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I've posted these pics in various other threads before, but I'm posting them in a separate thread for ease of linking to when members ask.
A decent Batman insert is achievable. But making one out of an aftermarket is not really something a casual hobbyist is going to want to tinker with. Here's what he process entails. Note than some pics are of an all blue insert I did just recently.
Dig out the white paint from the markers. I use a jeweler's screwdriver sharpened to a needle point and held in a pin vise. The white paint has a clear coat over it and it will not come out using just chemicals - mineral spirits, acetone, thinner, etc. Nothing I've tried will budge it, even left for long hours.
Paint the whole insert with a good quality all in one primer and paint, metallic silver. Two or three light coats done all at once. I use Krylon 'Brilliant Aluminum'. It dries in about a minute to recoat. Let it dry for a few hours or overnight under a glass.
Scrape the paint off the insert flats with a straight razor. Ceramic is highly scratch resistant, but don't be overly aggressive with the blade. Use a low angle and be careful near the marker sidewalls.
The results will look a little rough under high magnification, but in normal viewing it looks great, just bright beautiful silver.
Reinstall the insert
Member Spongebob does a great platinum sputter coating for around $200 if you want something really professional. Spongebob supplies inserts at an extra charge, but he uses Noobs for the Batman and they have really bad speed bumps. So you need to send him an aftermarket or rep insert of your choosing without any speed bumps. He's in Taiwan, so the whole process can take 3-4 months if you send one to him.
Here's a pic of my Bluesy insert he did.
If you don't want to hassle with any of this, buy a GMF. The insert will be acceptable as is for many people. There is an updated GMF Batman insert out now.
GMF releases true clone 3186 GMTs
I would not plan on ever finding a gen Batman insert for sale. They are impossibly rare and would cost $2.5K -$3K. Additionally, dozens of people would beat you to it before you ever saw it for sale. I'm quite content with mine, which cost me about $50 and a few hours of my time.
A decent Batman insert is achievable. But making one out of an aftermarket is not really something a casual hobbyist is going to want to tinker with. Here's what he process entails. Note than some pics are of an all blue insert I did just recently.
Dig out the white paint from the markers. I use a jeweler's screwdriver sharpened to a needle point and held in a pin vise. The white paint has a clear coat over it and it will not come out using just chemicals - mineral spirits, acetone, thinner, etc. Nothing I've tried will budge it, even left for long hours.
Paint the whole insert with a good quality all in one primer and paint, metallic silver. Two or three light coats done all at once. I use Krylon 'Brilliant Aluminum'. It dries in about a minute to recoat. Let it dry for a few hours or overnight under a glass.
Scrape the paint off the insert flats with a straight razor. Ceramic is highly scratch resistant, but don't be overly aggressive with the blade. Use a low angle and be careful near the marker sidewalls.
The results will look a little rough under high magnification, but in normal viewing it looks great, just bright beautiful silver.
Reinstall the insert
Member Spongebob does a great platinum sputter coating for around $200 if you want something really professional. Spongebob supplies inserts at an extra charge, but he uses Noobs for the Batman and they have really bad speed bumps. So you need to send him an aftermarket or rep insert of your choosing without any speed bumps. He's in Taiwan, so the whole process can take 3-4 months if you send one to him.
Here's a pic of my Bluesy insert he did.
If you don't want to hassle with any of this, buy a GMF. The insert will be acceptable as is for many people. There is an updated GMF Batman insert out now.
GMF releases true clone 3186 GMTs
I would not plan on ever finding a gen Batman insert for sale. They are impossibly rare and would cost $2.5K -$3K. Additionally, dozens of people would beat you to it before you ever saw it for sale. I'm quite content with mine, which cost me about $50 and a few hours of my time.