I'm building a Mig-19 and want to use either Alclad aluminum or Vallejo acrylic aluminum for fuselage. I have found many suggestions for a primer but not sure which one to use. Can anyone help especially which primers not to use.

john

Hi John

Nigel Julian (Lampie) wrote us a very helpful article - Alclad Adventures - that gives some excellent advice.

I must admit I've never tried the Vallejo paint, but I'd imagine a smooth black enamel undercoat would work to give the acrylic something to "bite into" for a more robust finish.

All the best

Rowan

Hi John and welcome to Aeroscale,

If I'm using Alcald standard colours (not the Polished ones) I normally use Halford's (a car supply chain here in the UK) grey primer. One it has dried I give it a quick once over with my 12000 grit micromesh sanding pad and then spray the Alclad in several light coats at a low pressure.

Hope this Helps

Cheers

Allen

Hi John

I've just used Alclad for the first time and prepared the surface exactly as Allen suggests and it has worked fine.
I only did it this way as it is the technique I use for other finishes and I figured if it works for enamels and acrylics why not laquers!

Cheers

Steve

Regular grey primer or Mr Surfacer 1200 is ok for any of the colors but Chrome or Polished Aluminum. These two need to go over a gloss black surface. One that works well is regular Krylon Gloss Black in the rattle can, as recommended by Matt Swan from Swanny's Models. Just decant from the can to a jar, and airbrush it straight on, you don't need to thin anymore than it already is.

Good Luck

John,
I used Alclad for the first time a few months ago. I followed the instructions in Nigel's article as Rowan mentioned and had no problems.

Tom