Hitachi ZAXIS135US build thread

Treehugger
If you were to use self adhesive chrome foil, you could hide the seam on the bottom side of the actuator arm, and maybe also entirely hide the seam with working the seam line with a cotton bud. One thing to note in particular then, is that, plastic ought to be fully smooth as any dents might show through the thin foil.

Kace Wong
Thanks @treehugger for this tip to using adhesive chrome foil, need to search for this product locally. Do you've any brand recommendations?

Treehugger
I have this, but I must admit my experience with it is limited. Nice thing is that the foil is self adhesive, so it sort of glues on by itself. There might be a newer and maybe better chrome variant for the same product range, unsure. The foil seems simpler to use than airbrushing on glossy black and then chrome, which in my opinion is always tricky when airbrushing small parts.

Chrome (Bare-Metal Foil 001, No)

Treehugger
I guess, there are also pigment options, but I don't know how good they are. So just smear the pigment on the plastic and rub it with a cosmetic tool.

Kace Wong
This is good resources to start my research on chroming. All the cylinder rods need high shine, on the real machine it's always smooth and polished.

Spanjaard
Augie is using kitchen foil with very great results at B-29-96-BW 45-21800 mothership | Album by Augie (1:48)

Kace Wong
thanks @spanjaard for sharing this aluminum foil method on the B-29. plane material surface is aluminum so the tone matches well. the cylinder rods are chromed steel... so need more practice and research to get a right tone and shine. There are 5-6 cylinder rods on each excavator to colour, and trial them. Keep the recommendations coming...

Spanjaard
something like Bare Metal Foil or aluminium foil (well any technique not used before), i would suggest to test first in some old kit, rather than your latest one 😉

Kace Wong
i'm looking to explore this molotow chrome liquid pen product, any advice?

Youtube Video there are 3.5 hours of review in 3 clips 😮