How do I paint glossy flake next to matte?

[Judeastar]

I have been looking everywhere for guidance on this and can't seem to find info anywhere about it!


I have a vision to paint my bike with holographic silver flake and matte black. I will be taping off one color, cutting an ornate design and shooting the next color over it. Here is my dilemma:


If I shoot the flake, then clear it, sand it, buff it, and get it smooth shiny and pretty for the matte black ...by the time I tape, and unmasked my design, the window of time to shoot my matte is no longer there. Could I scuff the clear around my tape for adhesion or am I looking for trouble. You see I want the glossy poppin flake next to that flat finish. It would seem obvious to do it this way to avoid hard lines between the layers.


Or...do I spray matte black first, because I won't have to sand and polish or wait so long to tape, cut out design, and shoot a clear coat with micro flake in 1-2 coats (as opposed to using several layers of intercoat clear with clear over it the first way). I don't want a hard line between the two colors. Is there a trick to this? Also worried shooting flake in clear might not come out smooth without a proper wet sand and buffing. This would obviosly be an issue for the matte black.


Can what I'm envisioning even be done? Tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TAZ]

I see no way to avoid the hard edge. Best way is to spray the base/flake, then clearcoat, wetsand and buff. Then mask off for the graphics. Sand this area. Then spray black and matte clear.
I'm not for sure what you meant by the 'window'. If you are doing graphics over a clearcoated base, there really isn't a window, You just need to sand the area that needs to be painted.

Only other ways would be to do the base/flake, mask off area for the matte black, spray the black. Then clearcoat the complete part. resand, then remask to leave the graphics open. Then spray a couple coats of clear over the black areas, This will eliminate the black and matte clear. You will only be spraying the matte clear.

I would not recommend doing the matte black first. Most always you want to do the THICK paint first, which seems to be in your case the flake paint.

Keep in mind, I'm thinking of suggestions off the top of my head as I read this :bigokay: If you can think of another way or have questions, let us know

 

[Judeastar]

Thanks. I agree. Thick stuff first seems the obvious choice. I was worried if sanding the unmasked areas would be risky just in case I didn't get right to the edge of the tape. Maybe there would be lift of the matte black over time. I guess a scuff pad could ensure I'm right up to the edge. I was thinking of using Hot Rod Flats by Kustom which is an all in one mix base reducer hardener. I thought it would avoid having to put too many layers down. Instead of a base and flat clear.

 

[TAZ]

Two good suggestions you mentioned.
Use the scotchbrite on the edge and go with a single stage type paint. I haven't used the Hod Rod Flats, so I'm not for sure of the sheen. I personally like SEM Hot Rod Black.

 

[chopolds]

You could also have the edge between the 2 finishes pinstriped to help cover the hard tape edge. Even if both were black, do it in black One Shot.

 

[hoss]

pinstriping the edge will help. even with a black pinstripe would be like a triple black.