Pearlescent powder pigments

[bagman67]

So:

I just bought this body out of the Screamin' Deals  (89 bucks!):

and I'm thinking about doing a coat with something like these Pearl Ex pearlescent powder pigments suspended in lacquer or poly through a Preval:


http://www.kamapigment.com/store/index.asp

I presume I'd want to prime the body with white shellac-based primer, and then apply one or more coats of the pearlescent color coat, and then a clearcoat.  My questions are:


1.  How do I mix the pearlescent powder pigment into the vehicle so it disperses evenly?


2.  Whats the best carrier to use for such an application (given my limited tool resources, i.e., preval units and no spray booth)?


3.  What do I need to do between the color coat and the clear coat to avoid totally screwing the pooch?




Any insights would be welcome.

 

[anorakDan]

I've blown my fair share of pearlescent powders. They will work in just about any carrier (lacquer, enamel, acrylic, whatever) provided it's not a solid color. The pearl wants to sit on top of your color coat, then blow several (many) clearcoats over that and polish it out.

You want to clear over the pearl, because sanding the pearl ruins the pearl finish. You're actually sanding little microscopic rocks. Just streaks the bejeebers out of the finish.

You don't really need a lot of the powder either. You might be tempted (I know I was) to add a lot of pearl. Not necessary. Start with a little bit, like a small pile the size of a pencil eraser. Mix that in with your clear or transparent color blow on a few light coats. If it's not "pearly" enough for your taste, add a little more and keep going. It's easy to add more, not so much to take it back out again.

If you want a blue pearl final finish, I recommend the primer, sand, then a solid blue the final shade you want the project to be, sand lightly, then the blue pearl in clear in several light coats until pearly enough, then clearcoat many times so you can polish down and still have clear over the pearl.

Good luck and keep us posted on the progress!

 

[bagman67]

Nifty tips, Dan - I'm much obliged.


Bagman

 

[leo12.]

Dan, will those pearl particules get through a Preval nozzle?
When i heard about Pearls & Flakes back in the early 80s they were using a couple of ball bearings in suction spray guns to keep things suspended. Havn't tried it myself.
You might want a couple of spare tips handy to change out. Good Luck.

 

[Tonar8352]

I would suggest you think about looking at using Guitar ReRanch for your metallic color and then shoot the clear.

This may be close to the color you have posted.
http://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/pelhamblue.html

I have never shot powder from a preval but I think it would be very difficult to get a spray that will not look mottled with one. It is hard enough to get it to look good with a high end gun.  The ReRanch metallic works pretty good as long as you hold the can about 12 inches from the surface and shoot light coats. Look out for material building up on the tip or it will drip and you will have to start over. I keep a rag in one hand to wipe it as the material build on the lip of the tip.

On a blue like that I would seal it with clear lacquer and get it level sanded and then spray the color. Never touch the color with any thing and get clear on it as soon as the color coat looks good.

Or do a test with the preval and see if it works for you. 

One last thing make sure there is no other guitar being finished in the same area or you will have little shiny metallic particles on it. That stuff is very fine and gets everywhere.

 

[Cagey]

I can testify that Preval units are not very forgiving for anything that has any viscosity to it, which I would think would include material that has particulate matter in it such as mica (pearl) or metallic/metal flake. They're also not much good for sanding/sealer coats. They want to shoot something really thin. Been there, done that, had to do the rework. They're enough to piss off a saint.

 

[anorakDan]

The particulates of the pearl powders are so very tiny I've never had a problem either keeping them in suspension within the paint or clogging the tip. I've mostly used them through a Paasche airbrush running at about 17-18 psi at the regulator.

A good rule-of-thumb taught to me years ago by an airbrush guru was to have any paint you're running through the gun to be about the consistency of milk. I've run enamel, lacquer, acrylic paint, even Future floor finish through my airbrush using this rule-of-thumb and never had any problems. Same thing for the Iwata touch-up gun I used to use. Just make sure to clean the gun tip when you're finished using the proper thinner. If I'm doing a lot of painting, I usually keep a small jar nearby with some thinner. Partway through my painting, I'll hook that up to the gun, blow some thinner into a rag, then put the paint jar on again, blow some of that into the rag to clear out the thinner and keep on spraying.

 

[anorakDan]

Pearl powders are much finer than metallics, and they tend to (in my experience) allow much more of the base color show through.

As with anything you're trying for the first time, practice on a scrap piece first. Saves a lot of heartache.