A little help with the limits of Chroming

[Shmwe Shmwe]

Hello there RPF people!

I'm getting a prop from a prop maker with a custom paint job and we've discussed chroming it to take it that extra mile. My question is what are the limitations of chroming, specifically cosmichrome, so I know what can and can't be done with my design?

My main question are there:

1: Can you paint over chrome without having to sand it first? I was thinking of adding some fine detail to the design but it would be almost impossible to sand just the areas that'll get the fine detail

2: Can you, when sending something to a company to be chromed, use stencils? For example could you stencil off certain areas and patterns so it wouldn't be chromed, allowing you to paint them later with ease?

3: Can you chrome something with 2 different colours that share a border? For example could you stencil off an area to be chromed separately with a different coloured sealer, so you would have a green chrome line running through an orange chrome body?

I've tried looking into this myself but a lot of the information I can find is very generic, not answering my questions. Like if the stencils are even possible or if it would be a case to case thing

Thanks in advance for any replies chaps!

 

[Kubla Kraus]

if its a prop and not something that actually needs chrome, and since you have access to a real painter, you should check out this Stan Winston video... he painted the Terminator endoskeletons and does some amazing things to simulate chrome, aluminum, cast steel, well worth the viewing. And since its all paint, you can mask with stencils or do anything else you caould do with paint.

https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/t...utorial-metallic-painting-stan-winston-school

 

[Shmwe Shmwe]

Wow that's a perfect alternative!

Not 100% sure if there no spray on chrome involved there, since it seems very shiny to just be metallic paint and clear coats, but I'm no expert. This could be an amazing alternative though, thanks a million!

 

[Kubla Kraus]

its completely spray on but no chrome. He puts down layers of gloss black, and then he uses (i think) aluminum powder in clearcoat to make the metallic layers. Once he starts spraying the metallic layers over the black its almost like magic how much like chrome it looks, or at least really polished metal chrome. its not quite mirror-shiney chrome. I'll look back at the DVD and let you know.

 

[Shmwe Shmwe]

Much obliged

Another thing I was thinking, since part of using the chrome was to experiment with a new paint type for a prop, is if you could mask off parts of the prop to protect the chrome whilst you sanded the rest, allowing you to use a matte paint next to full mirror chrome (in this case gold)

 

[Kubla Kraus]

NOT aluminum powder, Alclad Alclad2.com lots of alclad vids on youtube...

with the powder, i think i was thinking about this... Mold Making and Casting: Cold Casting resin with metal powders - YouTube

 

[Duncanator]

Alclad works amazingly well when applied correctly. I find it's important to resist the urge to paint it on too heavily. A thin coat over a super
glossy undercoat works a treat. The Alclad takes on the surface quality of the surface it's applied to. I painted some on some glass tubes and
they totally looked like chrome!

 

[Shmwe Shmwe]

Thanks a lot guys!
Alclad looks like a pretty good option if stencils and detail are going to be added. Does anyone know if there a gold available that isn't specifically for the injection molded plastic?
I'm hoping to try for a gold looking item with black scroll work, some parts will be black with a small amount of gold though to balance it out

 

[bookface]

I'd say just ignore the fact that it says the gold is intended for injection moulded plastic. I've used it on my pieces and it works fine. That said, the alclad stuff is incredibly delicate. If the piece is going to be handled almost at all it will wear off pretty quickly unless clear coated, which dulls the shine significantly.

 

[Shmwe Shmwe]

As with pretty much all the props I get, it'll be just be for display so I'll keep leaving out a clear coat in mind when I talk to the prop master. Do you think cold casting the prop or using good metallic gold paint may be a better/easier alternative to chrome or Alclad?