radiator color

[Pikepole]

   What make of aluminum paint do you guys use for radiator and oil coolers? I can not find a color of aluminum paint that looks like a real radiator.

     thanks

[Marty W]

Some I like to use are Model Master Acryl, Tamiya acrylic flat, or Tamiya gloss aluminum spray. It depends on the effect I am going for.

[David Bogard]

Okay Pikepole, you've got your spray vent and your mitre saw and now some radiator, so let's see what you're working on!!

[Maineboy]

I came by a nice little trick from watching some youtube videos by a man who's youtube username is "hpiguys". He has been building models and making videos for 4 yrs at least. His video's seem almost professional compared to most others. For one thing he mounts the camera on a tripod or some other device that holds the camera rock steady! No motion sickness when watching his videos.  This is something I have seen him do but never tried it myself until recently.

This is not so much for a radiator shell as it is for the radiator core when inside the engine compartment. He used a silver pencil as you can see in the photo.

DSCF0009 (4) by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr

This is a silver pencil. Hard to find by itself but found, like I found this one, on ebay now and then. Sharpen to a dull point, not sharp. Lay down so the side of the color center is what is doing the marking, not the tip, on what you are trying to color and rub from side to side, repeatedly until you are happy with the result.

DSCF0013 (4) by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr

1957 Ford car radiator saddle frame and radiator......BEFORE. Rustoleum satin black, not gloss.

DSCF0015 (3) by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr

Same radiator AFTER the silver pencil treatment. You rub back and forth as long as you like. The more you rub the more it will color, but it is NEVER like any aluminum spray or god forbid Testor's silver, which I have used for a long time but is just too gaudy for something like this. The radiator core may have been silver like when new but did not stay that way long. I find this to be much more subtle and effective.....and pleasing to my eye. Best part?  You can wash it off with warm water and do it over if you want.

Video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2Xd5rPobw&ab_channel=hpiguysWorkshop

This is Chris (hpiguys) doing a 67 Chev Impala rendition of the "Supernatural". Man is a good teacher and great eye for artistic stuff and does the most interesting things with cheap stuff you can get at the dollar store or Wally world. Some vids are kinda dry but I learn something in most of them. The silver pencil he uses a lot for lots of things.

[David Bogard]

Tamiya makeup kits are what I use for this kind of thing. Easy to do and easy to find. The kit C or kit F will do these "metalish" kinds of things very well. I will keep my eyes open for a silver pencil though just in case! Thanks!

[Maineboy]

I think the point is to keep the colors subtle. This is not a place for loud colors. I painted the gas tank of that 57 with Testor's silver and it is way too gaudy. Don't know yet why I did that. Most of the pencils I saw for sale were in a kit. Think you might find them in HL or Michaels individually. I think there are other colors that might be useful too. I will look for that kit that you mentioned. Sounds like lots of possibilities. Can't have too many tools to choose from can we.

In another thread someone mentioned the Rustoleum chrome. I have a can of that and have played with it a bit. It might work on a 32 grille shell but might be better with clear satin over it. The chrome in all the kits these days is just too bright. I almost never use it that way.

[David Bogard]

Agree on all counts! Subtle and key. I also agree with the chrome assessment. I am the one that uses the Spray Chrome and I find it much closer to "real" chrome than the cartoonish stuff in the kits. I'm with ya 100% on this MB!

[Maineboy]

I have an original issue kit, from the late 60's,  of the show car "Orange Crate" which I suspect you probably remember. 32 Ford two door sedan show car that pivoted upwards from the rear of the frame, kind of like a tilting hood or something. It is molded in this horrid orange plastic and the chrome sprue is just unbelievably gaudy. They must have made a lot of those kits as the one I have must have been made later as the flashing is on just about every single piece. I have had it kicking around for years and have pondered how I might do it some day. Paint all the chrome flat black primer and start over I think. I bought that can of spray chrome on a whim as I though it probably would be too much. But I like it lots better than I thought though I have not used it much yet, just experimenting. Just as a general statement I have long thought that on any model, gaudy and flashy gives away that it is a model real quick. I like to try to think about how that car would look in 1:1 scale, outdoors and go from there. On that truck model both the Autocar tractor, and the trailer, I hit with a semi gloss clear after decals went on and I think it looks lots more realistic.