Thinking of getting an airbrush setup - share your knowledge please!

[SrC]

If I were to go with an airbrush, it would be a Paasche. I have a 5 gal compressor here already with water separator and filter/regulator.....Am so close to pulling the plug. I am at a point where my graphics are limited with rattle cans.

I am a rattle can guy. So this is off topic....
Have used Spaztix Black Backer can for Chrome over Alclad 2 Chrome Lacquer can for Lexan. This was recommended by a painter on another forum years back. Best realistic and durable Chrome I've used. Being a Lacquer, I spray this last after any other brand paints are fully dry.

They also make Airbrush Bottled paints for Lexan. What they are primarily known for. I was told this is a premium Model Airbrush paint company.

https://alclad2.com/

 

[LibertyMKiii]

I’ve seen those bodies on eBay and wondered how they did that as well
I’m guessing it’s just a very light coat or 2 of candy and then the chrome backing

I haven’t tried it but I will give it a shot and see what I can come up with
Typically though if you want a more chrome like appearance with color like that
You need to make the candy color very thin

I’ve only used spaz stix chrome abs had great results

Here’s a chrome Talion body I just did a couple weeks ago with spaz stix chrome

Spaz stix shows this old video where the guy produces a mirror more or less. Yet I have only found 1 person who reproduced a highly reflective finish.
Yours turned out good, but you know what I mean... its not mirror like.

I did 15 tests this past week. 12 of them on a large flat sheet of lexan, trying different configurations.(image below) I found that very light candy didn't produce enough "color".
I think the key is figuring out how to make the chrome layer reeeaaaallllyyyy reflective on its own and then apply that technique over candy.

So far my research tells me 3 things:
1. Ultra light dusting on the first 3 layers seem to be part of it
2. being patient and letting it fully dry between coats
3. Possibly heating the plastic (I am thinking of using a heating pad)

I tried white backer and black backer. Neither made a difference in the final appearance. Also would want something different as the spaz stix backers are not resistant to abrasions at all. Maybe a clear coat for hardness?

I tried some mixtures of chrome and candy which only made it muddy. It would have to be candy first followed by chrome.

There is a trick to it.... just a matter of figuring it out!

I'll be testing later this week again and will report back how it goes.

This is yellow candy with mirror chrome.
Ignore the nasty tape lines. Each rectangle is a different test. The ones that look identical are comparing white backer and black backer for that specific test scenario.

 

[Ajag]

Spaz stix shows this old video where the guy produces a mirror more or less. Yet I have only found 1 person who reproduced a highly reflective finish.
Yours turned out good, but you know what I mean... its not mirror like.

I did 15 tests this past week. 12 of them on a large flat sheet of lexan, trying different configurations.(image below) I found that very light candy didn't produce enough "color".
I think the key is figuring out how to make the chrome layer reeeaaaallllyyyy reflective on its own and then apply that technique over candy.

So far my research tells me 3 things:
1. Ultra light dusting on the first 3 layers seem to be part of it
2. being patient and letting it fully dry between coats
3. Possibly heating the plastic (I am thinking of using a heating pad)

I tried white backer and black backer. Neither made a difference in the final appearance. Also would want something different as the spaz stix backers are not resistant to abrasions at all. Maybe a clear coat for hardness?

I tried some mixtures of chrome and candy which only made it muddy. It would have to be candy first followed by chrome.

There is a trick to it.... just a matter of figuring it out!

I'll be testing later this week again and will report back how it goes.

This is yellow candy with mirror chrome.
Ignore the nasty tape lines. Each rectangle is a different test. The ones that look identical are comparing white backer and black backer for that specific test scenario.

View attachment 182852

Yeah
I tried a few test shoots today and none of them came out with that true chrome color look
More like a brushed look like you said
I’m wondering if we need to try Alclad
I’ve used alclad to paint my plastic models and it looks great but never tried it on the lexan stuff
I’m going to grab some lexan chrome Alclad and experiment some more
But if you figure it out let me know
I’ve been curious about this finish for a while and haven’t been able to replicate it either

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Well @Ajag I figured it out and I am truly blown away on how good it came out.
I honestly never expected that paint could produce reflections this good!!!

Here was my procedure (not all may be necessary to produce good results):
1. Heat source under the plastic keeping it between 95-112 F (set it up 30 mins prior to painting for everything to stabilize)
2. Spaz stix prep spray light coat (followed by 15 min dry time)
3. Mirror Chrome sprayed extremely light with 15 min dry times between the first 4 coats.
4. 2 final heavy coats to ensure no holes/gaps in the chrome (1 min dry time between coats).
5. Black ultimate backer

Image of the painted side after the heavy coats of chrome (looked much more reflective with the light dusting coats). This is before the black backer went on.
Almost no visible reflection of my cell phone:

Then after the black backer and flipping the plastic over to the non painted side, and removed the painters tape:

I believe the heat and ultra light coats initially is the key.
Still in awe of how good this turned out. I can't wait to try it with candy base first.

 

[Ajag]

Well @Ajag I figured it out and I am truly blown away on how good it came out.
I honestly never expected that paint could produce reflections this good!!!

Here was my procedure (not all may be necessary to produce good results):
1. Heat source under the plastic keeping it between 95-112 F (set it up 30 mins prior to painting for everything to stabilize)
2. Spaz stix prep spray light coat (followed by 15 min dry time)
3. Mirror Chrome sprayed extremely light with 15 min dry times between the first 4 coats.
4. 2 final heavy coats to ensure no holes/gaps in the chrome (1 min dry time between coats).
5. Black ultimate backer

Image of the painted side after the heavy coats of chrome (looked much more reflective with the light dusting coats). This is before the black backer went on.
Almost no visible reflection of my cell phone:

View attachment 183234

Then after the black backer and flipping the plastic over to the non painted side, and removed the painters tape:

View attachment 183235

View attachment 183236

I believe the heat and ultra light coats initially is the key.
Still in awe of how good this turned out. I can't wait to try it with candy base first.

Damn
Now that’s perfect
Great job
Now we just need to figure out how to get that mirror effect with some color

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Damn
Now that’s perfect
Great job
Now we just need to figure out how to get that mirror effect with some color

My expectation is using this same method should work if the candy is applied first. I do think it needs to be ultra smooth, so maybe spraying lacquer thinner over the candy after to help level it out?

I'll possibly have time to try later this week.

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Tried using the candy last night backed by chrome with the heat source under it.
It didn't turn out reflective at all. Looking closely at it the candy had a lot of texture when sprayed dry.

2 things to possibly try next. Spray it wet so it lays flat/smooth or thin it out. Might also remove the heat during the candy layer and then put the heat on only during the chrome layers.

 

[grihn]

@Ajag
I was able to play with the candy paints and mirror chrome over the holiday week. The results were not what I had hoped for.
Any insights on spraying the mirror chrome to make it get a true mirror reflection? I know it is possible based on a few videos I have seen but many turn out looking like dull polished aluminum instead of a true mirror finish.
One guy mentioned keeping the body warm around 120 F.

There seems to be 2 guys selling mirror candy bodies and I am trying to figure out how it is done

View attachment 182799

I know this is an old thread, but just in case anyone is wondering....I ordered one of his bodies a while back just to see. They are backed in chrome. But the quality of his paint jobs sucks. Runs, fisheyes, and bubbles galore. I wish I would have seen this thread before I trashed the body, I would have taken pictures. For what he charges I wasn't expecting perfection, but I wasn't expecting it to look like a 9 year old did it either.