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So I have a few imperial guard models that are metal and I've painted a couple and based them with some clear coat but they still chip. I've also tried the lahmium medium coat that gw has. What I'm also looking for is a finish that won't make the models look shiny. One model I sprayed and now he looks all shiny. Also where can I get so call item.

Thanks for the help

Nothing will guarantee they don't chip, just put on a lot of layers of gloss varnish, then follow it with a matte varnish to remove the shine

A good three step process is gloss coat, flat coat, dull coat. You live in the U.S. So all these products should be available. First go to hobby lobby or michaels and get some Krylon Crystal clear. Spray this on the model but not in a super heavy coat. Too thick in one spraying can brown up the model (several clear coats have this effect). The clear coat provides a good hard finish that will limit chipping. Next step is a good flat coat to take away the shine. Recently it has been harder to find a good flat (NOT MATTE!!) but Army Painter has a "anti shine that works in thin coats and testers has recently come out with a flat coat (not dull coat). In high humidity these can "dust the model. If the dusting is not bad don't worry. Last step is testers dull coat. It will take some of the flat away and light dust issues.

I have been using this process for 12 years now with great results. I have 4rth edition eldar (mostly metal except for the dire avengers and vehicles) and still have minimal chipping. You would think I painted the snipers recently but it was seven or eight years ago and with heavy play heh.

All these items can be found at a local hobby lobby except for the Army Painter anti shine but you can find that online or at some local,game stores. Let me know how it works for you.

Edit: one more thing to add is make sure you are using a good primer. Wrong primer that does not bond to the metal and no matter what you clear coat with, it will still chip. I like the krylon primers but recently these seem to have changed formula so test first.

I think testors Dullcote is pretty good.

If you are doing a lot of models, though (dozens or more) I think that it's way cheaper to use an airbrush.

A critical step in metal models, however, is primer. Remember, if your primer won't come off, the paint on it will survive a lot better.

Because of this, I really let my primer coats cure (at least days, if not weeks) before painting metal models or surface terrain (like game boards).

kb_lock wrote:
Nothing will guarantee they don't chip, just put on a lot of layers of gloss varnish, then follow it with a matte varnish to remove the shine

This. An emphasis on a lot. Do one thin coat, then another, then another. Let the previous coat dry (about an hour or so) before the next.

A big thing with metals is to wash them before you paint them. Wash them in warm water with some dish soap to get off any release agents AND to get off any oils from your hands (so wash them and avoid handling them before priming them). Make sure you use a decent spray primer.

 Talys wrote:
Because of this, I really let my primer coats cure (at least days, if not weeks) before painting metal models or surface terrain (like game boards).

You only have to do that if you're having troubles with paint rubbing off while you're painting.

But it depends on the primer as well I guess. Something like Vallejo's PU primer likes to have ages to cure.

@Skink - yeah, I should clarify. I use polyurethane primer to cure on metal, because it rubs off otherwise. Ironically, this is one of the reasons my metal infinity models take forever to get painted: I prime them, then have moved to something else by the time they are cured.

I use P3 rattle cans on game boards, because I want it to be as hardy as possible. Also, because I don't have a large enough spray booth to fit a 2x2 game board with an airbrush LOL (though yes, I could airbrush it outside).

Thanks for all the replies I will certainly try some of these out and see what works best!

The other thing is to handle your figures carefully. Store them so they don't get banged up, for example in foam rubber, and pick them up by the base if you can.