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California black plate restoration

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by falconizer_62, May 6, 2010.

  1. After such a gracious offer, I grabbed my plates and showed up at Stroupe's place today and wasn't even out of my car before I knew this is the place! Killer bungalow style home with tons of bamboo, custom fencing and motorcycle stickers on any number of cars parked around his drive. I walk around the back to find almost a perfect world; motorcycles everywhere (sport bikes, race bikes, partly restored vintage bikes), multiple tanks in various paint schemes, skateboards with custom graphics, a vintage car under restoration and a garage filled with various hand and industrial tools, spray booth, a Mac, etc. If that weren't enough, everything is painted and with every style you can imagine. Some pinstriped, some airbrushed, some flaked, some gold leafed, etc. This guy does everything; very talented.

    I think the plates are in good hands. Thanks Patrick, it was great to meet you!
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2010
  2. sik_kreations
    Joined: Jul 14, 2008
    Posts: 436

    sik_kreations
    Member


    u can clear over one shot all day long without catalyzt.
     
  3. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    What type and brand of clear? Polyurethane will attack and wrinkle one-shot lettering enamel.
     
  4. falconizer_62
    Joined: Mar 2, 2007
    Posts: 637

    falconizer_62
    Member

    Didn't work for me...
    The only clear I could find in a matte finish, didn't state what kind of paint it was... lacquer, enamel etc. I'm not sure if an enamel clear would work, but mine ate itself in a minute...:eek:
     
  5. sik_kreations
    Joined: Jul 14, 2008
    Posts: 436

    sik_kreations
    Member


    let it sit for a couple days.

    matrix ag40 autoglass
    sem real clear
    hok uc35

    i can go on.
     
  6. sik_kreations
    Joined: Jul 14, 2008
    Posts: 436

    sik_kreations
    Member

    one shot immitation gold and a little orange is a great choice on the black plates.
     
  7. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    I've been able to clear over one shot (without a catalyst) but only by applying the clear in light dry coats over a period of days and then your creating new issues like potential delamination as the clear doesn't properly adhere to the base.

    I look at it like this it's $20 insurance policy. I've seen hours of labor go down the crapper when there was a chemical reaction that lifted the one shot.

    And I know for a fact that HOK UC35 will lift one shot if it's applied too wet. It will even lift earlier coats of itself and other HOK basecoats if it's applied to wet and too soon after wet sanding.

    Just my experience. I've never tried the other two you mentioned.

    Thanks for the tip.
     
  8. sik_kreations
    Joined: Jul 14, 2008
    Posts: 436

    sik_kreations
    Member


    im not promoting using one shot under clear. im just saying i have done it here and there. but it was with caution.
    98% of the time i use hok or sem striping urethane.


    try the matrix clear. i use it on most jobs and for about 170 its 2 sprayable gallon, last time i bought a kit of hok it was over 250 bucks. great on bike parts and other small stuff.
     
  9. DTA Foto
    Joined: Aug 4, 2009
    Posts: 8

    DTA Foto
    Member
    from bay area

    great read looking forward for more info. i hope to be doing my plate soon. mine are pretty beat but i hope they will straighten out.
     
  10. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    So here they are. LaGrastas plates. All done and pretty!

    One was pretty beat up so I only went so far with it. From 5' away you won't be able to tell there's any dents.

    I took progress shots along the way, so over the next few days I'll put together a "how-too" aka: "how I do it" showing each step and product used.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. poorboy
    Joined: Feb 8, 2003
    Posts: 1,467

    poorboy
    Member

    good tips guys
     
  12. falconizer_62
    Joined: Mar 2, 2007
    Posts: 637

    falconizer_62
    Member

    They look awesome from here. I've seen Stroupedesign's work in person and I gotta say, everything is first rate. He can draw, paint, stripe and shoot color, flake, gold leaf...and the list goes on. A talented perfectionist. The best combo.
     
  13. This is awesome. Did stroupedesin ever posted the "how to"
     
  14. GEEZZER
    Joined: Mar 20, 2008
    Posts: 296

    GEEZZER
    Member

    Couldn't be too hard, prisoners painted them the 1st time
     
  15. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

  16. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    It isn't hard if you have a pad printer. Which is what they used. These inmates weren't doing it by hand.

    If you don't have metal working skills, body working skills, painting skills and hand lettering skills it's hard as hell to restore plates back to a presentable state.

    The most difficult part is hand lettering the round edge of the each letter/number. It's much harder than lettering a flat surface. You get a highlight on the edge of each letter which makes it difficult to see.

    Your fooling yourself if you think it's easy. A mildly dented plate requires 8 to 10 hours to complete.
     
  17. stroupedesign
    Joined: May 8, 2010
    Posts: 182

    stroupedesign
    Member
    from Tustin, CA

    Bringin' them back from the dead!
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Very nice work!
     

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