Aluminum spray paint that looks like aluminum

[propmainiac]

Hello all
Recently bought a Hal 9000 base plate kit. Having trouble finding a good aluminum-like spray paint. I've painted the outside of the base plate twice so far not happy with either result of the aluminum paints that I bought. Can anyone recommend a good spray paint that looks like aluminum or close to it? I tried some paint from my local Ace hardware that was chrome aluminum paint. Had a nice reflective quality like aluminum but it didn't go on flat and it had a bit of orange peel in it that I just wasn't happy with. Also sprayed at 5 days ago and it was still sticky I ended up wet sanding it all off. The first spray paint I tried was rustoleum aluminum and it just ended up looking like a dull silver color. I'm open to any recommendations but it has to be a spray can I don't have an airbrush.

 

[TazMan2000]

Not a spray paint, but Vallejo Chrome is pretty close applied with an airbrush.

TazMan2000

 

[propmainiac]

Thank you

 

[MrVolt]

Also not spray paint, but I've seen great results with Alclad II paints. They've got a variety of aluminum and other metallic finishes.

 

[Duncanator]

Chrome is a tough paint no matter how you do it.
We found a decent technique during production of Mars Attacks. There were a lot of "metal" parts in the martian spaceship interior models that we used spray can chrome on.

First make sure your part is as smooth as you want the finish to be. Don't count on the paint to smooth anything out. Then spray with a gloss black, and let that dry for at least a day.

Once the black is thoroughly dry, spray a very light coat of the chrome paint on. This is the key! You don't want to hose it down with the chrome. Just barely enough to cover it, and that is all.

Chrome paint works by quickly forming a film on its surface so that the silver pigment makes a smooth, shiny skin. If your paint is too thick, this skin can trap wet paint and solvents under this surface, making it take forever to dry and pick up fingerprints like crazy.

After we sprayed on the silver color, we let them dry for a couple days under dust protecting covers (like bell jars) with small gaps that allowed
fumes to escape, but kept lint and such from landing on the surface. After a few days the pieces were fairly handle-able. Silver is always going to be a fragile finish, but this worked pretty well.

I hope that helps!

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Yeah that's pretty much how the Alclad paints work. I've only used the black chrome, which looks awesome, but I can just guess that you can't handle it very much, if at all.

 

[kurtyboy]

Even the Alclad II aluminium doesn't pass for the real thing. It just comes out like most aluminium spray paints but with a slightly finer finish. It is good, but not that good.

 

[electric jay]

Testors makes a buffing metalizer in aluminum. Spray it on, wait a couple days, then buff. It turns mirror-shiny.

Testors Web Site

 

[19narvik40]

I have used Krylon's Paint and Primer Aluminium Brilliant on som of my BSG accessories and I think they came out pretty nicely.

 

[00fil00]

I had the same problem with hal 9000. In the end I decided that all the metallic paints suck, and I bought some aluminium foil tape. I used some 000 steel wool to scratch it in one direction to give it a brushed aluminium look. Looks incredibly real and heavy. Can't beat actual metal.

 

[propmainiac]

So after several attempts at painting the aluminum I've stripped all the paint. After a week it still was soft. The heat from my hands melted the paint. I used paint thinner on a paper towel and rubbed it off. Came off very easily. Wet sanded the rest with 320. Gonna try again tomorrow. Last try. After that I may just build an aluminum frame.

 

[Rusty85]

Spaz Stix is the best thing I've found in a rattle can that looked metallic. Handled reasonably well compared to everything else. I believe you can clear coat it with Aqua Gloss and then 2X for good durability.

 

[Dreamscape]

I've found that Halfords (if you're UK based) do a very good chrome spray paint.

You need to prep the surface so it's smooth. I found using a plastic primer filler then a black gloss as the undercoat is best. I made the mistake of putting a second coat of chrome on too quickly on this item. So when I picked it up the paint was still malleable and it dulled the effect on the top.

But you can see that it's pretty good and in the bits I've not touched with my fingers it's highly reflective.