Preparation for Natural Metal Finish

[Mossie]

There's a lot of info on the web about various methods for creating a natural metal finish.  Almost all of these pages mention that you should prepare the surface before hand, but largely gloss over this process.  So how do you go about it & what products should you use?

Thanks!

Simon.

[Hobbes]

Basically, preparation consists of PSR, and maybe a coat of base paint. The idea is to get a nice smooth, unblemished surface as the NMF will show up any imperfections.

[Mossie]

I understand that, but how far do you go?  Just a smooth surface, or a polished one?  The highest grit sandpaper I have is 600, I'm guessing you need to go much higher than that?  Also, are products such as Mr Surfacer useful?

[nev]

First off, it depends on what you're using - there's a world of difference between using a Halfords spraycan and airbrushing Alclad!  As long as your primer basecoat is nice and smooth you should be OK.  Unless you're spraying Alclad, in which case you want gloss black...

As for Mr Surfacer....it seems to be one of those products that some people swear by, and others just don't see the big deal (ie me!)

[Hobbes]

I haven't done NMF on an entire aircraft, but I'm preparing one at the moment.
- I've sanded down any puttied areas with grit up to 1200
- then primer (good old Humbrol 1 for me, but this depends on the NMF you're using. Alclad needs its own primer)
- sand down the primer with 2000 grit

that should be smooth enough to apply the MNF.

Mr. Surfacer is very handy as the last step in filling any surface defects. With putty, it's hard to get a seamless join to the plastic when the defect is shallow: there comes a point where the layer of putty is too thin to hold so I'm often left with a little step or tear between the plastic and putty. Mr. Surfacer can be used to eliminate this.
It can also be used as a primer (I've never done this though, and you need cellulose thinner to thin it enough for airbrush use).

[jcf]

Gloss black undercoat for Alclad is only necessary for Chrome and Polished Aluminum.

[Mossie]

Thanks guys.  It's the T-4MS that I'm thinking of hitting with such a finish.  I'm planning on brush painting using Games Workshop's Citadel Colour Metallics, I acheived a pretty good finish.  I've managed to find a place today that does 1000 & 1200 grit, I've had trouble finding these locally before.  I'll order some Mr Surfacer, as the resin isn't that smooth in places.  There's a spray available would this or the standard stuff be better?

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Simon
PM inbound

Ian

[jcf]

Simon, Mr. Surfacer is sold in a spray, however as it is basically just acrylic-lacquer auto-body primer why not spray a couple coats of Halfords Filler Primer? Its pretty much the same stuff, and probably much cheaper.

PM me your postal address and I'll send along some of the sanding and polishing films and papers I use, I buy the stuff in bulk from
jewelry suppliers so I have loads. The cuts go from 100 micron (120 grit) down to 1 micron (8000 grit).

Jon

[Mossie]

Jon, you're very kind.  PM on it's way.

[dragon]

I have seen fantastic work with the Testors Metallizer series.  I myself have trouble with the stuff.  It looks fine until I spray the Glosscote, Semi-Glosscote, or Dullcote.  Then it looks toy like. Well, at least 50% of the time.

[Geoff]

I have been using Mr Color, buffs up to a nice finish but I sprayed Humbrol satin varnish and it went v matt

[Mossie]

Humbrol varnishes can be a little hit & miss.  I used the matt one recentley & it gave a wonderful matt finish on the first coat, but discloured the it on the second, fortunately it was a weathered finish I was going for.

For those in the UK wishing to get hold of Testors Metalizer, Creative Models now stock the whole Testors paints & finishing range.
http://www.creativemodels.net/index.php?osCsid=6f963b62900358d81624e61a98691d1d