Big10
Well-known member
After some recent discussion down in Mustang Mania on how to apply NMF I thought I would share what I do and use for my NMF. First and foremost I am no expert when is comes to this subject and there are many many different ways to achieve your NMF. This is just a few of my ways that yield me good results.
I have two ways I do my NMF. The first discussed will be the traditional way of applying a NMF.
Preparations is the key for achieving a nice NMF, the model must be free of any debris, lint or fuzz. The plastics need to be free of any defect, scratches and smooth as possible before we apply the paints used for the NMF. For sanding I like to use these products for my prep. I really like using the Infini stuff and the 4000 polish gives a great smooth finish. Don't forget you can use some of Tamiya polishing compound to really get a smooth finish.
I use the compound after I apply my base color which we will talk about now.
Black Base and Gloss base(don't mine the Mr. Finishing Surface 1500, that comes into play later)
The given is you need a very glossy black base coat so you can get that nice aluminum sheen. TS-14 must be decanted be for use and set aside to let all the gases evaporate or you will end up with a mess if you shake it one decanted. I rarely use it. I really love the GX2 Ueno Black, this will get a you a really deep Glossy finish. Once dry you can go back and mist with Mr. Color Level Thinner and it will look like a mirror. The hardest part out of all this is keeping the model free of crap once you hit it with the black gloss. I have read were some have a big Tupper wear box they will place the model in do cure to try and keep it lint free. Good luck as I have found it nearly impossible to keep free of that stuff. That's were the sanding pads, micro mesh and polishing compound come in.
The Gx100 is a very nice gloss coat and you can use for your experimentation. I can be applied over the black gloss but find it not necessary if you use the GX2 and misted with the Leveling Thinner.
I have even thought about hooking a shop vac up to a sealed box to help keep crap of the model as the black base dries.
Time for the colors used for my NMF. There are a lot out there but I only use a few. I will use Alclad, Tamiya, of Mr. Color
When I was doing my NMF the traditionally way I always used the 3 Alcalds shown above. Under a black gloss base, they give off a very vice sheen. My favorite out of the 3 is the Airframe Aluminum. Polished Aluminum is great but does not like masking tape on top. Stainless Steel will give you a good result of NMF as well.
I have since switched to the Super Metallic as I find them more resilient. For a nice metallic sheen, use Super Chrome Silver, Super Stainless, or Super Duralumin. The duralumin is not quit as bright but give a good luster.
Mr. Color H8(C8) Silver is a great color for Aluminum dope, same goes for Tamiya LP-11 Silver. I will use those 2 mail colors on my Mustang build for the Aluminum Lacquer coat where is was applied from the factory.
I use the Super Iron on the panel that covers the exhaust on the Mustang. The Super Fine Silver is also a great color that is more in line LP-11Silver and H8 Silver.
These are the colors used for your everyday NMF use and one that I used for years.
Now lets do a 180 and how I do my NMF today and will use the P-51D as a example.
I will use long gone Model Master Aluminum Metalizer and Mr. Metal Colors range of Metalizers.
Once my surface is ready I will spray the whole model with Mr. Surfacer 1500 black and this is where is gets complicated. You must do all your primary colors first as they will not stick to the NMF. So I will spray the antiglare panel paint my Star and Bars and and what ever else needs primary paint scheme. Will look something like this.
Revell 1/32nd P-51D
Eduard 1/48th P-51D
Once done, you will need to mask off everything. Keep in mind that I make my own mask and have the ability to make the covers for all my work. If just using decals, you will still need to paint your primary colors, and mask those, do the NMF and then apply your decals as the last stage.
Once all is masked there is where you start your dry brushing of the metalizer. It is a very complicated and tricky process but I find way more rewarding and more authentic look. I will supply a video that may give you a better understanding.
Dry bushing it will look something like this.
And once all masked are pulled when finished.
Now it come to sealing it and how you want too. I have done it many ways, I have sealed with Model Master Metalizer Sealer. As I use
If you do not seal it and you plan on doing any weathering, the use of enamel products will eat the metalizer and remove it. You must be very carful with this process as the risk reward is very high. If you do coat it with a sealer like a gloss coat to apply decals it will change the sheen of the buffing and may not be a shiny.
I have used Model Master Metalizer for a sealer and also done a gloss coat for decals then followed by a flat coat.
The number one thing to remember if you use this process is to never use making tape after you have applied your sealer. I cannot stress this enough, nothing will stick to the buffed metalizer. If you apply a sealer and then find you need to mask, once you life the mask it will lift the sealer and it will be nasty. You can only place tape where you placed your primary colors.
So why do I use this technique. I find it to be more authentic for war period Mustangs.
All the above were done with the dry brushing technique using the metalizer.
So I will apply the NMF in the arears as shown here by Eduard and the silver lacquered where shown.
Here are some build I did way back when with Alclad. Sorry for the wetness as I had to rinse them off as they were very dusty.
Both of these were Tamiya 1/32nd P-51D kits.
Big Beautiful Doll was done using Alclad Stainless Steel over a gloss black base.
The Millie G was painted using Alclad Airframe Aluminum. Same Gloss black base. Wings I used Mr. Color H8 silver.
Tamiya 1/48th P-51 B/C. This one was done using Mr. Color Super Metalic Chrome.
This was a Tamiya 1/48th I did long time ago as well before I really did research on the P-51D. I painted the ammo door covers a different color in reality it was all one color. The main fuselage color was Alcade Semi-Matt Aluminum. Gave it a nice different look.
One last product you could use is call RubNBuff and you would get something that may look like this. Airshow quality.
I never did pursue this as it was not the look I was going for at that time. My revisit it at some point.
And here is a video of my dry brushing technique.
I do hope this will help some of you our there and like I said, this is just my way of doing a NMF.
I have two ways I do my NMF. The first discussed will be the traditional way of applying a NMF.
Preparations is the key for achieving a nice NMF, the model must be free of any debris, lint or fuzz. The plastics need to be free of any defect, scratches and smooth as possible before we apply the paints used for the NMF. For sanding I like to use these products for my prep. I really like using the Infini stuff and the 4000 polish gives a great smooth finish. Don't forget you can use some of Tamiya polishing compound to really get a smooth finish.
I use the compound after I apply my base color which we will talk about now.
Black Base and Gloss base(don't mine the Mr. Finishing Surface 1500, that comes into play later)
The given is you need a very glossy black base coat so you can get that nice aluminum sheen. TS-14 must be decanted be for use and set aside to let all the gases evaporate or you will end up with a mess if you shake it one decanted. I rarely use it. I really love the GX2 Ueno Black, this will get a you a really deep Glossy finish. Once dry you can go back and mist with Mr. Color Level Thinner and it will look like a mirror. The hardest part out of all this is keeping the model free of crap once you hit it with the black gloss. I have read were some have a big Tupper wear box they will place the model in do cure to try and keep it lint free. Good luck as I have found it nearly impossible to keep free of that stuff. That's were the sanding pads, micro mesh and polishing compound come in.
The Gx100 is a very nice gloss coat and you can use for your experimentation. I can be applied over the black gloss but find it not necessary if you use the GX2 and misted with the Leveling Thinner.
I have even thought about hooking a shop vac up to a sealed box to help keep crap of the model as the black base dries.
Time for the colors used for my NMF. There are a lot out there but I only use a few. I will use Alclad, Tamiya, of Mr. Color
When I was doing my NMF the traditionally way I always used the 3 Alcalds shown above. Under a black gloss base, they give off a very vice sheen. My favorite out of the 3 is the Airframe Aluminum. Polished Aluminum is great but does not like masking tape on top. Stainless Steel will give you a good result of NMF as well.
I have since switched to the Super Metallic as I find them more resilient. For a nice metallic sheen, use Super Chrome Silver, Super Stainless, or Super Duralumin. The duralumin is not quit as bright but give a good luster.
Mr. Color H8(C8) Silver is a great color for Aluminum dope, same goes for Tamiya LP-11 Silver. I will use those 2 mail colors on my Mustang build for the Aluminum Lacquer coat where is was applied from the factory.
I use the Super Iron on the panel that covers the exhaust on the Mustang. The Super Fine Silver is also a great color that is more in line LP-11Silver and H8 Silver.
These are the colors used for your everyday NMF use and one that I used for years.
Now lets do a 180 and how I do my NMF today and will use the P-51D as a example.
I will use long gone Model Master Aluminum Metalizer and Mr. Metal Colors range of Metalizers.
Once my surface is ready I will spray the whole model with Mr. Surfacer 1500 black and this is where is gets complicated. You must do all your primary colors first as they will not stick to the NMF. So I will spray the antiglare panel paint my Star and Bars and and what ever else needs primary paint scheme. Will look something like this.
Revell 1/32nd P-51D
Eduard 1/48th P-51D
Once done, you will need to mask off everything. Keep in mind that I make my own mask and have the ability to make the covers for all my work. If just using decals, you will still need to paint your primary colors, and mask those, do the NMF and then apply your decals as the last stage.
Once all is masked there is where you start your dry brushing of the metalizer. It is a very complicated and tricky process but I find way more rewarding and more authentic look. I will supply a video that may give you a better understanding.
Dry bushing it will look something like this.
And once all masked are pulled when finished.
Now it come to sealing it and how you want too. I have done it many ways, I have sealed with Model Master Metalizer Sealer. As I use
If you do not seal it and you plan on doing any weathering, the use of enamel products will eat the metalizer and remove it. You must be very carful with this process as the risk reward is very high. If you do coat it with a sealer like a gloss coat to apply decals it will change the sheen of the buffing and may not be a shiny.
I have used Model Master Metalizer for a sealer and also done a gloss coat for decals then followed by a flat coat.
The number one thing to remember if you use this process is to never use making tape after you have applied your sealer. I cannot stress this enough, nothing will stick to the buffed metalizer. If you apply a sealer and then find you need to mask, once you life the mask it will lift the sealer and it will be nasty. You can only place tape where you placed your primary colors.
So why do I use this technique. I find it to be more authentic for war period Mustangs.
All the above were done with the dry brushing technique using the metalizer.
So I will apply the NMF in the arears as shown here by Eduard and the silver lacquered where shown.
Here are some build I did way back when with Alclad. Sorry for the wetness as I had to rinse them off as they were very dusty.
Both of these were Tamiya 1/32nd P-51D kits.
Big Beautiful Doll was done using Alclad Stainless Steel over a gloss black base.
The Millie G was painted using Alclad Airframe Aluminum. Same Gloss black base. Wings I used Mr. Color H8 silver.
Tamiya 1/48th P-51 B/C. This one was done using Mr. Color Super Metalic Chrome.
This was a Tamiya 1/48th I did long time ago as well before I really did research on the P-51D. I painted the ammo door covers a different color in reality it was all one color. The main fuselage color was Alcade Semi-Matt Aluminum. Gave it a nice different look.
One last product you could use is call RubNBuff and you would get something that may look like this. Airshow quality.
I never did pursue this as it was not the look I was going for at that time. My revisit it at some point.
And here is a video of my dry brushing technique.
I do hope this will help some of you our there and like I said, this is just my way of doing a NMF.
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