Hello all, I just got done spraying gold metal flake on my dash and having a issue here. The dash was originally based in a 3 stage gold and then gold flake over the top of that. The problem that I am having is that the flake looks like fly shit in certin light. But then at other angles it looks all gold. Mainly looks black when looking right on. Is this just how the flake is?
Probably due to the paint being sprayed very wet. If it takes too long to set up, the flakes have a good chance to lay down flat, so they won't reflect as well. Use a faster dry clear to suspend the flake in. HOK makes a good carrier, but even "door jamb" clear will work. But spraying it "dry" will also mean you need more clear to bury it!
In addition to what Chopolds said...the quality of the metal flake also has a lot to do with it. Some of the newer product out on the market is sub par as far as the reflective aspect goes. Bad news is that it looks like you are going to have to sand and refinish the panel again.
From my experience (very little) if the flake is darker than the base it will do that effect. Maybe try a lighter shade of flake? I've shot some that was so close to the same shade as its base it almost hid, but then the sun hits it and man its awesome.
I saw a car painted white with a fine flake over the top. In the sun it looked great, but on a cloudy day, or at night, it looked like fly specks. I agree with Gearhead Graphics
I have a Metalflake story: When I was about 17, Hot Rod Magazine had a feature article where they painted an old Buick with this new stuff called Metalflake. It blew me away. So I called the company who made it, in Haverhill, MA, and ordered 1-1/2 lbs of copper coarse Metalflake. I bought special tips for my spray gun and tried to paint my first '33 Plymouth Coupe in my father's auto service garage. I couldn't get the flake to come out of the gun except at a high pressure. Most did not land on the car.........for years we found copper flakes around the shop. I'm staying away from Metalflake!
I hear ya there. I use an old siphon feed gun, Finally have it dialed in pretty well, but theres still plenty of overspray. My garage floor has a great sparkle now when you see the right light.
Size of the flake makes a huge difference also, i personally think for a good sparkle Mini Flake from HOK gives a great sparkle if sprayed evenly, and it can be shot out of a 1.4, or 1.5 tip, with decent hair pressure and correct overlap. For the larger flakes, i used my primer gun with a 2.2 tip, and constantly shake the gun, cause the flakes fall to the bottom really fast, and will cause a lot of clogging and well as a very uneven shot. also be careful not to over reduce the clear your using to caring the flake.
Has anybody tried the system where you spray the flake dry from a "flakebuster" gun over a sticky base and then clear over the top? Just curious.
Javier - Put two or three marbles in the cup and they will stop the flake from settling to the bottom. They stir the flake back in as you move the gun back and forth. Dave.
I spray flake with a binder mid coat (SG100 - SG150) I stead of a urethane clear, a mid coat dries like a base coat so you can lay panels over it relatively fast (10-15 min) and isn't as heavy. A urethane clear is heavy and will have a tendency to sag if stacked to heavy. You can spray with a normal urethane clear just run the PSI real high and keep the gun moving to act as an agitator so the flake doesn't settle at the bottom / or clog the gun. I mix multiple size flakes and spray it pretty thick so it dances in the light. If you're spraying flake and don't like, just spray more flake! More flake is always better haha good luck!
Years ago i sprayed gold flake on this Holden "Banjo" rear end i was working on for an EK i had at the time. The flake was in a tin with a clear liquid of some sort, and the idea was to paint the object in a 2pac gloss black first, let it dry for a few days and then spray the flake on.. do a ton of coats of it.. let it dry out for a few days for the solvents to air off and then a ton of clear over it. It came out REALLY good. I don't know about these flakes over the same colour base coat though unfortunately.
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