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Alclad base


Dick Montgomery

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I usually use Tamiya TS-14 as a base coat for my Alclad applications. I need to find a substitute for the TS-14.....any suggestions from those with actual application experience would be appreciated.

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Anything that is SMOOTH will do, be it gloss primer, Future, or flat primer sanded smooth. The darker base colors (black, dark blue, dark gray) will give more depth to the Alclad color. By misting it on (which is the proper way to apply it) you can get varying tones simply by varying the base colors on the model.

 

A couple of things to note:

1) be sure to let your base coat cure completely, and not be just dry to the touch. Thuis should allow you to use acrylic, enamel, or lacquer pimers.

2) you should use an GLOSS BLACK ENAMEL primer for the Chrome or Polished Aluminum. My understanding is that there is an actual chemical reaction between the two that allows the Alclad to "plate out" over the enamel primer that will not happen over an acrylic or lacquer base coat, and any other color will make the effect much less intensive.

3) some people swear that if you VERY LIGHTLY mist on the Alclad, you don't even need a primer! However, if you apply it in wet coats it will NOT look as good, will be more likely to react badly with any primer, and WILL craze bare plastic!

 

Best of luck!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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Alclad makes their own primers...

 

http://alclad2.com/f...s/primers-misc/

 

This is exactly what I was hoping for. I've used TS-14 as a primer for a number of years but the supply seems to be vanishing....and the data I found at the website you provided provided me with exactly the info I needed. Thanks!

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Dick,

 

These all worked well. I think the top coat is Alclad Polished Aluminum. Note the Mr. Surfacer base does not yield a high shine.

 

Pol_Alum_01b.jpg

Not shown, but one I discovered after making this test shot, is Model Master Automotive Black Gloss Lacquer. It works very well. Some people have had issues with the Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base not drying. The only time I had a problem was when it thinned it with lacquer thinner. Thinned with MEK, it went on well and dried quickly. You're not supposed to thin it in the first place, but I did and the results were good.

 

The "High Shine" colors that require a gloss black base are to get the maximum reflection are:

Chrome

Polished Aluminum

Aircraft Aluminum

Stainless Steel

Titanium Gold

Polished Brass

Chrome for Lexan

Mirrored Gold for Lexan

 

The latter two are for lexan RC car bodies.

 

All the other Alclad colors need a good primer. Mr. Surfacer 1200 has always worked well for me.

 

The F-104G below from 2007 is mostly Polished Aluminum over Alclad Gloss Black Base.

 

BruceBriggs-1-48F-104G-2a.jpg

 

Regards,

Bruce

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Picked up ALC-304/305, which is the recommended base for the Alclad paint that I plan to use...we'll test it out this weekend and see what we get.

Since it walks like Alclad, and talks like Alclad, and since it is the Alclad primer recommened by Alclad....I'll bet it will work!

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Glad the info helped Dick...

 

As an aside; I was at the NNL East today (4/21) and the Alclad boys were in attendance.

 

If you ever have the need, consider their primers (Grey and Black) with the microfiller.

 

The examples on their display table were very impressive. Ready to shoot right from the jar.

 

I got one of each to try out... eventually.

 

Kevin

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