Flake

[AlGeeEater]

Here's the situation. Now that I am mixing my own finishes, blah, blah, blah, I have been wanting to do flake finishes. Not huge a@@ed flakes, but itty bitty ones. Almost like pearlescents.

http://www.nytrostier.org/images/classifie...tal%20flake.jpg

The silver color flake, that's what I am looking to do. I have -no- clue on how to start even RESEARCHING on this. Do I need another gun to spray this stuff? What do I use to mix this with the lacquer? Any websites.

All i'm looking for is a nudge in the right direction.

LGM?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

Edited August 11, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[ryanb]

If you are looking for metallic paints (like metallic car finishes), you may need a larger spray tip (depending on what you have). I believe the hardest part is keeping the paint mixed well enough while spraying it and getting it to settle evenly on surfaces that aren't horizontal. But maybe those are just problems with the heavy metallic flake. I don't really have any experience with that. I think LGM would be the definitive answer on that one. I think some of his pinned threads approach the subject. I'd suggest checking out some of the automotive paint suppliers (such as House of Kolor) for information about the products and how to apply them.

[MidnightLamp]

I know that for big old fashioned metal flakes you need a special flake shooter gun to do it right. I don't know about the metallic finishes...

Cheers,

Nish

[Maiden69]

OK, I know that neither of you read AlGees post!

What part of

Not huge a@@ed flakes, but itty bitty ones. Almost like pearlescents.

you didn't understand?

AlGee, what gun do you have? I have sprayed pearls, and metalics from hobby cars with my airbrush, and I think that the ones that you are looking at are a bit bigger, so any normal paint gun should be OK, go check on Jerermys tutorial, he give some tips on the tip size for different jobs.

Pearls are pretty small, so you can even use an airbrush for them

[AlGeeEater]

OK, I know that neither of you read AlGees post!

What part of

Not huge a@@ed flakes, but itty bitty ones. Almost like pearlescents.

you didn't understand?

AlGee, what gun do you have? I have sprayed pearls, and metalics from hobby cars with my airbrush, and I think that the ones that you are looking at are a bit bigger, so any normal paint gun should be OK, go check on Jerermys tutorial, he give some tips on the tip size for different jobs.

Pearls are pretty small, so you can even use an airbrush for them

←

Thanks Maiden. I have a small door jamb gun with a 1.8mm tip on it. I will check the tuts now

Also, any idea's on where to buy the powder? I'm not sure if there is a specif type or anything(I'm assuming mica's )

Edited August 12, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Maiden69]

Man, you are in Jersey, just check a local bike painter, or go to HOK or ALSA corp site and look at were they have retailers, you can buy direct from alsa and their stuff lokk awsome, and a little cheaper than HOK. I still got no experience with either, sine I got no compressor set up, but as soon as I get back I will be getting a set up, and I think Alsa will be the 1st one thatI will try

[AlGeeEater]

Yeah, true. I was doing a little searching on e-bay too. LOTSA FLAKE

I actually have an autobody shop about 5 walking minutes away from me I will go visit

Flake is expensive though. Prices range from the HOK, 50, to 10 for the old school flake

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OLD-SCHOOL-...1QQcmdZViewItem

That stuff looks kinda big(the flake).

Edited August 12, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Doc]

I've sprayed a couple of "Flake" bodies now, one for me and three for someone else with regular old lacquer "candy color' metalflake. The real small flake stuff.

Two of 'em I used the little disposable Preval sprayers simply because I was shooting clear on a critical job and didn't want to spend the time cleaning and switching my regular spray rig.

Two of 'em I used my standard HVLP setup, which is a Chinese knockoff of a Sata that I bought in a three gun kit for $99.99.

This is nitrocellulose lacquer.It has been around since the '50's. It is not high tech high build touchy picky toxic etc etc, but it looks just fine. I know that I'll probably get blasted by the poly HOK Sata set here, but I'll put these up against anything that I've seen.

I did have to do a fair amont of sanding/polishing to get a mirror finish, but a guitar is only about 4 square feet max. What's the big problem with rubbing out four square feet?

The Candy Color stuff is available at any good automotive paint distributor. They have a website to steer you to one. The nice thing about the nitro type products is that they are so safe, relatively speaking (read the posts about things like explosion hazard and health warnings) that they will sell to most anyone. Tell the counter guy that "this is for Mr. Cash" and pay that way and you can usually get by not having a business. You can buy all of the fun rub out stuff at the same time.

The stuff isn't cheap. A quart of flake base is about $70.00. Top color is about the same. Sometimes they'll discount the stuff.

There are faster ways to do this but for someone who doesn't want to spend a bunch of money and who has time this will give you a very good result.

One last thing. If you don't have much experience with spraying, you are probably going to have to do a lot of trial and error. This stuff is the deep end of the pool. Any flaws in technique no matter how you do it or what you use will show up like a sore thumb.

[AlGeeEater]

I've sprayed a couple of "Flake" bodies now, one for me and three for someone else with regular old lacquer "candy color' metalflake. The real small flake stuff.

Two of 'em I used the little disposable Preval sprayers simply because I was shooting clear on a critical job and didn't want to spend the time cleaning and switching my regular spray rig.

Two of 'em I used my standard HVLP setup, which is a Chinese knockoff of a Sata that I bought in a three gun kit for $99.99.

This is nitrocellulose lacquer.It has been around since the '50's. It is not high tech high build touchy picky toxic etc etc, but it looks just fine. I know that I'll probably get blasted by the poly HOK Sata set here, but I'll put these up against anything that I've seen.

I did have to do a fair amont of sanding/polishing to get a mirror finish, but a guitar is only about  4 square feet max. What's the big problem with rubbing out four square feet?

The Candy Color stuff is available at any good automotive paint distributor. They have a website to steer you to one. The nice thing about the nitro type products is that they are so safe,  relatively speaking (read the posts about things like explosion hazard and health warnings) that they will sell to most anyone. Tell the counter guy that "this is for Mr. Cash" and pay that way and you can usually get by not having a business. You can buy all of the fun rub out stuff at the same time.

The stuff isn't cheap. A quart of flake base is about $70.00. Top color is about the same. Sometimes they'll discount the stuff.

There are faster ways to do this but for someone who doesn't want to spend a bunch of money and who has time this will give you a very good result.

One last thing. If you don't have much experience with spraying, you are probably going to have to do a lot of trial and error. This stuff is the deep end of the pool. Any flaws in technique no matter how you do it or what you use will show up like a sore thumb.

←

See, I need to know if polyester flakes are compatible with nmy nitro lacquer. The stuff I have been looking at is pretty cheap:

http://www.paintwithpearl.com/flakestore.htm

15.00 for 4 ounces doesnt sound TOO cheap.

You have a link to this product? Or should I just go to some autobody shop and ask around

[Doc]

Alg,

I'd haul my butt over to my nearest Ronnie redneck auto finishing supplier and look at what they have to offer. There are a huge amount of trick finish products available today. The folks that work in these places generally know their stuff and can steer you to what will work best.

Here in Richmond we have a place called Herald Sales. It's in a run down neighborhood in a run down building. I think they're on their third generation. The place is piled with test board and sample charts and when you tell them what you're trying to do they go dig into a pile and bring out something that " isn't what you asked for but would'nt this look really neat!"

There have got to be a bunch of them in South Jersey. Look in your yellow pages, or google metalflake and see who the local ditributor is. They'll also probably sell everything else under the sun for trick painting.

[AlGeeEater]

Alg,

I'd haul my butt over to my nearest Ronnie redneck auto finishing supplier and look at what they have to offer. There are a huge amount of trick finish products available today. The folks that work in these places generally know their stuff and can steer you to what will work best.

Here in Richmond we have a place called Herald Sales. It's in a run down neighborhood in a run down building. I think they're on their third generation. The place is piled with test board and sample charts and when you tell them what you're trying to do they go dig into a pile and bring out something that " isn't what you asked for but would'nt this look really neat!"

There have got to be a bunch of them in South Jersey. Look in your yellow pages, or google metalflake and see who the local ditributor is. They'll also probably sell everything else under the sun for trick painting.

←

I think I will head over to Napa to see what they have to offer, then the local body shop. I should have gone when my mom went to get her car detailed. I'll search around

I'm really in central jersey though. Almost north. Look for Union County, you will find it

Edited August 12, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Myka Guitars]

I believe the hardest part is keeping the paint mixed well enough while spraying it...

←

I am not that experienced in spraying anything more than clears and tinted lacquers but this is something I can answer. Put a marble or two inside the spray cup while you are spraying and it will keep it mixed up pretty good. I saw a friend who sprays car finishes do that with metal flake and pearls. It works great.

[AlGeeEater]

I believe the hardest part is keeping the paint mixed well enough while spraying it...

←

I am not that experienced in spraying anything more than clears and tinted lacquers but this is something I can answer. Put a marble or two inside the spray cup while you are spraying and it will keep it mixed up pretty good. I saw a friend who sprays car finishes do that with metal flake and pearls. It works great.

←

Really? Wow, that seems like it makes a bunch of sense. I will keep that in mind when I am practicing. Thanks David!

[Maiden69]

http://www.alsacorp.com/paints.htm

[olddog]

The flake I use is from House of Kolor, and I beleive they make a couple of different size flakes. A jar costed about 38 bucks, and it mixes with the clear and goes over a color coat. There's enough flake for a whole bunch of guitars.

I have a good gun with a 1.4 tip, and acrappy one with a 1.8, and I couldn't get any material out of the 1.4 tip. The bigger tip worked, but had to be cleared out a lot. The tecnique I used was to give the gun a lot of pressure, a lot of material, then stay about a foot or so away and blast away, moving fast. That seemed to spread the flake on evenly.

[AlGeeEater]

The flake I use is from House of Kolor, and I beleive they make a couple of different size flakes. A jar costed about 38 bucks, and it mixes with the clear and goes over a color coat. There's enough flake for a whole bunch of guitars.

     I have a good gun with a 1.4 tip, and acrappy one with a 1.8, and I couldn't get any material out of the 1.4 tip. The bigger tip worked, but had to be cleared out a lot. The tecnique I used was to give the gun a lot of pressure, a lot of material, then stay about a foot or so away and blast away, moving fast. That seemed to spread the flake on evenly.

←

Thanks man. Thanks fo rhte tip. My gun also has a 1.8 tip so that helps a lot! After searching around I -finally- found my flake supplier!

Edited September 4, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[Drak]

I don't know what you're getting, but I saw you posted the word metallic.

The Gibson gold-tops are done with a metallic powder. My supplier has several different colors of the gold powder, along with many other colors, and yes, I've used it several times.

IF what you are buying is pure powder and you have to mix it, be very very careful, there are many precautions with using those metallic powders.

They are a health hazard for starters. That powder is almost like an aerosol dirty bomb, it is sooo fine and dangerous if you breath ANY of it.

If that's what you're using, PM me and I'll list the precautions.

If you're using something else, disreguard this post.

And Doc, you are really suffering from a persecution complex!

[AlGeeEater]

I don't know what you're getting, but I saw you posted the word metallic.

The Gibson gold-tops are done with a metallic powder. My supplier has several different colors of the gold powder, along with many other colors, and yes, I've used it several times.

IF what you are buying is pure powder and you have to mix it, be very very careful, there are many precautions with using those powders.

They are a health hazard for starters. That powder is almost like an aerosol dirty bomb, it is sooo fine and dangerous if you breath ANY of it.

If that's what you're using, PM me and I'll list the precautions.

If you're using something else, disreguard this post.

←

OK, I will PM you. I AM using powders. Powders of COLOR with the metallic mica in it.

Expect a PM within the next minute