Alclad 2 Drying Time Help Please

[Stevekir]

I have read many posts and other pieces of advice on how to apply Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base ALC 305 and Alclad 2 High Shine Lacquer Chrome ALC 107. I plan a practice session tomorrow afternoon.

I have two question left. I have seen advice to inspect the base coat after it has dried for (30 minutes?) and to sand and recoat in the usual way if faults are found.

Q1: What is the minimum time I should let the Alclad 2 Gloss Black Base coat dry before lightly sanding any faults?

Q2: Given that a second coat of Gloss Black Base and a second coat of Chrome might be necessary, would it be safe to let either the Gloss Black Base or the Chrome sit in the AB during the time (your answer to Q1) a coat is drying and any sanding has been completed, or should I clean the AB immediately in the usual way (using Celluliose Thinners) to prevent the Gloss Black Base or Chrome from hardening and making problems when cleaning the AB?

My reason for asking is because with the possibility of 4 coats of Alclad 2 products, (2 Gloss Black Base and 2 Chrome) this might result in 4 thorough cleanings of the AB per session, with other model parts to follow, and it would be good if the Alclad 2 stuff could sit in the AB while waiting for the first coat of Base and first coat of Chrome to dry (but only if safe to do so). (I would of course clean the AB between a Gloss Black Base coat and a Chrome coat.)

Thanks.

PS. My AB has seals suitable for Lacquers.

 

[stona]

I can't comment on the Alclad base coats as I've never used them. I would hesitate to leave Alclad in the airbrush whilst waiting for a previous coat to dry. Why would you? I tend to use relatively large amounts, at least compared to 'normal' paints, in any case and never seem to have any left in the paint cup!

I don't think you need to give your airbrush a thorough clean between coats. I just give mine a quick wipe and flush between coats, even between colours when spraying other finishes.

Cheers

Steve

 

[john i am]

Alclad or acrylic paint I always flush with cleaner and water afterwards between colours and wipe tip/nozzle of airbrush with damp cotton bud I would never leave alclad products just sitting in my airbrush although I have left acrylic in there with no problems

 

[Ian M]

I would suggest leaving the base coat overnight to dry and cure. If a second coat is needed give that the same time. I have only once found it needed to give it two coats of black base.

make sure that you shake it up very well.

As for the chrome: As little as possible to give it the chrome effect. It dries almost on contact and you will need to be very light handed with it. A second coat will be risking it becoming "silver paint" looking. Practice off model. Also once painted avoid handling it with bare fingers, it will mar the finish.

Ian M

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I've used Alclad many times on my Ironman builds, I always use the Gloss black base and from experience leave it 2 days to fully cure, when I apply the top coats such as Hot Metal Red I leave those a day and I leave and metalics for 2 days also. So far I've never had any issue with them through doing this. I agree with Ian about just alight coat, 2 coats would loose the desired effect your after.

As for cleaning I only use Alclad Airbrush clear, there may be other views but again I've never had any issues and can swap between colours with no residue after a flush with the cleaner.

Adrian

 

[Stevekir]

I have sprayed two parts with one mist coat (so far) of Alclad Black Base. On the first, that coat has gone on very smoothly and evenly. It had been previously primed with Vallejo Grey Surface Primer (which is acrylic). The coat on the second part (which had not been primed) gathered together in areas, resulting in thicker paint in those areas and less in the others. It looked like the effect you get if the surface is oily or greasy. But that part was very thoroughly cleaned before spraying.

The first part is made of black plastic, the second of a white slightly translucent plastic. It was supplied already finished in "chrome" (as were all the other "chrome" parts) but I wanted to repair some wrinkles and sink holes so I removed the "chrome" with bleach and filled and sanded to make a smooth surface. (The gathering together of the base is not confined to those repaired areas.)

Has anyone got an explanation for that please? What should I do before adding the second mist coat?

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

My guess is that the part you didn't under coat gave no adhesion for the paint to stick to so ended up pooling in areas.

Adrian

 

[Stevekir]

My guess is that the part you didn't under coat gave no adhesion for the paint to stick to so ended up pooling in areas.Adrian

Right. I will sand down to plastic and spray with Vallejo Primer. (The info on Alclad 2 that I have read mentions that there is no need to apply a primer.)

 

[Paul Davies]

I have used Alclad paints a lot. I would suggest using the alcald primer before applying the basecoat.

I would never leave the paint sitting in AB these paints are touch dry fairly quickly but would leave overnight to cure between each coat giving a light sand in any areas that need it

 

[Ian M]

Not sure where you read that Alclad does not need a primer but I think that is wrong.

personally I would not use Vallejo primer either, but use Alclads own primer. Two reasons it is designed to work with the paint and it is very good primer. I use it almost all the time these days.

Ian M

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

second time I have seen this..... Still do not know why Alclad is treated like a dark art....

John

 

[stona]

second time I have seen this..... Still do not know why Alclad is treated like a dark art....John

Me neither. I think it is one of the easiest natural metal finishes to use. The tricky bit is the preparation, and that applies to many glossy, light or metal finishes.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Stevekir]

Hmmm. At the stage that I am at, it seems like a dark art. The videos of using Alclad look so easy. I have seldom been defeated and don't intend to be this time. I have sent Alclad 4 photos of my failure and await their reply.

I attach those photos in case they are of interest:

This is a sheet of polystyrene as practice. The chrome has gathered together as though the black gloss under it was greasy but it certainly was not:

View attachment 83333

.
These two show uneven chrome despite two coats of smoothly applied. Too much and you get running:

View attachment 83334

.
View attachment 83335


Alclad Gloss Black Base only, no chrome. The spots look like primer lumps poking through the black, but they are not. They are tiny patches of white plastic which have not taken the gloss black:

View attachment 83336


For all I used about 12 PSI at a distance of about 3 inches, with the trigger set not to go more than half way back. A steady pass across with the AB, not stopping or starting the flow on the part. Over the past 6 months I have used a lot of Tamiya Synthetic Lacquer (gloss), AB (decanted of course) and straight from the spray can, with no trouble at all. The only difference seems to be that the Alclad Gloss Base and the Chrome are very much thinner.

 

[stona]

I have no idea what is going on there. I've sprayed Alclads over regular grey plastic primer (Halfords) and gloss black enamel (good old Humbrol) with nothing like that at all.

I'm usually a bit more circumspect when spraying over the gloss because the Alclads are quite 'hot' and there is a risk of them reacting with the undercoat if applied to heavily for example.

As for the lack of coverage of that gloss black, I'm interested to see what Alclad say

Cheers

Steve