De-Chroming bits and pieces how to guide

[gamblor916]

It was sold as something to clean pots and pans. I found it at a dollar store for well, a dollar, then it disappeared never to be seen again. Lucky I bought around 8 bottles

[bruticus]

i have been using nail polish remover to strip the chrome. it works but you need quite a bit of it (cos it evaporates quickly). it also stinks like hell and can damage furniture like table tops if you spill it...
might have to give Easy Off Bam or Dawn Power Dissolver a go instead.

i bought a whole bunch of those Kosutte Gin-san powders and have been messing around with different things trying to get the technique right.

on white plastic, the chrome has a yellowy tint depending on the viewing angle.
on black and also blue plastic, it looks really dark.
on flat plastic, the chrome is pretty dull so you definitely need glossy plastic.

logically, i would assume that plastic with a glossy grey coat should give the best results so i'll give it a go next time. otherwise, i'll revert to applying more coats on the gloss black plastic and hopefully it will make it lighter.

[Doubledealer]

How are you applying the primer, via an aerosol can or airbrush? If the latter, what are you thinning the paint with?

I'll be using Tamiya Gloss Black & Tamiya thinner using an airbrush. I've read that using cheaper thinning alternatives (like Windex) will dull the gloss effect so are probably best avoided when using Kosutte Gin-san, Alclad 2 etc.

Navy blue is meant to produce good results too, can't wait to experiment (come on posty, where's my airbrush already )!

[gamblor916]

Bruticus if you could post pics of your test results that would be great. I've just received my pack of Kosutte Gin-san but haven't tried it out yet.

[Doubledealer]

Was just reading the below article on Alclad and the person recommends using Enamels for the best chrome primer rather than Acrylics...Gawd this stuff is confusing.

For Highly Polished Aluminium use gloss black ACRYLIC. For Chrome use gloss black ENAMEL

High shine finishes work best over black as this traps most of the light falling on it. The Chrome shade will only produce a robust chrome finish when applied over a dark gloss enamel base coat.

Highly Polished Aluminium will produce best results when applied over gloss black acrylic-auto paint or model acrylics e.g Tamiya gloss black.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.co...lad/TNT009.htm

[bruticus]

How are you applying the primer, via an aerosol can or airbrush?

im using an airbush with tamiya acrylic gloss paints and thinning with methylated spirits. results are still shiny.

let me know if using tamiya thinners produce a better result, otherwise im sticking to methylated spirits cos they are a hell of a lot cheaper and are also really great for cleaning the airbrush afterwards.

Bruticus if you could post pics of your test results that would be great. I've just received my pack of Kosutte Gin-san but haven't tried it out yet.

i can if you want, but i have only been testing on scrap bits of plastic like plastic spoons, plastic forks and straws etc. not really exciting to show off as the real deal. when i move onto TF parts then i can post some up then.

Was just reading the below article on Alclad and the person recommends using Enamels for the best chrome primer rather than Acrylics...Gawd this stuff is confusing.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.co...lad/TNT009.htm

erm, too confusing. all i know is that you need to have a very good gloss finish to get the best results. the colour of the base coat is debatable.
im sticking to acrylics for the time being and probably wont be trying alclad II yet.

perhaps Gamblor can show us the effect of Kosutte Ginsan with automotive paints and enamels when he gets the chance?

[Doubledealer]

im using an airbush with tamiya acrylic gloss paints and thinning with methylated spirits. results are still shiny.

let me know if using tamiya thinners produce a better result, otherwise im sticking to methylated spirits cos they are a hell of a lot cheaper and are also really great for cleaning the airbrush afterwards.

Will do. After having a couple of lengthy chats with the (very helpful) staff in the two CBD hobby stores I stuck to my guns and went with the enamels. From a health and safety POV I'll have to be more cautious (have a 3M half face respirator on its way w/P100 Niosh approved filters/carts), but it sounds like it'll be worth the effort. Apaprently the enamels dry a lot harder, produce a higher shine (both stores recommended using enamels for the higher gloss) and are less likely the 'gunk up' an airbrush/easier to clean. I bought a cheap plastic car model so I'll prep it, spray it and take some photo's in due course. Still waiting on the Kosutte Gin-San to arrive from Asia so photo's with that'll have to wait a while.

Paints being used:
-Mr Hobby Mr. White Surfacer 1000
-Tamiya X-1 Enamel Gloss Black
-Tamiya X-20 Enamel Paint Thinner (will use 1:1 ratio of paint/thinner)

Edit: Changed the primer used...Seems one of the staff isn't as knowledgable as I first thought and sold me a substance used to dull gloss paint, instead describing it to me as a primer. I think I'll be going to the other place in future.

[Doubledealer]

Sorry for the poor quality/focus (shot was taken from my phone) but here is a pic after applying:

1. 2 X coats of Mr Hobby Mr White Surfacer 1000
2. 4 X dry mist coats of Tamiya Enamel Gloss black mixed 2:1 paint/thinner (didn't need as much thinner to achieve the 'milk-like' consistency as I first thought)
3. 4 X wet coats of Tamiya Enamel Gloss black



It's nice & shiny already but after I wait a week for the paint to properly cure I might also buff it up with a polishing kit. Really hope the Kosutte Gin-San arrives this week...

[gamblor916]

Is that a 1980 'vette? Looks good in any case. Buffing the paint after it cures in a week or two is a good idea too.