Secrets from the paint booth

Radio Control Car Action, Oct 2003 by Thiel, Josh

Let it shine

With the introduction of Alclad's Chrome paint for Lexan, the quest for the holy grail of RC paint has been realized. You've probably seen chrome paint on your favorite full-scale car or motorcycle racer, but the true automotive versions of this paint are very t expensive and don't adhere well to Lexan.

That's all changed now; Alclad's Chrome has opened up new territory for trick RC paint jobs. Here's how to make it work for you!

How chrome paint works

Most of today's modern, water-based Lexan paints are very simple and straightforward to use; however, it can be a challenge to apply and achieve a perfect finish with chrome paint. It's important to understand how this chrome gets its shine because most of the problems you'll come across are related to this. Alclad achieves a chrome-like finish by using ultra-fine reflective particles that mirror light back through a transparent layer, i.e., something shiny and clear such as Lexan. This can be problematic because any imperfections in the Lexan (cut marks, mold errors) will become very obvious when using chrome. Also, applying "fades" with other, non-transparent paints interferes with the chrome paint's reflective interface and causes "dulling."

By using the tips and techniques detailed here, you can avoid problems in laying down chrome paint, and you'll learn a couple cool effects as well. When painting this month's body, I'll employ and illustrate several variations using chrome paint.

prep

Today's victim is Pro-Line's excellent mold of Ferrari's latest super car-the Enzo FX. As usual, I prepped the body for paint by washing it and then spraying on three solid coats of liquid mask. When you plan to use Alclad Chrome, don't use cleaning or scrubbing pads that are even slightly abrasive because even fine scratches will show through on the final chrome finish. In addition to its chrome paint, I will use Alclad transparent paint, Parma Faskolor and Pactra candy colors. Don't worry about mixing paint systems; they are compatible. I'll use an airbrush to apply the liquid mask and paint.

Fixing errors

I frequently use chrome as a trim highlight. Ordinarily, these small segments are painted first, however, many times this causes trouble. Although it adheres to Lexan much better than automotive chrome paint does, Alclad Chrome has a lower adhesion than other RC-compatible paints, so it can be pulled off when you remove sections of mask. Don't be afraid to recut an edge if you think the chrome might peel off (I know this sounds painful, but perfection isn't always easy). Luckily, when you recut an edge, only very light pressure is needed and you don't have to be very exact because you just want to break a super thin layer of paint.

Unfortunately, chips can still be lifted off an edge no matter how careful you are; if that happens, its time for damage control. To simulate an error, I purposely pulled a masked section perpendicular to and directly into the side of a chrome edge. Sure enough, chips of chrome were lifted off, but the paint job wasn't ruined. If very large chunks are pulled away, it is best to carefully re-mask and re-paint a section, but if the chips are small, you can dab on chrome paint to fill them in; carefully placed drops solve that problem.

chrome paint application tips

HERE ARE A FEW GOOD RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN APPLYING CHROME PAINT.

* Initially, spray a very tight coat of chrome at around 12psi to promote adhesion-a "sticking" layer-and follow it with a fairly heavy second coat.

* Make sure that each coat is thoroughly dry before you apply the next.

* Two coats should give you an excellent-looking chrome finish, but if you plan to follow it with other colors, it's best to add a third coat to make the surface chrome opaque. Other coats can then be over-sprayed without worry.

* Be aware that any unnecessary cut marks you make when you trim the mask will stick out like a sore thumb. Normal paint fills in scratches and lessens their appearance, however, because chrome reflects most light, cuts will cause large, visible refractions.

* Chrome can also be "faded" with non-transparent colors. How well you fade the paint will directly affect the look of the chrome. If you use chrome as the background color for a fade, be sure to minimize the level of overspray from the first colors. Even the smallest amount of paint will dull the chrome into flat silver.

* If chrome is applied first as a highlighting fade, you don't need to worry about the dulling of transition zones. On the rear of the Enzo, I sprayed in some ghost streaks. Although the chrome was sprayed on very lightly, it still created a reflective highlight. The sprayed-on chrome was barely visible before I back-coated it with black.

chrome and candy colors

One of the better uses for chrome is to make super-rich and reflective candy colors. By applying a layer of transparent tinting paint, also known as candy color, you can achieve a deep, almost anodized-looking finish. Alclad markets several transparent colors just for this purpose. The following tips should yield wild results.