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Testors Metallizers


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Hey, y'all....What is the general consensus about the quality or ease of use of the Testors(or what ever their called now) Metallizer paints for natural metal finishes on your model? Pros/Cons please. Better metal paints now days? Thanks. 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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3 hours ago, RichardL said:

Alclad II and AK Xtreme Metal paints are very easy to use and give very realistic natural metal finishes, and AK can be masked over without lifting.

 

Thank you. Would the paint lift using any other popular metal paint brand if a few clear coats were applied & dried the appropriate time before you mask for different tones? 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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11 hours ago, Gunny said:

Would the paint lift using any other popular metal paint brand if a few clear coats were applied

 

You can try it out on a test piece.  The problem with applying multiple clear coats is that the clear coats will take away the metallic luster and make the finish look more like plastic instead of metal.  The only gloss clear coat that doesn't seem to do this is AK Gauze Agent Shine Enhancer. 

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8 hours ago, RichardL said:

 

You can try it out on a test piece.  The problem with applying multiple clear coats is that the clear coats will take away the metallic luster and make the finish look more like plastic instead of metal.  The only gloss clear coat that doesn't seem to do this is AK Gauze Agent Shine Enhancer. 

 

Thanks again for that info. I wasn't aware of the clear coat issue. I looked at that AK Xtrerme line but they are almost $10 a bottle. Should a spray a base coat of black under the metal? Thanks. 

 

Semper FI,

Masterguns

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1 hour ago, Gunny said:

 

Thanks again for that info. I wasn't aware of the clear coat issue. I looked at that AK Xtrerme line but they are almost $10 a bottle. Should a spray a base coat of black under the metal? Thanks. 

 

You can get them for $9 a bottle here, including the black base:  AK Xtreme Metal

 

As for spraying a base coat of black, it depends on the color.  Only the high shine ones require a black base:  Chrome, Polished Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium, Duraluminum

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If you want to stay with Testors Metalizers, then spray some colors onto plastic spoons followed by your favorite clear coat to see if the colors dull down.  Also do the Tamiya masking tape test on the clear coated paints.

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3 minutes ago, RichardL said:

If you want to stay with Testors Metalizers, then spray some colors onto plastic spoons followed by your favorite clear coat to see if the colors dull down.  Also do the Tamiya masking tape test on the clear coated paints.

 

I think I will stay with the Testors/Model Master since I have all of the metal hues that they offer. The paint will be for the Kitty Hawk FJ-2 that was polished natural metal which was the norm for the time if I'm not mistaken. I have the gloss lacquer sealer for this paint, but I've not used it yet. Thanks for all of your advice. 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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On 2/21/2021 at 12:38 PM, breadneck said:

So is the Metalizer range discontinued or to be continued? I could swear i heard something about them going out with a bang.

 

I'm not sure about what all is in the above posts, but I can still get MM (that's the name on the bottle...I don't know about any of the holding company or parent line name changes) at my Hobby Lobby, local hobby store's, Michaels & Menards all day long. I use Rustoleum on my guns & never have a problem finding the color of the AO in stock. At least the paints most of us who build aircraft. Not sure about all that super bright & neon style colors for the cars & such. My buffing Metalizers are quite a few years old but are still good as new & I will still use them for certain applications. However, I've never been a fan of enamels or laquers regardless of external influences. I think I will started to look into the AK, Tamiya, MIG or others who sell sets of metal colors so I'm not running around for indivual paints if it comes to that. Or, I'll just use a silver paint base already on hand & grab some other metallics to try & make look the part with some good weathering.

 

I'm wanting to do an early FJ-2 Fury in Marine Corps ("This is the way") they way they looked in the natural metals, but good color reference photos have not been easy to come by for the Caracal Decals I want to use. VMF-122. I'll keep on the hunt & accept any help you folks might be able to offer. 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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13 hours ago, Gunny said:

I'm not sure about what all is in the above posts, but I can still get MM

 

Consider yourself lucky because once they're gone, they're gone for good and can't be restocked.  Most of them are already out of stock at Sprue Brothers.

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My local Hobbytown has gotten rid of all the Testors and Model Master paint racks 😪  But they have added full lines of Mission Model and Vallejo paints along with the Tamiya paints they already stocked.😀

 

Geoff M

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You guys can probably already reckon I've never painted a NMF on my models. So, I'm curious if I can use the black color Mr. Surfacer 1500 as a base for a NMF? If so, which metal or acrylic color steel, chrome, silver, gun metal, etc. paints would be recommended to use over the surfacer & like not peel the finish after masking? Of course I would use a recommended sealer before the metallics. What do you guys think? Thanks.

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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Hi Masterguns

My usual primer before I apply a NMF coating is Mr Surfacer 1000 or 1500. I actually use the gray or white Mr Surfacer much more often than I use black. This is mainly due to the fact I have more white and  gray at my bench than black. For the NMF coating, I almost always use Alclad and am very happy with my NMF look. The only time I use a gloss black undercoat is if I need a chrome or very shiny NMF look. I would guess that 90%+ of the time, the regular gray or white MR Surfacer works perfectly fine under the NMF.

Have fun modeling!

Mike

🍻

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18 hours ago, Gunny said:

So, I'm curious if I can use the black color Mr. Surfacer 1500 as a base for a NMF? If so, which metal or acrylic color steel, chrome, silver, gun metal, etc. paints would be recommended to use over the surfacer & like not peel the finish after masking?

 

I would recommend getting a bag of these to try your base color and your NMF colors on.

 

They would for sure answer all the questions you might have.

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I was asking about the black base because that's all I can find at the moment at regular price. I can't find any gray, my usual base color, so far during recent www search. It's not just a matter of what the NMF would like like afterward. Thanks!

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

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3 hours ago, Gunny said:

I was asking about the black base because that's all I can find at the moment at regular price. I can't find any gray, my usual base color, so far during recent www search. It's not just a matter of what the NMF would like like afterward. Thanks!

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

 

Also, what do you think of the 40ml gray or white Tamiya surface primer run through an airbrush? Same or similar results?  I've got tons of this stuff but also never used it. I just cannot find Mr. Surfacer gray liquid 1500 anywhere for less than $20 a bottle or so. Has this primer been discontinued? Thanks. 

 

Semper Fi,

Masterguns

 

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