Silver paint question

GordonD wrote: : I'm about to start building the Tamiya 1/70th Apollo spacecraft and I want : to get a nice bright finish on the Command Module without using Bare Metal : Foil. I've heard that to get the best effect from silver paint, you should : give the model an undercoat of black paint - but should this be gloss, matt, : or doesn't it matter? : Gloss black is generally recommended for a shine silver finish. What are you planning to use for the silver paint? I have seen Alclad used to very good effect.

Bruce

Floquil have two silver paints , one called "bright silver" and the other "old silver ". These are in thier railroad colour paints. I've used the bright silver for NMF on a 1/48 P47 and other models , always looked good to me.

Also Rub and Buff make a couple of silver colours ,Ive also used these to get differnt coloured panels on NMF aircraft.

Are Floquil paints still available ? they came in larger bottles than the one you get now from the other makers. I'll answer my own question here after doing a quick search , yes they are available still here in AU at least.

I'm in the UK and I don't think my local model shop sells that. Humbrol do a Chrome Silver in addition to their normal silver so I was going to try that.

Thanks for the gloss black answer!

"Kevin(Bluey)" wrote: : : Floquil have two silver paints , one called "bright silver" and the : other "old silver ". : Floquil silver (in the lacquer base) are old standbys for a metallic finish. Both do well, stand up to handling well, and produce a very useful finish.

I don't know how well the Floquil acrylic silvers work, however. And, I don't know how long the old, classic, Floquil will be available.

I like what I have seen with Alclad II. It is available in several shades of silver, ranging from a gray to a goldish hue, and you can furthur vary the effect by altering the underlying color. It is acetone based, and dries quickly. It also is tolerant to being handled.

Rub 'n Buff, IIRC, like SNJ, did NOT take to being handled, as it was a silver paste/powder polished onto the surface?

Bruce

If "rubbed" onto a mirror-smooth surface, Rub 'n Buff can probably give the brightest surface possible...but as you point out, it is *very* fragile. A clearer sealer overcoat will make it tough enough to survive handling, but will also partially negate the effectiveness of the finish.