Parden me if I appear ignorant, but I am. I have some projects coming up (aircraft) that require plain metal skin coloring. I've seen Model Master Metalizer Buffing colors, but I have no idea what they are. Are they different from the regular enamel "silver"? Can you use the Metalizer with an airbrush? Do you need anything other than the Metalizer?...thinner, etc.? Are these considered better than the regular metal enamels, steel, aluminum, etc.?

Like I said, parden me, but I know absolutely nothing about these Metalizers, so any advice, suggestions, explanations, etc. would be greatly valued.

Thanks all in advance.

Mike

Metalizers are awesome. They look a lot more realistic than the "regular" enamels. They say that metalizers should only be airbrushed, but I've hand brushed them in small areas and it looks almost as good.
So, for me, I think it's a great way to depict bare metal.
HTH

They are a laquer based paint, and fresh bottles are very thin, requiring no thinner in my experience. If you're doing multi-engine a/c you can get by with spray cans. As M1 said, you can use them on small areas successfully with a brush. They are "hotter" than enamel, howver, and may attack plastic this way. Once applied and dried, which is very quick, you should buff the finish with a soft cloth, such as an old t-shirt. The more you buff, the shinier the finish. varying the buffing on different panels wil increase the visual interest in your project. You'll need to be sure the surfaces you're painting ab glass smooth, because these paints will shom imperfection exceptionally well. It's best not to prime the plastic since primers tend to be grainy. Metalizer responds differently to putties than to plastic, so that's a consirderation, too. The surface is very delicate, though, and even fully cured will pick up finger prints. If you are going to handle the model at all, you'll need to seal it. This reduces the metal effect, unfortunately.

Agree used them on a large tanker truck I made for my Boss many years ago and the last time I saw it it still was great. (:-)

Al, thank you very much for the explanation and info. That helped me an awful lot. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I better grab a bottle of this stuff and give it a go.

BC and Jeff, thank you for the encouragement. I know I will be as enthusiastic as you two after I use this.

Cheers,
Mike

MJ - I use the buffing metalizers too on A/C and tank tracks when appropriate. I don't know if this happens to A/C modelers, but when using the recommended Sealer for Metalizer (Model Master) - if you don't thin the stuff (50% at least) before you apply it - it goes on and dries making the metalized parts - looking rather like "paint" again, ruining the effect.

Gunnie

O.K.....here comes Tread, throwing his 'wrench' into the works.
I've used MM Metalizer on several projects, with several different results. Some bad, some not-so-bad. All of the input/precautions mentioned here are absolutely valid. I originally purchased the Metalizer with some very high hopes for it's outcome, and for the most part have been.........satisfied.
Hence my suggestion.
Bare Metal Foil. There was a very good thread recently (I believe in the AC forum) discussing Bucky Sheftall's recent article in the July 2002 issue of FSM. In it he describes how he actually applied household aluminum foil instead of Bare Metal Foil succussfully to a P-38 Lightning. Great article. He also states towards the end of the aritcle that next time he would indeed use the Bare metal Foil instead. Believe me, the results are inspiring!
So, given that, the next time I have a 'real metal' finish to do, I will wrestle with the Bare Metal Foil option.

Tread.

Sorry to throw that into the mix, but Bare Metal Foil comes in several metal finishes too.
(wish it came in rust as well! )

Oh, BTW mj, your not ignorant (that's a bad thing) What you are is inquisitive (that's a good thing )

Tread.