chromitizing pieces

[kaloo]

First, I'd like to say Hi, I'm a new member, though I've been a lurker for quite a while. I'm John M, a teenager in New England, US, student in highschool, and horrible typist .

: So here are my questions. :
1 have you ever painted a piece(s) yourself?
2 have you ever wanted to paint a piece(s) no matter how much of a purist you are or aren't?
3 do you know if chrome paint exists in vials, or some sort of small cheap container?

As of the moment, Im a purist except for cutting flex tubes and making the greatswords look crystallized.

I really hate the chrome dm helmet on my sigfig, and I really want to chromitize a visored helmet, but my dad says chromitizing plastic is something complicated and probably only TLC (and people like Jeff, it seems) can do.
This may have been asked before, but I didn't see that post, so please LMKWYT. And please tell me if something went gravely wrong with my first post
My vote was no, but the possibility is open.
<:: () ::>

[wlister]

Hi Kaloo,

Welcome to Classic-Castle!

I think a few of us have experimented with gold and silver paint in a variety of forms, not always with success though. Paint relly can't reproduce the gleam of a chrome piece. I have painted a few pieces and I even brassoed a chrome bull shield to see if I could take the bull print off and leave the chrome, but that didn't work. I have yet to he happy with any painted piece I have done, but that can be said for almost anything I build. Painting is a tricky thing to do, but I think someone managed to paint some dragons a few years back, they looked good. Castle Sparrowhawk I think, but its a dead link now.

Aside from Jeff, I don't think any of us have managed to make vac-metalized chrome pieces though. I do believe it is not a very complicated manufacturing method, but it is very likely that costs keep more pieces from being made in gold or silver chrome. Jeff could probably tell you better, but I think cost is the major factor. Anything to add Jeff?


Will

[Dragon Master]

Ahhh! NEVER! I'm a purist to the max!

DM

[LEGOFREAK]

I have used gold and silver model paints, and what I find is that the pieces tend to fade after awhile. You never seem to be able get that gleam to last. I had thought of experimenting with adding a clear coat though. However, I seem to have been avoiding paint altogether lately.
The paint I used, was Testors model paint. The kind you can buy at any hobby store, cleans up with thinner. Use a very fine brush for details, and a larger one for things like armor. If you are careful, you can probably avoid brush strokes.
Good luck with whatever you decide, and please post some pics if possible so we can peruse them.

Freak

[Jojo]

Hello!


Yes, I did in my sinful youth. Amongst other things I painted a Pirate hook-hand golden to make a Captain Hook figure (pic = link):



Nowadays I wouldn't do that again because I turned into a purist. Though... Those hook-hands are not exactly rare pieces, so my regrets are easily ignored in this case.


Bye
Jojo

[kaloo]

thanks for the tip, LEGOFREAK. I'll see if I can. I only have a few visored helms, and I dont want to mess them up before I know how paint, but I'll take your advice and try with some useless piece (like a 2x2 dish, or maybe a tree. yah, a silver tree...).Though I dont know about the picture thing, I've never uploaded anything in my life, at least I dont think I have. So I have no idea how. I'll ask my dad how and see if I can get a brickshelf account. By the way, I trust this site with my e-address, but not brickshelf. I dont even know who runs it. So is anyone 100% sure that Brickshelf doesn't do anything with your e-address???? I dont want email all, just to let anyone who gets ahold of my address know. Now I'm really off track ...
And nice pirate Jojo. I really like the coat, Ill have to try that for someone.

[Jojo]

Hello!

I'll ask my dad how and see if I can get a brickshelf account. By the way, I trust this site with my e-address, but not brickshelf. I dont even know who runs it. So is anyone 100% sure that Brickshelf doesn't do anything with your e-address???? I dont want email all, just to let anyone who gets ahold of my address know. Now I'm really off track :oops:...

Well, there are more than 10,000 members at BrickShelf. I never heard anything rom anyone about BS doing bad things with e-mail addresses. That site is run by Kevin M. Loch and he has a special agreement with the LEGO Company (TLC) about publishing official building instructions and other official stuff from TLC. So I guess if TLC trusts him we can trust him, too :-)

And nice pirate Jojo. I really like the coat, Ill have to try that for someone.

Ack. Thanks, but I didn't mean to get you into customizing! Be a purist! Purist! Only LEGO!
(At least I tried it.)


Bye
Jojo

[Dragon Master]

Ack. Thanks, but I didn't mean to get you into customizing! Be a purist! Purist! Only LEGO!
(At least I tried it.)

I have the same philosophy too Jojo, only LEGO! Although I must admit,I have customized in the past though.

My tarnished recored:

I cut off the bottom of a bullet helm!

I feel like dirt....

DM

[Jojo]

Hello!

My tarnished recored:
I cut off the bottom of a bullet helm!
I feel like dirt....

Alas! So do I.
(pics = links)



(The bendy Azure Argent shield had originally been a shield from 1592! Oh yes, I feel like dirt...)


*sigh*
Jojo

[Blasterman]

Hello Kaloo!

So you want to chrome some stuff, huh? Let's see...
there are 3 ways(I believe)to do this.

1 - Paint. I have seen chrome spray paint, but I would
strongly advise against using any commercial paint. Not
good for ABS plastic.

2 - I'm not sure what it's called...but there's this metal
paper you can somehow apply. "Gold Leaf", maybe.

3 - Take the piece to a plastics company, and pay to have
them chrome plated.

Personally, I'd get it plated. But then I've done this before.
I'll let you in on a little secret though... It's not that expensive!

The company that did mine has a 1000 piece minimum, but I
might be able to get a smaller amount done. I'll look into it.

This probably didn't help you very much, but I thought I
would at least give you some information.

[TwoTonic Knight]

I cut Katanas into Wakizashis, I chop chain mail from nasal helms, I hack Halberds into Danish Axes, I'll sticker, paint, silver leaf anything.

But only to something I have multiple of and won't miss (well, won't miss too much) if I screw it up.

[SirCumferance]

I cut Katanas into Wakizashis, I chop chain mail from nasal helms, I hack Halberds into Danish Axes, I'll sticker, paint, silver leaf anything.

But only to something I have multiple of and won't miss (well, won't miss too much) if I screw it up.

Katanas into Wakizashis? Chain mail from nasal helms? Halberds into Danish Axes? What are those?

[TwoTonic Knight]

I cut Katanas into Wakizashis, I chop chain mail from nasal helms, I hack Halberds into Danish Axes, I'll sticker, paint, silver leaf anything.

But only to something I have multiple of and won't miss (well, won't miss too much) if I screw it up.

Katanas into Wakizashis? Chain mail from nasal helms? Halberds into Danish Axes? What are those?

A Wakizashi is just a shorter Katana - Samurai traditionally carried two swords, the Katana and Wakizashi. The Nasal helm is the "flaired helm". I just make it a a nasal helm sans chain because the chain doesn't particularly look like chain - see the thread about "Viking Men" under Castle MOC. Same for Danish Axes.

[Todd]

Hey Blasterman! How much did you need to pay per piece at that plastics company for chrome plating?

[Blasterman]

Hey Blasterman! How much did you need to pay per piece at that plastics company for chrome plating?

They don't do anything "per piece". It has to be on a sprue,
which means multiple things get chromed at once.

How much? I won't say exactly, but I will say this -

about $1.00+/- per piece, broken down.