coats of metal flake

[kidquick]

when you guys spray your metal flakes do you add it into a clear base and then clear? Or just keep it in the clear? Just sprayed a bunch of coats of silver flake in PPG clear and was wondering if that is normal or if I was doing something wrong. Thank you

 

[Tenacious C]

Until recently I would add the flake to clear and then clear over that like you are describing. Depending on the size of the flake I sometimes add it to candy coats but only when I'm using the ultra mini flake which is about the size of the metal particles used in metallics. But now I have the flake buster gun that allows me to spray it on dry and I'll never go back.

 

[myfamiliacc]

C. I have been flaking cars for years and I've been more then pleased with my results, that is why when I heard of the flake buster gun, I wasn't sure on getting it. I mean why change a good thing. But I am curious, Is that gun really as good as they say it is? Can you tell us some more details about it like the benefits of using it and how to use it, and how your flake lays on the car?

 

[TAZ]

I had ever heard of the "Flake Buster Gun", so I did a search and came up with this url.

I had always mixed it with either the candy, or the interclear, then clearcoat over the flake.

I alwasy spray at a very low pressure so you are spraying the flakes onto the surface and not more into the air (what a mess it can make). Spraying at a low pressure seems to suspend the flakes at more types of angles which gives it better sprarkle...

I'll have to check out the gun.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bigokay.gif

 

[Bornhard]

Just one note on laying down metal flake. If you spray the flake in intercoat clear and let it dry you can put on a clean leather gloves and lightly go over the surface. This will remove any of the flakes that are poking up way out of the intercoat clear and cut down on the layers of clear needed to bury the flakes.
You'll be surprised how a couple flakes sticking straight up add to the coats of clear needed to bury them! I've tried a brand new leather glove, but other material gloves may work. I figure that the cotton garden gloves may leave lint behind & latex gloves wouldn't have enough texture to pull some of the flakes loose. Any input?

 

[TAZ]

Great idea Rex!
I'll have to try that, probably will save from having to put a couple coats of clear over the flake.

 

[Tenacious C]

About the Flake Buster-

Basically its just a fancy air nozel that creates a venturi to suck the flake dry out of the jar attached. So what you do is lay on a coat of clear and while it's still wet you spray the flake with the flake buster and the flake adhears to the wet clear. Its like a little snow fall of metal flake. This saves a ton of material because all you need is one thin coat of clear to get the flake applied. Also, since the only place the flake can really stick is the exposed wet clear, the flake doesn't build up on top of each other and tends to lay down really flat. If any do stand up, all you do is unsnap the jar of flake and you use the gun to just spray air to knock down the ones that are standing up. This makes it much easier to bury it later. all in all you can probably use about half the clear you would need using conventional methods.

 

[kxmotox247]

I'm interested in trying out the flake gun sometime.

What kind of edge is leftover when you pull your fine line tape? Is it jagged? Does it leave a rough edge?

 

[Tenacious C]

Doesn't leave too bad an edge - no more so than a ton of clear if you shoot the flake in the clear...

 

[kxmotox247]

Thanks...