Chrome paint??????????????

[RobStyle]

Let me try and help you guys out a little here with a little known paint secret.

You need to use a paint called "Alclad2"
Here is my buddies website that explains what you need to know about Alclad2:

http://home.earthlink.net/~rayra/alclad2x/index.htm

The paint is only as good as the surface prep.
The surface needs to be clean and have a gloss black paint applied to it.
You cant touch the black paint or the fingerprints will show on the Alclad2 coating.
The finish is very very very durable.
The chrome is just about as real as you will get short of being real chrome.
The polished aluminum does indeed look like polished aluminum.

I build original and replica props for film/tv and private collectors. Alclad2 is the best way to get a metalic finish on just about anything. The paint has been used in the film/tv industry for some years now.
If you are going to coat something such as a computer case, you will have to sand the surface smooth as the groves in the typical computer case's surface will distort the Alclad2 finish.

Best of luck.

 

[Celeron_Phreak]

I still don't see the point of the chrome. If you spray far away, then all you get is a watery substance on the object, and no metallic flakes, spray any closer, and you get liquid chrome that will NEVER dry

 

[RobStyle]

Celeron_Phreak,
Alclad2 isnt a regular spray paint from a can.
It has to be applied with an airbrush. The paint applied to the test subject in the weblink above was done with a cheap $5.00 harbor frieght airbrush so its not rocket science.

Alclad2 will give you a chrome finish short of being actual nickle plated and polished chrome.
Its all about the prep work with Alclad2.

As far as regular spray paint chrome,
its not meant to be chrome but a reflective surface and its just plain poop to work with. It has to be applied in very thin coats and is really only good for very small parts such as a fork or a spoon (if one were so inclined to paint something like that).
When it comes down to it, for chrome paint from a spraycan, I use regular old krylon bright aluminum.

ALL SPRAY PAINTS NEED A PRIMER COATING.
No primer gives nowhere for the paint to adhere to and your paint will be weak, crack or as you say, it just wont dry.
Also if you are painting a smooth or glossy surface, you need to lightly scuff the surface with very fine sandpaper then primer, again, so the paint has something to adhere to.

 

[Celeron_Phreak]

Well I realize the thing about primering, cause I DID just repaint my case .

What I REALLY want to know is...How do companies chrome plastic parts? I've noticed on my Curtis CD palyer/radio, it has chromed buttons and side pieces, all plastic.

 

[Celeron_Phreak]

Well I contacted Rust Oleum myself about the Chrome paint and here's what they/he said about it (yes, I was this desperate to find out more about this paint )


Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum.
The Chrome 7718, like many other metallic paints that you will find out
there, contains a metallic leafing pigment. This is essentially a
metallic
dust which will set up through the coating and give the paint its
reflective finish. The side effect of leafing metallics is that they can
have a metallic ruboff even after the paint is dry. Clear coating will
stop
the ruboff, but it evens out that pigment, making the paint dull.
We do offer a silver paint which does not have that pigment, but since
it
does not contain a leafing pigment, it will not be quite as shiny and
reflective as the chrome paint. The product is our Stops Rust Metallic -
Silver 7271. You could apply this product directly over the Chrome, or
over
the clear coat that you have applied.

Sincerely,
Jason K.
Rust-Oleum Technical Services


That is the original message and it has not been altered.

 

[vonkaar]

What I REALLY want to know is...How do companies chrome plastic parts? I've noticed on my Curtis CD palyer/radio, it has chromed buttons and side pieces, all plastic.

For a 'true' chrome plate on plastic parts, you have to apply conductive paint to it. Basically, there is this conductive spray paint (read: air-brush) that you cover your component in so that it can be electroplated as if it were metal. You spray it on fairly thick and then electroplate it as normal. The quality of the finished chrome job completely depends on the quality of the conductive paint finish. It's a little harder to get that done as well as a nickle-plate or copper-plate because you can't polish it nearly as well. However, I've heard of some people using the conductive paint to then nickle-plate the part, so they can then polish it up very smoothly and get a flawless chrome finish. It's a lot of work but you can get some amazing results off a would-be cheap piece of plastic.

 

[Borgy]

I just popped into our local model store (Calgary Canada)
they has some chrome peel backstick on vinyl on a roll apx 21/2" wide
Iml thinking of getting some to cover my Aero Fan so it looks kinda like the Jet7
Borgy

 

[RobStyle]

Why would anyone go through so much trouble for chrome when I just, sigh, ok just look at what type of finish you can get with Alclad2 and a cheap airbrush:

(pics off a quick google search, anything thats chrome is Alclad2)

http://users.actrix.co.nz/graemem/images/2003Nats/Concours/Silverbird.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u18/traxxaskid/upload/11693096.skidfront.JPG

http://www.misbehavin-rc.com/paint-shop/camino-flames/camino3.jpg

 

[vonkaar]

Why would anyone go through so much trouble for chrome when ...

Because chrome still looks better ^_^

 

[RobStyle]

Because chrome still looks better ^_^

You just have never seen Alclad2 in person thats all

 

[vonkaar]

Yeah I have... the shop I get my chrome done does it... as well as nickel plate, power coat, annodizing, silver/gold plating, copper/zinc plating as well as chrome. The full-blown custom chrome job always puts out the best results. It's the most expensive, but clearly blows everything else out of the water. They won't even do an alcad job unless the object is tiny and sees very little wear... like an inside dash-bezel or some stereo accents.

Go to any custom auto show and ask any of the guys with *lots* of trophies surrounding their car if they would ever 'cheat' with an Alclad finish. Depending on the type of show, you'll either get thrashed or simply laughed at.

Alcad is great for it's market: hobbiests... but it's pretty crazy to compare it to a real chrome finish on anything bigger than a few inches.

 

[RobStyle]

Show me where I can host an image and I will show you a terminator arm I did in Alclad2 Chrome.

 

[vonkaar]

email it to me
vonkaar @ euphoriaguild.com "take out the spaces"

Also, small pieces with lots of detail are going to look better than a flat surface. Go paint a 6"x3" strip in Alcad and try to shave in it =p. I wouldn't trust it. However, I can see the pores in my nose on the side of my chiller-shroud... and it was originally 10"x6" of shoddy brushed and annodized aluminum (like the side of a lian-li case). There isn't a 'spray' can of anything that will get that kind of quicksilver finish... only real (or copy) chrome will do.

 

[vonkaar]

Although, I'm not saying that I shave the pores in my nose... re-reading that brought up a strange mental image =p

 

[RobStyle]

Sent you some pics of a few items I have painted with Alclad2.
The Terminator arm kit was painted almost three years prior to the picture.

 

[vonkaar]

I stand by my statements =p. Smaller objects with lots of little detail are perfect for Alclad. Spread that out over flat surfaces and it doesn't even count.

You mentioned plating metal vs plating plastic... again, depending on the size of the piece, chrome still wins.

Like...

http://www.bit-tech.net/article/114/3

The famous Orac³ mod... check out the beautiful finish that was achieved on the previously crappy ABS junction box. It *is* a mirror afterwards. His shop used the same type of technique I described above. Conductive paint over smoothed and buffed plastic, then normal electroplating afterwards. If you were to try that with Alclad, there is no chance for it to get that same finish.

Post the best mirror finish you can find from ANYONE using Alclad on their engine, and I'll show you some of the 'typical' engine work my chrome-shop has done.

I guess, in closing I'll simply say that Alclad would definitely be great for small *plastic* pieces in your computer... anything knobby or highly detailed like perhaps molex connections or possibly internal backplane components would be ideal. You wouldn't be able to chrome them anyway... However, for case side panels, power supply exteriors, HDD cages, drive covers or basically anything 'flat', any finish short of a real chrome IS at best, second place.

Your pics:

http://www.euphoriaguild.com/oc/393Engine.jpg
http://www.euphoriaguild.com/oc/C3POAlclad2.jpg
http://www.euphoriaguild.com/oc/MaulAlclad2.jpg
http://www.euphoriaguild.com/oc/T2Alclad2.jpg

 

[RobStyle]

Thanks for the picture hosting

The engine picture has nothing to do with Alclad2, thats all custom fab'ed and just plain polished aluminum or chromed metal.
Its a real engine in my 69 Cougar.

The Terminator arm is life sized and fairly huge, made of resin.
The C3PO is a 12" figure, not a 3 1/2" action figure.
The lightsaber is also full sized. Its a Darth Maul saber and larger than the licensed MR replica version due to it being made from scratch by a talented prop maker from photos available before SW EP1 premired.

You want to argue over electroplating compared to Alclad2, show me some prices to finish this thread starters item?
Alclad2 Chrome = $8.00
Gloss Black primer = $4.00
Thats $12.00 is supplies if you have an airbrush, if not, harbor frieght has them for under $10.00 and is the exact same airbrush I used to apply the Alclad2 in the above pictures.

This is getting a bit off topic here but for the price and quality, you cant beat Alclad2 hands down.
Yes it will give you a chrome and reflective surface os a flat panel. I know tthis because I have done it and I speak from experiance.
One would have to be a fool to use Alclad2 on a real car motor as it would bake off after a minute when the car is run. I have however used Alclad2 on various car interiors and after years of service, no blems, cracking or chipping has occured.

 

[vonkaar]

I've still never seen anything done in Alclad that looks even remotely close to a chrome finish. Your terminator arm is the best but again, it's relatively small and highly detailed. You wouldn't be able to do that in chrome, so Alclad is a good choice. I'm not debating the fact that Alclad is a *very* nice finish, I'm just stating from personal experience, viewing many examples of Alclad on various components, it simply isn't as nice as chrome.

Spend 20 minutes on Google and do a search on Alclad. It is 99% geared for the model enthusiast. So, good for you model types. Regardless, on almost every situation where you have large components that CAN be chrome plated, the chrome finish will completely kill even the best Alclad application. Basically, if you want the best, there is no substitute for real chrome.

You are in LA, ya'll are the undisputed kings of the low-rider scene. Look up a chrome shop in your area and go view their sample pieces. Almost every chrome shop will have samples of different finishes on the same component. If they offer Alclad painting, they'll have a very clean and well painted sample to show you. Compare it to the silver plating or the nickle plating... then compare it to the chrome. My shop has 3 different objects, a large bolt, a large hinge and a sprocket... in annodized, power-coated, silver-plated, copper plated, gold-plated, nickle, black chrome, tin, chrome and Alclad. Alclad looked great on the bolt, but on everything else it wasn't even close. Chrome easily beat it on all three, but just barely on the small bolt.

Aaaand, since this has fallen to a simple difference of opinion, the 'price vs quality' dispute doesn't make much sense. For me, I want the best... regardless if I have to spend 5 times as much for a superior finish. The H2 might be a fine SUV, but it would be hard to argue superiority over a 'real' Hummer. Some people would be happy with a $700 home theatre sound package, while other people spend $25k on their center-channel speaker alone.

Chrome is surely more expensive to get professionally done. Of course, the total cost drops dramatically if you set up your own electroplating lab. Still... if you 'want the best' and you don't mind paying for the best, Alclad doesn't fit the bill. Alclad was designed and sold as the budget imitation chrome.

 

[RobStyle]

The Terminator arm was offered in an electroplated chrome finish from Peerless Designs before Lucas/Francis Studios got the T2 contract. It stands 34" tall and 7" wide, again, its not a small peice but life sized and cast off the real prop used in the film.

If you like, I have another picture that clearly shows me taking a picture of the base through the reflection of the Alclad2 chrome.

If you would spend hundreds or thousands to chrome a $50.00/$100.00 pc case, then why not have one custom made? It would be cheaper in the long run then having to resurface the thing.
I too am a fan of chrome (even more of polished aluminum) but this isnt a motorvehicle we are talking about here.

Your right, Alclad2 is marketed to modelers but is used daily in the film/tv industry. If you have seen "Men in Black 2", all of the stunt weapon props are done in Alclad2 while the real props are actualy machined and polished aluminum. The stunt props are injection molded rubber and shine so well with Alclad2 that you cant tell the real props from the stunt props in the film.

We can go at this forever.
My point is Alclad2 chrome is some good stuff. From the way you make it sound, you have yet to see anyone use it properly, most likely the prep work was done hastily therfore making the end result moot. With Alclad2, its all about the prep and patience pays highly in the long run as with any project.

Back to the subject at hand yet one more time,
this is a thread about chrome paint and painting a front panel on a pc case. You can spend the extra funds and send it out to get electroplated or you can spend a few dollars and use Alclad2 chrome paint and do it yourself at home in the matter of time it takes the gloss black undercoat to dry.

Time and time again when I visit this forum I see people asking the same question about chrome paint and why it is not chrome.
Alclad2 is as close to chrome as you will get short of being actual chrome. I didnt believe it when I was told about it because I had tried everything at one point or another in my many years throughout the industry. Its a truly amazing product that has to be seen firsthand to be believed.

 

[vonkaar]

Alclad2 is as close to chrome as you will get short of being actual chrome

Exactly my point.

I have never said that Alclad looks like crap... in fact, I think it looks great, but I still think Chrome looks better. Alclad gold will look VERY good! But... 24k gold will look better. Alclad iron will look very much like industiral iron! But... the real thing would look better. You get what I'm saying? I think Alclad is a miraculous product and could probably end world hunger if given enough time. However, it is AT BEST a VERY CLOSE imitation of the REAL THING.