The Hunt For Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg

I have some crankbaits that I would like to repaint to a high chrome. It seems that it has been for the most part taken out of production, even though it is a classic color. I am having trouble finding a paint that does not appear flat silver underwater. Any ideas?

To clarify, plastic - not balsa or cedar.

Larry and I were talking about this some time ago but I never had the time to dig into it to see how ligit it actually is. So I'll simply post the video and you can be the judge/investigator:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-1cTpSZ1l8

Interesting Mike, I also found Hydro Chrome that looks like it is the same, but have not tried it.

I did find some chrome paint from a Taxidermy supplier, but unless it is painted over a gloss black basecoat, it just does not seem to work well. I have had good results with just a Createx product called Aluminum. After several coats, it sure does look close, but it lacks the transparent depth of Chrome.

I have also had good results using bright silver "gold style" leafing material, but you had better have a great clear coat to protect it and give it that transparent depth.

http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o62 ... _04692.jpg

The above link is to a photo of what I have been able to do so far with chrome paint. I do not promise that it will work underwater, but I do promise that I have tried many time to get it right. I also do not yet have the "clear coat" mastered.

I have found that you should have as much of a gloss black base coat as you can, and as smooth as possible.

I have found that Krylon Fusion does not give me a smooth, or a high gloss, coat on many plastics, but it adheres very well to plastics. Nevertheless, it pairs well with Krylon Metallic when used as a base. The use of Krylon Metallic, with the Chrome lid, seems to work very well. My wife considers this the best result.

I have found that Rustoleum Gloss Black yields the most smooth and the most gloss of the base coats I used. This base yields the best results for Alcad 2 Chrome (Lacquer Airbrush paint), and I find this to be the best result. I also find that Alcad 2 without a Black base coat works very well, as long as it is painted on a smooth plastic. Still, I find that Rustoleum Gloss Black is not as resistant to other paints eating through it. Spray light coats and more of them.

I have tried many options, taken pictures and given results on most of it, and I show it in the links below if you want to follow them. Enter the web site and look at the album and sub albums called "Chrome studies for lures".

http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/aka-a ... t=3&page=1

What I can tell you is that it is a Lacquer or enamel paint. It is as resistant to scratches and teeth as a paint can be. It is NOT as good as a clear coated lure, but my first test with a clear coat were not promising. I will not give up but ............

I can tell you that chrome is difficult to achieve. I looked into a company that uses the new applications where you apply a sensitizing solution, a silvering solution, and a clear coat. Brands like HydroMist, Spectra Chrome, Reprochrome, etc., come to mind. You can find them on YouTube and even Jay Leno showed one of them. The results are and were incredible, but the process is expensive for the small guy to do. I know, it is at least too expensive for me. Nevertheless, I got an interesting response from one of them.....

"This process is UV resistant, we have UV inhibitors in the clear coat. All the rules apply to regular painting. With this process you are putting a real layer of silver in between two layers of paint. The color of chrome is in the clear coat. There is a 200 degree heat tolerance, so it is not meant for an exhaust or engine block. This process is as durable as a painted finish on a car."

Sooo, "the color of chrome is in the clear coat" and "is as durable as a painted finish on a car". I have tested several of my commercial lures, purchased as chrome, and they are no more durable then the chrome paint used above. There is a way to actually use chrome to plate plastic, but I can only test so many things at a time.

More will follow, in time, if I come up with more results. But for now........ well look how long it took to get back to everyone on this one.

So far the clear coat test have not been good at all.

I have some on the turner now so I will photo and update later, but so far the Solar Res UV that I use was a complete bust. It actually ate the AlClad 2 and the Krylon Metallic paints, leaving a dull finish and black from the undercoating showing through. When I tested it on a sample of AlClad 2 without backing, it turned the paint white. I have some UV Cure from Alumilite that I am testing (thanks MIke) and it did not eat the paints, but it did kill the gloss. Still, it was fast, much better then the Solar Res and EnviroTec that I also used.

On part of the same test spoon I put EnviroTec Lite on it and it hazed bad. I also coated part with plain old future wax and it still hazed. Needles to say, when I used Duplicolor Automotive Clear Coat, it hazed as well. The chrome color from the paint worked, but no coat is possible that I have found. I am going to try some Alumilite Amazing Clear Cast in the next couple of days.

The good news is that I had some Chrome Mylar that I applied to a spoon, but the bad news is that I cannot get the wrinkles out. Nevertheless, I coated it with the Duplicoat Automotive Clear Coat and it came out excellent. It got me thinking, and that can be a bad thing.

I have not tried this yet, but have some on order. What is this???? See attached:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390800191760?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111165507427?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190805363590?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

http://alsacorp.com/strechchrome/showcase.html

I think that this automotive wrap, in Chrome options, will work. Will get back with you in a couple of months on that.......I hope.

I sure hope this helps those that want chrome ......... sure wish I could get my decal transfers to look chrome. Larry's idea had almost shut my airbrush down. LOL

If you've got a nice smooth surface to begin with you will be very happy with the results of the chrome tapes used in automotive applicatons.
best
L