powder info

[drfjr1976]

I started to post this in the color request thread but than decided to post it separate to keep that thread just for request.

Would it be possible to add some info with the color chips on the powder coating pages. Like what their gloss ratings are and wether or not they are a top coat. Just some basic info. I know that it in the procces of being updated all the time, so this may already be in the works, but I thought I would ask anyway.
Thanks

[non-stick]

*noted*

just for future referrance though.... USUALLY (and I say that with fear of inserting my mint flavored shoes yet once again)...... usually it's a pretty safe bet that most any one-coat is a mid-range gloss. Not a matte finish, not a true "wet" look. Sort of a "middle of the road" kinda level. As for if it's a top coat or base coat and such..... *most* powders out in the market today are one-coat applications. White is a good example of this. When used on a widget such as bent aluminum tubing (lawn furniture) it's sprayed on, cured and shipped out,period. That basic white is the gloss level of what it's going to be and only the one coat is applied. Again... I say usually because there are always exceptions to the rule. Clear top coats, fluorescents, special effects,etc.... these are all for two-coat systems because the applicator is usually looking for more than just coverage and more often than not, some sort of "wow" factor for some reason. Yet another exception to this rule are additives (heh heh heh). You have the option of taking your "single coat" and blending in an additive like a pearl,or colored flake, etc and leaving it that way. OR... top-coating it with a clear for a wet look... OR putting your additive in the top coat...OR (you see how this method of coating gives you options?) you can top coat the clear with additive with just a plain clear for a suspended additive look and make it all a 3-coat system. The possibilities are endless in what one may do nowadays with coatings.
To answer your original question though... usually, unless stated otherwise, *most* coatings are at a 80-90 gloss level. When you see it hit above that number, it starts looking "wetter", and of course... below that and it starts changing to a matte finish. Hope I didn't confuse you there,lol.... Russ

[non-stick]

ok, I just read what I wrote and even I have a problem with it,lol.

Let's try and straighten out what I just said. Any powder can be a one-coat deal. ANY. Of course that statement is ruined by somebody saying "nahhhh, still doesn't look wet (or matte) enough for me." That's when it comes time to either put a nice clear glossy topcoat on, or put on a matte-clear topcoat to dull it out a bit. Natrually... one may plead to the manufacturer (assuming they have enough money) to custom blend exactly what they want into a single coat. Example... I want a rust-coloured pigment polyester for outdoor use, but I want it super duper glossy. They can do that. You have to prepay for ususally 10,000 lbs of powder and they'll mix you anything you want,lol. Most of the time people don't want to do this unless they have a huge production run and just opt-out to give the standard clear top-coat and move on with life. (we havn't even crossed into the area of additives just yet... and won't for good reason). As stated before... coatings are only capable of holding 100% of a formulation. "X" amount has to be set aside for pigment, X-amount for gloss level, and so on. It's very possible to want a high-gloss colour and have it custom blended only to find out it's not the same EXACT match to what you've been doing all along. oops. It's also possible that the guy mixing it (this usually doesn't happen nowadays,but was notoriously rampant in the dark ages of powders) to have slight variations between different lots in manufacturing from batch to batch. When you calculate that there can be about 500 different tones of each colour (black is a good example) and then any level of gloss within reason on top of this..... it's enough to give you a headache. Just to prove my point.... we'll formulate our own powder for example sake :

Widget black - 10 part gloss
Widget black - 20-40 part gloss
Widget black - 40-80 part gloss
Widget black - 90-140 part gloss
Widget black - 140-180 gloss
Widget black - stipple texture
Widget black - wrinkle texture
Widget black - hammertone texture
Widget black - 10 part gloss - matte clear topcoat
Widget black - 80 part gloss - 200+ gloss topcoat
Widget black - 80 part gloss - 160 gloss topcoat with pearl additive

you see how this can get out of control on just the one tone of black? I could go on all day long on just the one colour and how many different ways it can be had and played with. ( I know I'm droning on and on about this and straying off topic, but it's important for you guys to realize just how many things can be done with just a small amount of powders). To answer the above post that started this..... *usually* powders are a one-coat set-up, unless of course it's part of a special effect, or YOU want to change the look or performance of it all. Hope that helped more than confused.... Russ

[duke]

so ,the only way to get that suspended additive look, is to use 3 coats?
cheers

[non-stick]

unless you mix the additive with a clear and use it as a basecoat over bare steel..... or follow up with a clear (before cure) over the additive coat to make sure none of the additive will rise to the surface quickly, I don't see it. It's more of an issue with finished product more than anything else. Sometimes an additive (solids like a flake, not a pigment like pearl additive anyways) will "poke through" the top of the additive coat giving it a mock texture. More often than not it will look suspended regardless.... it just that you don't want it feeling rough after you're all done with it is all.

[duke]

thanks again RUSS, this forum is so lucky to have you here, with all your knowhow & willingness to share it with us
cheers

[non-stick]

Trust me... without you guys I wouldn't have a soapbox to stand on at all. Thank Caswell for hosting, Dale for constantly correcting me when I'm stuck, Tom for adding in where we both leave off,etc. Of course... everybody else who was a newb not all that long ago for keeping it in fresh perspective for the "new newb's" and the like.... it's all teamwork and I'm just a cog in the machinery, my friend.