Dull Aluminum Paint Ideas Wanted


IowaFarmBoy

IowaFarmBoy

Member
I like unique open loads in freight cars. I am a diabetic and use lancets 4 times a day to get a blood drop for glucose testing. I cut off the needles from the used lancets and grind the end smooth. I plan to use them in a future scrap yard as rejected aluminum castings that need reprocessed.

What I want is a dull aluminum color of paint to apply so that they look like aluminum with that matte or flat color. Anodized aluminum color would be okay also. What I don't want is the shiny chrome looking aluminum Krylon or Rust-Oleum colors. I prefer acrylics if possible. Craft paints like Delta Ceramcoat or Apple Barrel are fine. I will weather a stack but need the base color as a start.

Here's a picture of a plain one and a stack glued up on a base that fits a 40' gondola..

GondolaLoad005.jpg
 
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I have a Dull Aluminum that I bought at Walmart in the Acrylics. I use it on Bridges & details for the roofs of buildings. If it's not flat enough you can always coat it w/Matte Medium that U can also buy at WM.:D
 
I looked there previously but didn't find any. Maybe they will be fully stocked now after the holidays. I am quite familiar with ModPoge matte medium. I use it for a lot of things. I also use the clear Krylon sprays instead of Dullcote.
 
IowaFarmBoy said:
I looked there previously but didn't find any. Maybe they will be fully stocked now after the holidays. I am quite familiar with ModPoge matte medium. I use it for a lot of things. I also use the clear Krylon sprays instead of Dullcote.
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I've found that the Clear Krylon sprays are bad on Enamels & Acrylics. I think they are Lacquer & tend to bubble up or wrinkle whatever you spray on them.

A few years ago I used Clear over a plastic building I was making that was painted Flat Black & the spray wrinkled the flat black & gave it an Antique look that I really liked. I then tried it on some other flat paints & it did the same thing. So, that was all I used it for for a long time, to make paint wrinkle.
 
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I am not having that problem with the Krylon sprays. Mineral spirits is the recommended thinner to clean a plugged nozzle so what I use must not be lacquer. Even so I use multiple light coats and allow the solvents to dry between coats.
 
I don't know about ya'lls Wal-mart but the one here does not have a great selection of the craft paints. I try to go ( and yes its 14 miles compared to 3) to the Hobby Lobby in the next town over. A ton more paints to choose from
 
The Walmart I patronize has about 2/3 the selection of craft paint that it had a couple of years ago. Michaels has less also. Hobby Lobby and Dick Blick are 30 miles away but I may have to schedule a trip to those places soon.
 
Can't you just mix some aluminum with some gray? I recall doing that years ago to paint a fence for a friend's layout. IMO, a bright silver fence looks awful.

BTW, I've got a bunch of lancets, too. I always toss them in the recycling bin. I never thought of using them for anything.

Steve S
 
First: The Walmart I patronize has cut their craft paint stock even more and they don't have anything close to what I want. I also went to Michaels. They stock about half of what they used to in craft paints. No Dull Aluminum and only 2 shades of grey. LOTS of glitter paint though...

2nd: Mixing colors is an option.

3rd: When I was in Michaels today checking for Dull Aluminum I noticed that there are several different groups of Krylon clear coat sprays. Some are lacquer based but not all are. There are even acrylic ones.

4th: Dick Blick and Hobby Lobby are 30+ miles away near the University of Iowa. I may schedule a trip there in the near future because those chains don't have a branch here.
 
I ended up mixing paint to try due to the snowstorms here in Iowa restricting safe travel. I used FolkArt 662 Metallic Silver Sterling and FolkArt 424 Light Gray craft paint mixed about 50/50. I then brushed the paint on the load, let it dry, then brushed on A/I to darken the crevices and enhance the effect of shadows. Here is the result.

GondolaLoad001-1.jpg


And here is the load in a gondola.

GondolaLoad002-1.jpg
 
Larry said:
I've found that the Clear Krylon sprays are bad on Enamels & Acrylics. I think they are Lacquer & tend to bubble up or wrinkle whatever you spray on them.

A few years ago I used Clear over a plastic building I was making that was painted Flat Black & the spray wrinkled the flat black & gave it an Antique look that I really liked. I then tried it on some other flat paints & it did the same thing. So, that was all I used it for for a long time, to make paint wrinkle.
Click to expand...

I'd give the paint at least a week or two to completely dry before clear coating. The Krylon Crystal Clear spray is an acrylic.
 
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