Candy Pigment and Flake Added To DiamondFinish Clear to Restore Jet Ski
Customer Project Showcase Applicator Rikk C. shares how he restored a jet ski by mixing candy pigment and metal flake directly into DiamondFinish Clear, taking advantage of its Direct To Metal adhesion to build a custom candy finish without a separate base coat. |
Here are some pictures that I took. I'll explain what I did to get the result that I wanted.
I ended up having to make my own red base coat because the aluminum had been media blasted and had a really grey appearance, and the customer didn't want me to go through the extra step of prepping the aluminum for use as my base coat for candy.
I had some really coarse silver left over from the base on the ski, so that's where I started. After playing around at the mixing bank, I added some base coat pigments and a little binder for color, plus a couple of effect pigments, and I ended up with the color the customer wanted.
Mixing Pigment Directly Into DiamondFinish Clear
The next step was to mix the pigments into DiamondFinish Clear, using about 20-30% by volume. It wasn't enough to be opaque, but with 2 coats it covered well.
The reason for mixing in the clear was solely for DTM adhesion, and I wanted to see how far I could go with introducing a large amount of pigments into DiamondFinish Clear.
I followed up with a urethane-grade red candy concentrate that I added to a fresh batch of DiamondFinish Clear, and that finished it off.
Restoring the Black Panels to Gloss
The black that you see was rattle-can satin black the customer had already applied. It was fully cured. The customer said he wanted this section gloss black, so I shot DiamondFinish Clear right over the top.
Adding Flake Over the Black Sections
At this point I was done, until the customer wanted me to shoot some .008 OSF Ghost Fire flake over the black sections. So, two more coats and it was buried, and now I was done.
Final Results
It looks great! I'm happy with the result, and the customer is more than happy.
In the Applicator's Words "All in all, I have to say I really like DiamondFinish Clear. It couldn't be easier to shoot, and I LOVE the high solids!" "I have been shooting flake for years, and DiamondFinish Clear is exactly what the doctor ordered! I'd been looking forward to trying it out for a couple months, and I'm glad I did." — Rikk C. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can pigment or candy concentrate be mixed directly into DiamondFinish Clear?
Yes. Base coat pigments, effect pigments, and urethane-grade candy concentrates can be mixed into DiamondFinish Clear at the mixing bank. Using roughly 20-30% pigment by volume produces a tinted, translucent color coat rather than a fully opaque one, so multiple coats are used to build coverage and depth.
Why mix pigment into the clear coat instead of using a separate base coat?
Mixing pigment into DiamondFinish Clear takes advantage of its Direct To Metal (DTM) adhesion, so the tinted coat bonds straight to bare or media-blasted metal without a separate base coat or adhesion promoter.
Can DiamondFinish Clear be applied over cured rattle-can or aerosol paint?
Yes. DiamondFinish Clear can be applied over fully cured paint, including aerosol or rattle-can finishes, to add gloss, depth, and protection without disturbing the existing color coat.
Can metal flake be added into a DiamondFinish Clear topcoat?
Yes. Metal flake can be shot into or over a DiamondFinish Clear coat and then buried under additional coats of clear for a smooth, durable finish that seals and protects the flake.
Ready to Try DiamondFinish Clear on Your Next Project? High-solids, Direct To Metal clear coat that bonds straight to bare metal or over cured paint. No hardener needed. Order direct and we ship same day. |