Flake in flattened clear or candy-- anybody tried it PICS??

[lucky_1974]

I am a long way from painting my project, but want to ask a question. Anybody ever use flatter in a Flake job. I want paint that isn't glossy, but rather the metal flake adds depth and color variation, but not the usual sparkle. The best I can describe would be an oxidized metal flake. I am partiualarly interested in pic of gold, orange, or browns. Thanks.

[Fraz]

Sounds silly. Why not just use a metallic base/clearcoat brown or gold and leave off the clearcoat?

[lucky_1974]

Thanks Fraz,

I should reiterate I know jack about paint, but know what I want the final product to look like so I guess I should ask how to acheive the effect I described if I described it well enough.

[DrJ]

Trying to look at flake thru flat clear would be like trying to shave while looking at a fogged up mirror.

[Fraz]

Snag you a little panel, grab a little flake and some flattened clear and go to town. Cost shouldn't be that high, and you'll see your idea firsthand.

[delaware george]

i saw it on a truck,but it wasn't flat,more like semi gloss....looked ok

[Flexicoker]

The purple people eater was flattened metallic, or maybe just metallic minus the clear, i dunno. I thought it looked pretty cool though.

[luckystiff]

ok here goes. flattened metallics do look good esp that range of colors your speaking of. doing flake and then flattener as DRj would be useless. what you want is a standard metallic base coat with flattened clear coat. i have heard that you can still use a little pearl in flattened clear and get some of the pearl effect but have never tested those waters myself. basecoats are not UV protected and will fade quick without clear over them so that will not work unless you want to repaint it reallly fast. there are alot of examples of flattened metallics unfortunately i don't have any pics of so that i can remember. i dig around and see. pretty much every paint co makes a flattener so you still have an open range...ken....

[flatshoebox]

This could go south quick.. Paint costs to fuckin much! I'm sure you can pinch off some clear and some flattner from someone and do a test panel first.. Don't drop the coin until your dam sure of what your gonna get...

[timebandit]

I just painted our cabrio bug flat pearl metallic.
I experimented a little and desided to mix 30% gloss clear and 70%flat clear. If you use 100% flat you will loose most of the metallic/pearl effect. I can take some pics tomorrow if you like.

[suedesled]

OK we experimented with this a few years ago before Paso and won Dj's pick with a purple 52 Chevy. How we did it: I used a single stage paint and mixed in House of Kolor flake until I like the look and sprayed a test panel. Waited for it to flash and looked at it in the sun. When I got the look I was after I added a flattener at 75% ratio. (if it calls for 4:1 you do 5:1) then reduced it 10% and applied it. I got a semi-flat metalflake that laid out nice and it still looks good 4 years later.

[lucky_1974]

Thanks to all for the help I will definiately do some tests. I knew I couldn't be the only one that thought this could be cool. Timebandit & Suedesled I would love some pics. Again thanks.

[haring]

I say go for it. I can see the possibilities. Flattened metallic looks wicked. In fact, it looks like it's made it into the mainstream -- I just saw that Honda is offering one of their bikes in satin metallic green. Looks awesome!

I could see the flake looking pretty cool as well. Imagine trying to recreate the look of something frozen, and that's the mental picture I get.

[timebandit]

Well, it was raining today, but here is a pic anyway.
The rain and the flash makes it a bit more shiny though.

http://home.c2i.net/torjesen/vwcabrio.jpg

[lucky_1974]

The look of something frozen. Thats it thanks for putting in words better than I could. Timebandit cool color and nices job, I can tell the flatness as the edges of the flash are rough. Pictures of things with a matte finish are hard to photograph.

[suedesled]

I don't live near the owner to get pics anymore.