Darth,
sounds like you'll do just fine! Alclad II isn't the only option. I agree that a semi-gloss clear will tone down the chrome appearance considerably.
Please forgive me, but just offering a respectful suggestion:
After you apply your first coat of semi-gloss clear (thin coat)......walk away from your model and do something else for 1/2 hour or so. Then come back and check it, since your mind will be fresh. If possible Illuminate your results with the same type and color of lighting that's on your layout. Compare it to your prototype photos.
If it's still too shiny to your eyes, apply a 2nd thin coat of that clear. However, keep in mind that semi-gloss clears will quickly "knock down" the sheen of a metallic finish, even chrome. Too much and it will look like an ordinary bright silver.
I'm excited for you as that, even among Santa Fe modelers, you certainly don't see many HO scale EMC E-1's on the web or in magazines, even the BLI versions (especially when compared to the LOADS of E6's, E7's, and E8's that have saturated the market!)
Looking forward to seeing the results! Please take some step-by-step shots, if you don't mind.
Darth Santa Fe Yes, the photo isn't a great one, but you can still see the difference in color looking from the cab to the rest of it. Since the cab will be painted, I left it unplated. The body is mostly silver with just a few thin spots of brass showing through, and once I'm done with it, it'll be all shiny chrome plating. A semi-gloss clear finishing coat should tone it down to look more like stainless steel.
Yes, the photo isn't a great one, but you can still see the difference in color looking from the cab to the rest of it. Since the cab will be painted, I left it unplated. The body is mostly silver with just a few thin spots of brass showing through, and once I'm done with it, it'll be all shiny chrome plating. A semi-gloss clear finishing coat should tone it down to look more like stainless steel.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
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Hi Darth!
Another interesting project. I suspect that the pictures make the plating look less effective than it actually is. Either that or you have a ways to go.
The news of NWSL's closing is not good. Your ability to put their components to work is amazing. Let's hope that somebody picks them up.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
AntonioFP45Congratulations, that is cool news! Looking forward to seeing the final results with the Santa Fe "War Bonnet" decals. Will this be a DCC/Sound unit?
Looking forward to seeing the final results with the Santa Fe "War Bonnet" decals. Will this be a DCC/Sound unit?
I haven't been able to get your technique with Alclad down, so this seemed like the next best option.
It'll only be DC since that's all I need for my layout. As far as sound, I've never been a real big fan of it in HO and smaller. It needs to match the depth and quality of my Sansui-powered stereo towers before I can bring myself to consider it.
Congratulations, that is cool news!
I'm sure most of you don't remember by now, but I got a brass Hallmark E1 set a while back, and I decided I'd try plating it to match the stainless steel look of the real ones. My polishing supplies weren't working on the chrome plating though, so I'd given up on it for a while. Recently, I picked up some white emery polish for an aluminum project, and decided I'd give that a shot on the chrome, and it worked great!
It's still not perfect yet, but it's getting there! To make it uniform, I'm having to plate and polish multiple times. The layer's so thin that the brass color shows through with only 1 plating job, but it's getting better with each one. This should be a great looking set when it's done!
Beyond that, I've remotored it because the Samsongsa gearing was too slow for a passenger set. After putting in some faster motors, it's running at just over 70 scale MPH instead of 50 like before, and it is SO smooth! Also, it's not just the A unit. The B unit is powered too!