help, need tanks builders opinions on burnishing fluid

[TimMather]

hi, i wondered if any of you guys can help me, i am building a gundam with which il be using ALOT of tiny metal beads, i think in total something like 80 to 100 that i want to paint, usually for metal that needs painting i would just sand it, but for this many it would take forever.
so the reason im asking you guys is i know you use burnishing fluid for metal tank tracks, i wordered if this burnishing fluid, roughs up the surface enough so that primer would stick abit better?

any help would be great

[Mike]

I'd recommend Ultimate Burnishing fluid if I thought it was for burnishing tracks, but what it does is make them look used, rusty and worn.  You need smooth, but abraded on a microscopic level.  Painting a burnished track link (or anything) would look 'orrid.  It's also designed with certain metals in mind, and you might get a different effect depending on what makes up these little things.  Maybe give 'em an ultrasound bath whilst bathed in sand, or an overnight in white vinegar to etch them, or even prime them with an etch primer?   All preferable to "burnishing" them, which is in all honesty a bit of a misnomer, but an accepted term in the AFV world

[TimMather]

thanks for the reply, ive always just sanded etch and used normal primer, didnt even know there wqas such a thing as etch primer, il search it out, thanks.

[Mike]

It's used in the motor trade to self-key onto bare metal, so it could be useful

[FG2Si]

Gunze makes a product called Mr Metal Primer. I believe it has some etching properties to it. It's clear but when i use it, I can see a change in the finish of the metal. Maybe give that a try?

 

Carl

[Dads203]

Burnishing fluid probably wont work on these items, it will just rub off on your fingers and make a right mess,

ask me how I know  

 

The Ultimate Burnishing Fluid works really well on white metal and its my fluid of choice for tracks such as Fruil and the likes of but I have tried it on brass and copper and found it not 

stable enough to handle at all, it just leaves black marks on your fingers and comes off very easily.

I think that there is a company that produces a fluid for photo etch, the name escapes me 

for now but it should be suitable for your needs so a google is in order I fear.

 

 

Dan