How to replicate Chrome

Cmar-Ireland

Hi All,

What is the best way to get a good chrome finish on resin?
I am getting a 1:1 scale Terminator arm, and need to figure out how to replicate a chrome finish on it.

Cheers

zt-OctaviaN

Hey there cmar.

Not a clue im afraid im into the R/C side of things (cars)

Lashings and Lashings of creamy chrome paint? although would take away from any detail.

Lots of transplanted body parts in the news lately but a 1:1 Terminator arm is a first

Some of the other guys might know but me? Thick a **** im afraid.

Nick

Cmar-Ireland

I have a 1:1 scale terminator head (endoskull). It came assembled. the arm is from a different maker and requires building and paint. I want it to match the head when finished!

zt-OctaviaN wrote:

Hey there cmar.

Not a clue im afraid im into the R/C side of things (cars)

Lashings and Lashings of creamy chrome paint? although would take away from any detail.

Lots of transplanted body parts in the news lately but a 1:1 Terminator arm is a first

Some of the other guys might know but me? Thick a **** im afraid.

Nick

The Doktor

Ok, here is how. I have done it a few times and it works well.
1. lightly sand the parts you want to paint with wet and dry paper, depending on how rough it is, use light stuff and work up to 1200 paper. Use water during sanding. (to get your parts nice and smooth, getting all joins etcs smooth)

2.Using halfords type grey primer, decant into an container and airbrush on.

3. Rub this coat down until you have a smooth finish, you may need to reapply and sand again until you have your parts totally smooth.

4. using halfords type spray paint (gloss balck) decant and airbrush on.

5. If you have a really shiny finish great, if not then when paint is dry polish using micromesh type sand paper working up to 12000. DO NOT break the surface of the black paint, if you do give it another light coat of black.

6. Airbrush on very very light coats of Alclad II chrome paint. Two coats should do. If you need to put more than 3 light coats on, you may not end up with a really shiny finish.

I have done this a few times, and yes it works better than any paint i have ever used for the correct finish. All other attempts ends up with somthing that looks painted silver.
You also need a pretty good double action airbrush to get good results, with low pressure.

Cmar-Ireland

Thanks for the instructions Doktor.
Hmmm, just thinking here.... I wonder if you would be interested in doing the paint job for me? I could assemble and prepare the arm.
Interested?
This is the Endohead. I would like to replicate the finish that it has...

The Doktor wrote:

Ok, here is how. I have done it a few times and it works well.
1. lightly sand the parts you want to paint with wet and dry paper, depending on how rough it is, use light stuff and work up to 1200 paper. Use water during sanding. (to get your parts nice and smooth, getting all joins etcs smooth)

2.Using halfords type grey primer, decant into an container and airbrush on.

3. Rub this coat down until you have a smooth finish, you may need to reapply and sand again until you have your parts totally smooth.

4. using halfords type spray paint (gloss balck) decant and airbrush on.

5. If you have a really shiny finish great, if not then when paint is dry polish using micromesh type sand paper working up to 12000. DO NOT break the surface of the black paint, if you do give it another light coat of black.

6. Airbrush on very very light coats of Alclad II chrome paint. Two coats should do. If you need to put more than 3 light coats on, you may not end up with a really shiny finish.

I have done this a few times, and yes it works better than any paint i have ever used for the correct finish. All other attempts ends up with somthing that looks painted silver.
You also need a pretty good double action airbrush to get good results, with low pressure.

The Doktor

Its a bit of a pain to get the right finish alright!!
Yeah I would be interested alright, could be fun.
But at the moment I havent got anywhere to work, but will do in a couple of weeks, so if you dont mind waiting till then, no problem.
What I would also say is I would like a look at the kit before you build it to decide is it best painted before or after building, and if you have a few photos of what the finished article is ment to look like.
And I would like to paint somthing to let you see what sort of finish I can get for you, but to give you an idea here is a picture form alclads website of a model painted with their laquer.
Attachment not found.

I have done a couple of models and parts with this finish, and it looked pretty good.

The Doktor

here are 2 pics i found that will give you an idea of what the paint can achive.
On the f-15 you can see some chrome paint on the tail section just around there the jet exhausts are, but this is darkened a little to look dirty and used.
on the bike, all the plating was rubbed off and re painted, so everything you see here is painted. But again a real shiny finish is not what I was tryin to get here, as its ment to be shiny aluminium.

Attachment not found.

Attachment not found.

Cmar-Ireland

Thanks for the offer. I will def take you up on this. There will be no problem getting the arm to you. I can bring over the Endoskull for reference. I can also get lots of pics of the 'real' arm for reference.

Where are you from? I'm in Co.Kildare...

The Doktor

im in kildare meself

Cmar-Ireland

The Doktor wrote:

im in kildare meself

Sweet.... How about we sort something out in a week or two?

Im in Monasterevin

Plug

Coke is supposed to be brilliant for chrome, better than the leading chrome shiner stuff, mythbusters had it on there show.