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. > 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? > > Bill, Seems like most of the posted answers agree to bronze powder, which when I have to use, I get from Baldwin. (I've always liked the darker color they use on 243's). But..... I discovered a neat technique years ago that has worked very well, without the need for clearcoat. From an autobody paint supplier, I get acrylic enamel in the color I want(lots of choices), and a high quality reducer. The stuff's not cheap, but that's a relative thing in both labor and quantity of material needed. Do the clean and fill and sand thing, and a final wash with methanol. Wipe off the film as much as you can, and shoot a LIGHT coat of reducer only. Let dry(minutes), and shoot your enamel. We have to reduce about fifty percent out here 'cause there's no H2O in the air. The stuff flows really well, and does a nice job of filling little pits and stuff. Doesn't run too bad if you've got good gun technique, but the metalic gold and bronze colors will give you a little variation if your build-up isn't even. No primer is needed. You can actually use the color variation to do some neat highlights, etc. Give the first coat(s) overnight, then lightly sand any goofs or whatever. Watch your edges. Clean with a good cloth barely damp with reducer. Shoot another coat, light and even, then shoot STRAIGHT REDUCER. NO clear coat needed. That final shot of reducer is the last 6 steps of any other technique or finish I've ever used. Give it 48 hours before artwork. We found the acrylic enamel to be a lot more "idiot-proof" when we had a busier shop with lots of different skill levels amongst the help. Seems like the results on plates ALWAYS looked classy. Something we learned over time was to occasionally use lights to even out the temperature of the plate. NEVER shoot in the sun, and don't sweep your arm in an arch. Keep perpendicular for eveness. Little side bennie of shooting just reducer for last coat is it cleans the gun, too. Have fun, Guy Guy Nichols, RPT nicho@lascruces.com " Dyslexics of the world, untie! " anon
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