Hey, I know aerosol clear coats tend to ruin metallic finishes, but I've seen a number of Iron Man suit builders coat their Duplicolor metallic red parts with Krylon Triple Thick Clear Glaze while keeping the metallic finish intact.

If anyone wants to do some experimenting with spray-on clear coats, this seems to be the best bet. Avoid using it in humid weather though, or you'll get a foggy finish.

 

Thanks so much for researching this SQ7. Quick question for you since I don't do this stuff too often. My matrix cover (truck bumper) on my hasbro MP-10 was painted from the factory like garbage, and I'd want to use this to repaint. Would I have to strip the existing chrome off there first somehow, and then apply the new chrome? Or just spray over what is existing there?

 

i'm using this for my megatron n bluestreak as well as on my ps3 cover lid. i was wondering why does some figures items cure faster than others? the ps3 lid only took a couple of hours n my leader megatron looks like it's only only going to take a full day while my deluxe bluestreak took three days or so.

 

Great advice, and I'd like to see some experimentation with those as well. I'd be glad to resource any good findings in Tutorials as well. I'll end up editing the snot out of this thread for Tutorials, as it seems like it's helped others already.

If you wanted to go this route, yeah I'd recommend stripping off the chrome first, just so you could get an even coat.

In this case, I think I'd actually recommend having you send that bumper off to a service that does rechroming, though. Concepts in Chrome does great work, as you can find him on here as well as on Facebook. I'd think if I was faced with your problem, that'd be the route I'd go. I think the contrast of chrome with the grill and then the new painted chrome here might would put me off a bit . . . but that's a decision I think you'd have to make for yourself.

One thing you could do is just try it. If you didn't like it, you could always strip off the paint and then follow the advice above. You'd only be out a little work if you tried it.

Some figures are made of different plastic than others. Weather and climate has a bit to do with curing and drying, especially the level of moisture in the air (humidity). The actual application of paint to the surface factors into this as well. Combine all of those factors (plus some others, I'm sure), and there's your recipe for your answer.

I hope this helps, guys! Just a bit of an update, I applied the Future to the Rodimus' rims, they've fully dried and cured, and I slapped the shoes back on. Rodimus is now all blinged out like he should be! More photos later of this, the cans, and Metroplex when I can  

 

I've had success using clearcoat over a transparent color coat that was applied over a metallic color.

 

So in all of the time I've used Future, I've never had this kind of reaction out of it with anything I've worked on:

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I had just applied Future to my Rodimus rims, and those didn't seems affected. This happened right before my eyes. Perhaps it was due to the areas being larger? Perhaps it's something about the chemical compound in the chrome paint reacting against the Future, since only the chrome finish itself seems affected? I'm not sure. I've gotta remove some paint and simply apply another top coat again. The paint seems sturdy enough on it's own, and I simply add Future to most things to give it an extra layer of protection, plus it adds a nice shine to things in most cases. I've just never seen this stuff have this kind of reaction in all of the years I've used it. Notably, I've used it over enamels in the past without any kind of problem.

Also notable is that I did coat the head of Metroplex with Future without any sort of problem like this as well. Maybe it was just these leg pieces and something about the larger areas? Again, I'm not sure. There's a degree of where my expertise begins and ends, and where it ends I'm just left to guess. This would be one of those, I suppose.

 

i got that on my bluestreak. i redid it minus the future n just let it set in. i'm wondering if maybe you applied it too soon? as it is, i like the finish without future better. looks less dull.

 

These parts have been untouched for days.

Future didn't dull Metroplex's face, or the rims on Rodimus. However, I'm glad to know that my experience with these legs wasn't a singularity. Thanks for that post  

 

Might be something with the humidity? I think something like this happened when I left Future'd parts to cure in the bathroom right after/while someone took a shower.

 

The bumper parts don't match up now anyways. That's what really irks me. Like the matrix cover part is so dull and sloppily painted, while the sides of the bumper (the parts that sit on mp10's back tabs) are nice, reflective and clean. So really, no harm for me in trying. It's not like it can get worse then it is now  

I found this "super clean" stuff being used on hotwheels for chrome stripping on plastic. Have any of you guys used it before? It looks like it does the job nicely.

How to Remove Chrome from Plastic in Minutes! - YouTube

 

Well, there you go then. Like I said, you could try it and if you didn't like it, you could just strip it and have it chromed.

I was reading the comments on that video, and the film maker remarks that it does not remove paint, just the chrome plated application to plastic. It would be good to experiment with, though. Perhaps one of you guys could do that?   this paint is enamel and functions as such.

 

On a more positive note, I decided to take some final shots of my Hasbro Rodimus with his new bling. I'm MUCH happier with it now. It's pretty amazing just how much a small change like this can make for me:

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All my friends, drive a low-rider!

 

has anyone tried airbrushing or very carefully and smoothly applying future before chroming? since future provides a glossy finish on parts it might help to smooth out the surface and give the chrome an even better mirror.

also, a while back i painted my generations armada starscream's swords with this paint and decided to clean them first with soap and water, since i didn't let the swords thoroughly dry before i painted, the residue on the blade caused little pits in the finish of the chrome, so if you do clean with water (avoid soap) let the parts sit for a good long time in a warm and dry environment before painting and try to avoid touching the surfaces to be chromed with bare hands. i don't know if alcohol or other solvent residue would play nicer with the paint, but someone with some more experience and knowledge than i might be able to find out.

@ SP7 those wheels look pretty nice, are you going to chrome rodimus' giant carburetor too?

 

Wow Superquad7, those wheels really do make it look much better! Amazing how just a small thing like that can change a figure so much.

 

So forgive me if this has been discussed but I grabbed this and have sprayed a couple pieces of cardboard props I've made with it. When ever I touch them though I get this residue on my hands. Is that normal?

 

assuming you let it dry first (i don't think you'd actually touch it while wet and wonder why it comes off, but some people, ya know? ) then no, that's not normal. although I had a similar experience with a set of cheap helping hands that used heavy wire instead of stainless steel or aluminum arms, and the insulation on the wire didn't play nicely with the paint and for some reason the paint never cured, even now, months afterward, it's still sticky and rubs off easily. my guess would be that it has something to do with whatever paint or coatings you may have put on the props before the chrome paint. as just plain cardboard should not have this issue.

 

There were no coats of anything. Just paint on cardboard let to dry for an hour or more. Even a day later it can happen with some of the things. It doesn't wipe the paint off just has a slightly chalk-like residue on my fingers.

 

even weirder.... i'd guess you either got a bad can, are spraying in bad conditions (humidity/heat/cold), or have some really weird cardboard. have you tried it on anything else yet?

 

Ok, gang, I'm back with a photo of the other can I have been using (finally!):

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I have to say that while this can works, I do like the smaller can of Krylon just a little better. It seems to have just a little bit more of the mirror finish going on with it. It's not much of a difference, honestly, and I was barely able to discern such a minor difference. I really feel like you're good to go with either can.

 

Since this stuff is enamel (and especially after the incident I recently had with Future), I'd simply recommend using this stuff on its own.

My process in every instance is to apply the paint, and then leave it to dry/cure for a few days. After that, it's fine to touch it.

As for Rodimus, I'm finished with my chrome work on it. I'd think the carburetor would be very difficult to get to. It's at least painted silver, whereas the wheels didn't even have anything on 'em!

Yeah, for real. The flame design on the hood still bugs me, though . . . .

I think your materials are your problem here, as paint may not be bonding as well to the surface area. My plastic parts are fine, but I have this same experience when I touch the plastic twist ties I hang these parts from. It's the same paint, but different material.

This could be it as well, or:

. . . . it could be either of those (or a combination of any of them) as well.