For some display models I’m in the preliminary stages of working on, I’ll need to replicate the look of actual, factual gold over a fairly large area. So far, I’ve found no such thing as a gold paint that actually looks like gold. A lot of “gold colored” paints, and “paints with gold-like flecks,” but nothing that really looks gold. Gold leaf produces the right color, but the surface finish is aweful. Bare Metal Foil is somewhat similar. What I’m looking for is something akin to chrome plating, but gold.
I’ve just ordered the Alclad II “Mirrored Gold for Lexan” laquer. I’ve had good luck with their chrome, and have high hopes that this stuff will work. But in case it doesn’t, I’ll need a fallback option. Two that occur:
1) Vacuum metal deposition. This is obviously something I can’t do myself, but would seem to produce the best of all possible coatings. Anyone know of a good source for such a service?
2) “Spectra Chrome” paint. Looks great, but also something I can’t do myself without spending about ten grand. Only found one source willing to spray small items such as these, adn the quoted prices was really high. Anyone know of someone set up for Spectra Chrome who’d be interested in doing a project like this for non-wallet-busting prices?
And finally… anybody got any other suggestions?
6 Responses to “Gold”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Gold electroplating – with gold.
Is this supposed to be used on a flat surface, or something like Kapton foil on a spacecraft? Because I do know how to do that in detail in a way that both looks great and protects the finish from deterioration via oxidation over many year’s time.
the texture of Gold leaf is aweful.
alternative use “liquid leaf” this product is liguid version of Gold leaf
or Gold Pigments mixt with varnish
the company “Horus” has assortment of varnish metallpigments colors
even with REAL 32 karat Gold but 30 ml cost US$82 !
also company “Guardi” offers real metallpigments
but you have to mix them befor with acrylic emulsion
I’ve never used SNJ Spray Metal, but you might look into that.
Actually, sputter coaters and vacuum depositing equipment can be pretty cheap. They are used for electron microscope work and have been around for years.
We had an old SPI unit that was probably late 70’s vintage, cost less than the vacuum pump we connected it to, and worked just fine. It is going to take some time to build up a layer, however. seems like we were getting 10E-10 m/sec, but I forget.
Didn’t see much on ebay. sorry.
-Gar.
Before there was vacuum depositing, there was electroplating:
http://www.squidoo.com/goldplateelectroplating
There are lots of home kits for doing that available.
How I did Kapton foil was to get chrome Mylar wrapping paper (aluminum foil would work as well) crumple it, unfold it again, and secure it down to the model part with gel-type superglue (_Don’t_ use regular liquid superglue – it well flow all over the place via capillary action, and ruin the whole works)
Once dry and with any excess foil trimmed, the parts were brush-painted with Tamiya transparent yellow bottle paint, which not only turns them a very shiny gold color, but settles into the creases on them, enhancing the 3D effect on the parts:
That’s how the Kapton on this model was done: http://www.starshipmodeler.com/gallery/pf_disc.htm
Tamiya makes a whole series of transparent paint colors, primarily for the model car market, to do things like tinted windows, or get chromed turn signals and braking lights to be the right color.
Although it took four tries to get it right (The paint doesn’t use water as a thinner, but will come off if soaked in hot water for a while) the transparent yellow also looked great on the transparent helmet visor of the large-scale Revell Apollo astronaut on the Moon kit, nicely simulating the gold anti-UV coating on the real helmet