Plate Painting Question

[Jon Page]

Tried and True: Bronzing powder in lacquer.
Available from art supply stores, Mohawk,
Steinway 4oz  #007750, lb #007570
Steinway also sells spray cans #007735
Mix powder with thinner and strain into lacquer.

RM brand thinner is available from an auto paint supply.
For the sealer I use the fast dry for a quick build and less
adverse reaction with old finish, on the gold and clear
I use a slower evaporating thinner to allow an even flow-out.
A quality thinner makes a noticeable difference. This
stuff is about $20/gal., I use the $7-10 stuff for cleaning
the gun.

To avoid the green tarnish, do not touch the plate until
the clear coat is on it. The powder is made with copper.
The lettering should be done over the clear coat. Use a
fluid writing pen from Woodworker's Warehouse for
crisp, clean serifs and small gothic.

Clean, degrease and fill any big chips on the plate before sanding.
On my last "O",  I used all nickel plated screws from Steinway. It's a lot
quicker than fussing with the old ones. The new nickel rim bolts add
a nice touch also ($5@).

Avoid a thick coating as this chips easily.

I just clean and mask the vertical portion of the agraffes leaving the bottom
to be sprayed with the space between.

I'm starting one today in fact.

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At 03:03 AM 5/25/97 -0400, you wrote:
>It has been a couple of years since I last cleaned, primed, painted a plate
>with metallic paint, and then overcoated with clear.
>
>The brands of paints that I used to use are no longer available and I am
>doing a plate soon. May I have some recommendations for the best current
>process, type of paint (urethane, or lacquer with bronzing powder overcoated
>with lacquer, etc),  and any brand names or specific color choices that have
>worked out well for the rebuilders out there?
>
>I want to avoid a possible disaster of overpainting a bronzed plate with a
>clear coat and having it turn green or splotchy  later.
>
>Thanks very much.
>Bill Simon
>
>