, to model making. 4,7,8,10. They consumed enough paint to cover the real thing. Managed to camouflage completely the "aprons" wisely provided by my wife. The thickness of the paint was something to behold. Joke a little, just, as a couple of them did well.

Also last visit to one of my daughters and the models stood proudly on the shelf.

Well done I say Paul for your patience and time in looking after your son. It seems to be a disappearing art.

Laurie

[Ian M]

Hi BariI have the humbrol primer already but find that it doesn't cover well or it covers to thickly nothing in the middle was thinking about a rattle can primer just any halfords home bran then?

Ian if i painted it with the metal cote and buffed it with a lint free cloth would this be a dry buff on polish?

Many Thanks Paul

Not sure what you mean exactly there. Paint it on let it dry over night then buff it up with the soft cloth...

Ian M

[Guest]

Ian anything on the cloth or just dry?