# What’s the trick to painting side marker lights



## johnnyclack (Sep 30, 2013)

:freak:

As I look at pictures of side marker lights, they have the chrome surround painted and the inner lens are painted as well.

Is the trick to paint the chrome first then the lens color ?
Is there a trick to keeping the chrome paint off the body color ?

Thanks

jc


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## Modlerbob (Feb 10, 2011)

I use a very fine paint brush and Testors chrome silver paint. I paint the entire light and frame. After that has dried I go back with Tamiya or Humbrol clear red or amber paint using the same fine brush or a toothpick.


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## vypurr59 (Sep 25, 2011)

You could also use Bare Metal Foil as a mask. Then paint away.


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## Belair (Mar 10, 2013)

I use bare metal foil, cover the whole marker light, lens and trim, then use clear orange or red on the lens. :thumbsup:


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## BWolfe (Sep 24, 2013)

Belair said:


> I use bare metal foil, cover the whole marker light, lens and trim, then use clear orange or red on the lens. :thumbsup:


A trick I have used is to apply the bare metal foil and then print orange and red squares on clear decal film and seal it with a clear coat. I then use a new blade in my xacto knife along with a metal straight edge to cut out the exact size of the lens and apply it. Far less tedious than trying to paint it perfectly by hand. You can save the left-over decal for the next project.


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## chippmunk53 (Oct 9, 2013)

I sometimes use BMF and cover the entire assembly, or paint the thing chrome silver, depending on the subject matter. The color, either amber or red, comes from a sharpie felt tip pen. The neat part is that you can layer in the color as dark as you need by simply applying another coat of ink. The color that slips outside the lens area can be quickly wiped off before it dries.


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## -Hemi- (May 5, 2014)

In past-tence modeling, I've used Testors "Silver Chrome" to paint the entire area of the turn signal. Then gone back a day or 2 later (GOT to make sure that first applied Chrome is cure, not just "dry") And then paint in the inside of the framing of the Signal bezel.

NOW, I'm going to attempt using Alclad2 Chrome, to take the place of the Testors Silver Chrome. I've used the Alclad2 paints in a few different ways and so far it seems to work VERY well! I know this paint is to be sprayed, NOT brushed, BUT to know the use and how to use a new product, experiment....I also got Dark Aluminum Alclad2 paint, I wanted to make a set (of yes), you guessed it, Hemi Valve covers, NOT Chrome, and NOT flat black ones in wrinkle finish but in Aluminum....Just for something different then the normal. SO, I did the prep work to the covers and then allowed it to cure, (again not just dry) and then allpied the Dark Aluminum color from Alclad2, and lo-and-behold, they were aluminum looking when it dried! NOW, this has a trick.....to it I mean. The first strokes of the brush of this paint, DO NOT over stroke, make one stroke, leave it be, then go back to do other areas, ONE STROKE at a time, and be liberate with the paint, just like the old Testors, with strokeless paint finish, (remember that?) Do it the same way, one stroke at a time... THEN go back when its DRY not cure, and one stroke in the opposite direction. AFTER that's cure, you'll have a finish that was done as tho it was plated, or something of a higher quality....I'm pleased with the results I gotten this way!

I plan to do this as well with the Alclad2 Chrome on turn signals, it worked with the Dark Aluminum color, why wouldn't it if I did all the said prep for the chrome?

BEWARE tho... the prep from one color to the other is DIFFERENT! Also, the colors of paint used for the prep work MUST BE Lacquer based enamels, NO Arcylics here...... it won't work! The Dark Aluminum requires a gray Lacquer Enamel Primer. The Alclad2 Chrome requires a gloss black Lacquer Enamel.


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