Candy Question for Custom Painters

**jimthefred** · 12-18-2011 07:03 PM

Ok,here it goes! Ive been reserching for my project as to what paint product to go with.Im going with candys over 3 different sizes of Roth Surfite Flake. Ive been looking at Alsa candy concentrates and HOK. Ive heard Alsa fades out fast, Alsa is great, Alsa is overpriced junk, Alsa has clarity and colors that HOK dosent have, it gets confusing. I know HOK is the standard of the industry but truth be known-Ive never used it. Ive used Glasurit,Diamont,PPG,Dupont,Azco,Ect but not these.Any pros have the scoop on Alsa? Is HOK better? I want a quality product that will last like the paints Ive sprayed before.I dont want it to fade out in a couple of years and look muddy. Thanks Jim

**TAZ** · 12-19-2011 07:16 AM

Jim,

Unfortunately, ALL candies are lightfast. Meaning, they will bleach out. Just like neons, glow in the dark, and other custom paints, the candies will also bleach
Some of the candy colors bleach out faster than others. You should get more than a couple years, depending on where you live, and if it will sit out in the sun.

I've never sprayed the Alsa candy so I can't comment on their product

But again, candy is nothing more than a clear with dye in it. Sounds like you don't have a problem spraying clear, so the candies, shouldn't be too hard for you no matter which line you choose.
You could always spray the HOK as either the basecoat candy or the urethane candy. Not for sure if Alsa has the same.

**jimthefred** · 12-19-2011 01:25 PM

Im going to go over some chunky flake and do some panels and scales.Ive seen the 4 oz kits from hok with candies,What would be your recomendation as to what HOK product to use?

**TAZ** · 12-19-2011 08:22 PM

We normally use the UK. Then we use UC35 over that. I like the UK's better as you can see the effect and look of the candy better than the KK

**chopolds** · 12-21-2011 02:33 PM

What you use depends on the application.
If you are doing an "overall" in candy, use the pre mixed UK candies. If you are putting flake on first, then doing graphics in the candies, you should first seal the flake with some SG-100 (basecoat clear) It dries quickly, and has quick tape time. Then use the sg-100 and the KK concentrate to mix your own basecoat formula candies. You can make double strength candy by altering mix ratios, for fast color build on your graphics. Using the regular candies for graphics is not recommended, as it's cure time and tape off time is very long, and you might get wrinkling if you reshoot too quickly. You'd have to seal each color with regular clear, if sanding is part of the next step, again, long wait time.
You DO need to finish all your work with the UC clear, though, as the SG-100 is not a finish clear.
Oh..BTW, don't get confused with HOK's basecoat candies, the KBC series. Not real candies, just a basecoat version of the candy colors, more like 2 stage stuff. They are kind of opaque for doing something like you want.

**jimthefred** · 12-21-2011 03:58 PM

Thats good info,I was thinking of the SG150 as a fake carrier and the SG100 as intercoat for the graphics.So the KK kit would be the thing for me then,It has 10-4.oz bottles of pre mixed KK in different colors.If I needed too I could just add some SG100 to it to make it more transparent. Am I correct in assumeing this? Also whats the best reducer for the SG100-150 and the best HOK UV clear for a nice long life? Thanks!!

**jimthefred** · 12-21-2011 04:02 PM

Why is this board so messed up? Ive had my posts come out with weird hiccups and had stuff Ive typed dissappear?!?!? Is it just on my end?

**TAZ** · 12-22-2011 07:28 AM

Looks like your posts are fine. Not for sure what happened. I already posted this morning and it seemed to work fine.

As far as the best reducer. Depends on the temp. Probably guessing the RU-310 would be your best bet.
Most likely the UC35 would be the best clear.
Not for sure what you are spraying, but that would be my recommendation without knowing many details.

Also, if you have bottles of KK that is already premixed, you should have to add anything except the reducer. It already is mixed to the correct ratio.
4oz, won't get you far though. Again, not for sure what you are spraying. You might be able to spray a small car or truck model.

**chopolds** · 12-22-2011 10:29 AM

The KK you are looking at is pre-mixed? Not sure what that is, but I don't keep up with all the new stuff. Is it mixed with SG-100 or 150 already? At what ratio? I'm guessing that this is primarily an airbrush type application?. As Taz said, it isn't a large amount. The seller should give you that info.
My answer was assuming you had 'raw' KK. Just the dye, that needs to be mixed with a clear carrier to be able to spray it.
I've mixed KK in UC-35 clear, and SG-100 for different applications. Once mixed (8-1 for normal candy, 4-1 for graphics), you do need to mix in reducer for the SG-100, and reducer + hardener for the UC-35 for spraying.
Haven't used the 150 carrier yet...anyone know the differences, or advantages to it?

**jimthefred** · 12-22-2011 11:22 AM

The kit has 10 colors pre mixed with SG100 ready to spray.Im doing a bike tank and fender with a little on the frame.It As for posting,I got a message stating it was waiting approval from moderater,and it was a pretty long post that got lost there.It had a link to the kit I was looking into for you guys to see. That and in my other post it has KK 2x in a row,I went to edit and it wasnt in my preveiw but when I posted it again it showed back up.Weird eh?