ultimate chrome with clear or without

[Guest]

I have two different plaques to do in ultimate chrome. I did one and after I pulled it out of the oven it looked really good almost like real chrome and I told my wife wait till you see it after I put the diamond acrylic clear over it which was recomended by PBTP. So I do everything I was suppost to and now it looks like a shinny silver. I think I will just do the other one in just ultimate chrome. I will send pictures when I do it on Friday. Hopefully the custumer wont mind one not as shinny. Anything I did wrong???

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

Did you shoot a test panel before trying it on the customer's plaque? I only ask before I'm sure PBTP will ask the same question when trying to find out your process.

Also, if these plaques will be used together or ever be displayed side by side, I will suspect the customer might have an issue with the difference in gloss.

Post some pictures on Friday and hopefully someone chimes in with some advice. Good luck man.

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

Yup
I tried everything-
after the clear, ultimate chrome looks just like silver stardust sparkle-

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

I have two different plaques to do in ultimate chrome. I did one and after I pulled it out of the oven it looked really good almost like real chrome and I told my wife wait till you see it after I put the diamond acrylic clear over it which was recomended by PBTP. So I do everything I was suppost to and now it looks like a shinny silver. I think I will just do the other one in just ultimate chrome. I will send pictures when I do it on Friday. Hopefully the custumer wont mind one not as shinny. Anything I did wrong???

What was the mil thickness of the clear ? this is always key when laying down a clear over metallic...less is more

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

I suspect most of the guy's don't have a mil thickness gauge, which is a shame. It really is a useful tool, especially if you have a customer that requires a certain mil thickness. Too bad a good digital gauge costs so much.
I would venture to guess that most guy's are applying more powder than they realize.

A MIL gauge is the next investment soon after the oven is done. I have been reading a lot on them, especially through the PCI magazine pages since there is quite a few of them. They are seem to be the in 500 dollar neighborhood, which is pricey but certainly sounds like a good investment. In the mean time I have been applying a conservative amount of powder, like I was told before... I can always add more, I can't take any away.

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

Yeah i get that with the chrome too looks silver once the clear is applied , Since then i never did chrome again.

I wish i had a mil reader Harleydad but thats an expensive s.o.b
not even ebay is cheap

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

The Mil Reader won't help until after you have cured the part, Then I find that I have too thick of a coat. I bought one off of Ebay for $295.00 with two probes for steel and alu.

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

I coated the other piece and I really screwed up. It looked like during the bake water got poured on it or something. This is my process right now, I blast all the mil off the metal with glass bead then I hand sand it with like 2000 grit sand paper then I take it and with latex gloves I use soap and hot water and clean it real good and rince it well. Then I dry it with the air hose. Then I use .030 welding wire to hang from my rack. The lowrider guy after it came out you could still see all the tiny sand paper marks so I resprayed it and it then came out with a bunch of streak marks. I know practice makes perfect and I am trying. I realize the pictures should be taken during the day and outside but I just wanted to get them sent out.

[BeeBob]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

[quote="Billy"]with latex gloves I use soap and hot water and clean it real good and rince it well. Then I dry it with the air hose.


How long after you dry it with air before you coat it? Metal can be very porous and suck up a lot of moisture and the blown air might not be enough. Next time you air dry it, go over the part with a flame to make sure it's dry before you coat it. That will also burn off any last dust bunnies you don't see.

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

Thanks for all the feedback, I will run a torch over the metal next time. Also what do you guys use to get all the scuffs and scratches out? Was I able to see them because I wasnt thick enough or will they show in everything but textured. Also The King said less is more when you apply clear over metallics. Without a gage do you coat the piece till you cant see the base color or just kinda dust it on there? And like automotive paints is it a deeper gloss the more coats of clear you put or does that not apply to powder?

[Guest]

Re: ultimate chrome with clear or without

Billy, it might be helpful if you give us a call to walk through the process with you. Depending on the depth of the scratches will depend on what recommendation we give you.