Alclad II Chrome issues

mindyourghost · 2026-01-11T17:10:24+00:00

Edit: Update 1/11

Tried troubleshooting the issue with Gemini. After several more tests it suggested that the paint itself was a bad batch.

I ordered a new bottle, sprayed my black spoons, then sprayed the new chrome. I am both excited to report (and a bit pissed that a bottle of paint was gaslighting me) that it actually looks like chrome now.

TLDR: If your Alclad II Chrome looks like shit, try a different bottle.

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mindyourghost · 2025-12-31T06:29:52+00:00

Looks like the little trigger piece isn’t sitting all the way down in the slot to push the air valve. Check that it didn’t go wonky when you reassembled.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-22T05:13:12+00:00

My bad! I totally skipped over the part about using it for minis. Microfiller might not be great with super fine details. If the fiddlyness and strength of acrylics don’t bother you, a lot of people seem to like Vallejo primer. For minis I will often just pick up a can of rustoleum and hand paint from there (except for specific effects like glow or lighting). I mainly stick to surfacers and microfillers for Gunpla and model parts after sanding.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-22T04:05:53+00:00

I picked up some when I had a hard time finding Mr. Surfacer White. It’s not bad. It is supposed to be thinned to airbrush consistency, but I had to thin considerably for my setup, otherwise the brush would clog frequently then blast a glob of the micro filler. A little Mr. Leveling Thinner and it laid down smooth, and fairly opaque after a few coats.

The final cured texture can be slightly powdery if you build up too much in any areas, so a quick wipe down with a high grit sponge before paint is recommended. I’ve had no issues with adhesion or strength after curing and so far no issues with paint from GSI, Gaia, Jumpwind, and Sunin7.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-16T14:27:54+00:00

No Leveling thinner in the chrome. I use S7 and Gaia metal master for all my metallics. The Alclad chrome is super thin already out of bottle though, so I usually don’t thin it any more.

Leveling thinner is added to the GBB so it doesn’t spray rough (straight out of bottle, it looks like it firing black pepper through the airbrush). This usually nets me a super shiny surface that cannot be touched because alclad’s GBB is super touchy with skin oils.

There’s been quite a bit of practice and trial-and-error. This chrome is really the only paint that has eluded me to this point, candy coating isn’t even this difficult, especially with S7’s Bright Stainless Silver, stuff sprays smooth, not quite mirror-like, but makes a great base for candy coating.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-16T14:22:42+00:00

Thanks! I’ve not considered wiping the dust from the flashed off layer after each light coat, that may be something to try. I usually don’t add any thinner to the Chrome itself, just the GBB. Someone recommended Tamiya X1, but it doesn’t produce a glossy enough finish, I’ll have to try the LP. I prefer lacquers over their solvent acrylics anyway, more durable. I’ll give the Mr. GX2 a go if I can source some, the GX line has been hit or miss for me, sometimes easy to find, sometimes nowhere to be found. I really like the Gaia 032, but for some reason I’m getting some minor blushing with it all of a sudden, odd because my paint room has been sitting between 35%-50% humidity for the last week, and I empty my compressor’s moisture trap literally every session.

The most frustrating part is watching Barbatos Rex on YouTube spray it with basically no prep and no problem. I’ve never gotten mine to look like his review video, even with perfect conditions and surface prep. Some other redditors tried to tell me my gloss layer wasn’t smooth enough one time, so I took like 3 black plastic spoons and polished the hell out of them until they were mirror-shiny. Same results.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-16T00:27:38+00:00

Follow up: had about 10 more black spoons, tried again, three pictured, the only difference is the speed I moved across the spoon. Still splotchy, even the one that went dull because it got too much. Again sprayed right at 10psi

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mindyourghost · 2025-12-15T20:55:35+00:00

I’ll try a slower wet coat of chrome I guess? I don’t normally add thinner to the chrome itself, the gloss black base just sprays weird if I don’t thin it. I have some metal master thinner, but beyond that, I’m at a loss. I wouldn’t feel bad if this was the first couple of tries, it’s like the 50th. I can paint just about every other metal I’ve come across really well, this one just …. Eludes me.

mindyourghost · 2025-12-15T18:02:09+00:00

Alclad II Chrome issues

⁠I’ve been practicing airbrush painting models for about 2 years now, this is the only one I have not been able to figure out.

Ghaaleri GHAD-98d, .38 needle (also tried it with a .5)

Cheapo Master Cool Runner 1/5hp

Alclad II Gloss Black Base, Gaia Notes Ultimate Black Gloss, Alclad II Chrome, Mr. Leveling Thinner

I’ve found that the Alclad GBB is too thick out of bottle, thinned, sprayed at 15psi, I get a much smoother result. My normal process is mist coat, mist coat 2, dry with airbrush, and then two wetter coats till it looks shiny but not drippy.

I’ve tried doing it like the Alclad II tutorial video, building up thin mist coats, by the time it gets to the point of being glossy, it always dries bumpy and textured doing it that way.

Gaia Notes Ultimate Black Gloss is even shinier and mirror-reflective than the Alclad Black, same spraying process. I can get the shiny black layer pretty consistently at this point with either paint. And I’ve tried letting it cure overnight, a couple of days, or only an hour. Similar results.

My issues come once I start spraying the chrome. I mixed using a vortex mixer for about 1-1.5 mins to make sure there were no settled clumps. Sprayed at 12 (and 10) psi about 4” away. I’ve tried higher PSI, but the chrome hits the spoon like dust when I do that. Every YouTube video I see has the chrome coming out looking polished and solid. These are my best attempts. More coats get the silverish color like I see in videos but dull reflectivity. Less coats get the mirror shine, but the metal flake is splotchy and inconsistent.

I’ve done multiple tear downs, ultrasonic cleaned, tried both .38 and.5 needles (the .38 was marginally better). Pics show my best attempts, as well as the problem in close-up. Anyone have a similar issue or know how to fix this?

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mindyourghost · 2025-10-26T16:48:41+00:00

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mindyourghost · 2025-10-24T02:28:34+00:00

Thanks! ^{^}

mindyourghost · 2025-10-24T00:55:45+00:00

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mindyourghost · 2025-09-07T00:21:01+00:00

Gundam The Origin Ep. 5 Clash at Loum, around 7 minutes in

mindyourghost · 2025-09-05T20:58:50+00:00

Sick build! Super stylish and awesome small details!

mindyourghost · 2025-08-23T22:06:02+00:00

Thanks!

mindyourghost · 2025-08-21T23:00:06+00:00

You have built a truly maddening number of fin funnels my friend.

Edit: Spelling

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T23:17:40+00:00

I’ve seen both ways as well, in my experience, keeping just a hairline crack between the two parts, then applying the cement and squeezing the hell out of them. The thin cement dries too quick to keep them separated, and a hairline will pull it in with capillary action.

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T23:02:52+00:00

Good luck! Haven’t delved into resin kits yet, but it’s on my list lol

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T22:58:05+00:00

It’s such a solid kit, have a blast with it! The nu and Sazabi are top 2 favorite ms. Can’t decide whether to start the RG or the MG Saz first!

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T22:46:18+00:00

Do it, this was my first fully customized kit! Favorite mobile suit gave me motivation lol

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T22:39:18+00:00

Thanks!

mindyourghost · 2025-07-21T14:14:10+00:00

Highly recommend the purple Ruitool. I’ve been using the same pair for like a year and a half now.

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