Metal colors

There was a product that came in a small round plastic container that was rubbed on the model and then buffed. It was silver in color and was the consistency of ladies rouge. I used it on some planes back in 1980 and it came out very good. I don't remember where it came from or its name. I believe it also came in gold. This was not a scale model product, but some sort of craft product, possibly used to metalize pictures frames. I dug out a Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (US designation = Tony) that I did with the product and posted it over on ABMS. This silver finish is over 25 years old and was never overcoated with any clear spray or Future, so it's kinda faded a little.

Hi Bill, Your stuff sound very interesting. Maybe someone will know it's name. What does 'buffed' mean? Is the photo of your plane available somewhere online?

Thanks Maciek

This sounds like "Rub 'n Buff". Its a paste-like substance that is applied, then buffed w/ soft cloth (much as you would buff paste wax). Usually used for craft projects like picture frames and such.

Some color samples here:

Buffed is a vigorous rubbing with a soft cloth. The pictures of my silver Ki-61 Hien is in the newsgroup alt.binaries.models.scale posted today.

The brand name is 'Rub'n Buff'. It's a wax based metallic finish that includes fine metallic powders and pigments and comes in 20 different hues. 'Buffed' means it has to be polished with a soft cloth. Your original idea of using aluminum foil is however also viable for larger surfaces and is often successfully used to produce a natural metal finish on airplane models. A special brand of foil for this purpose that already comes with a self-adhesive backing is 'Bare-Metal' foil, but you could also use regular thin household foil together with an adhesive such as Microscale or Superscale foil adhesive.

Martin

My wife had that stuff, but it was years after I was using the other stuff. My stuff came in a small round plastic container that was about

2-3" in diameter and about 1/2" high. It was the consistency of a polish like Simonize and couldn't be dispensed from a tube. I remember rubbing my finger in the stuff and then rubbing my finger on the model. After a while, I had a nice silver shine on my fingertip and the fingerprints were all filled in. :-)

I think I found it. At least it looks like the container, and I remember the color swatch on the lid.

or

" snipped-for-privacy@compuserve.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@j73g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Hi Maciek,

If you have (good) connection with the police, you could ask for some "finger print powder". You know, the powder they brush on a surface to see if some bad guy has left his finger prints.

First. You have to spray the surface of your model gloss black. Then you use a soft cloth to rub the powder on the gloss black surface untill it has a very shiny metal like colour.

This works for me.

HTH,

Dennis

I have used both rub and buff and the treasure gold paste ,they are basically the same stuff. They are good for adding worn metal areas on models such as armour and chipped paint on aircraft with a fine pointed paint brush . Some one told me that you can add the silver paste to silver enamel paint so the paint finish will become buffable, but I have never tried this technique.

Depends on what metal. Aluminum is a different color than steel. There are MANY alloys of steel, each with a unique color, whereas even different aluminum alloys look pretty much the same.

Also depends on surface finish of metal. Polished metal looks different than machined metal which looks different than castings.

About the only enamels that look realistic are gold, and Testors steel when the later is dry brushed over a dark primer.

Otherwise, as for aluminum aircraft skin, use a metalizer spray.

Of course you can. That's what Bare Metal Foil and Microscale's Micro Metal Foil Adhesive are for.

I have found a "chrome" paint that really does look like real chrome.

It is a DERUSTO metallics paint called "Chrome Plate Aluminum Enamel".

The final results will look as good as your aluminum foil and it will cover any shape.

The container has a Bar Code Number of "o 70798 55380 4" and I had to go to LOWES Hardware and have them order it special for me. It comes 6 spray cans in a case.

I think if you try it you won't ever use anything else for a chrome aluminum paint again.

Just make sure you test the plastic, etc. before you mess up something you can't replace. Jack Sweezy

How does that wonderful DERUSTO chrome paint stand up to handling? Does it dry hard or does it stay soft forever (like Testors Chrome Silver)?

Does it attack unprimed styrene?

Is it made in China? (just kiddin')

Peteski

Unless you have a can of it there with that color name, DERUSTO #70798

55380 is called 'Spray Chrome Plate Finish' 's%20List/Derusto.htm> I think if you try it you won't ever use anything else for a chrome

Hi Peter W.

Derusto spray paint dries hard and will stand up to handling very well. As to its being applied to unprimed styrene, I don't recall ever using it on that material, however, I do use it on hyrrocal castings after spraying them with lacquer sanding sealer and it doesn't attact the lacquer.......All I can say is try it on a scrap piece..........

Jack

For a real good description of RUB & BUFF go to this WebSite.........

Jack

Thanks for the info! Peteski