Trying to fade one color into another-need help!

[mkminoia]

I've been trying to fade one color into another without much success. I've tried several different ways to get the two different colors to fade into each other gradually, but I usually end up with a sharp line, or I try using compressed air to feather it out, but I'm not getting the results I'm looking for. Can someone give me some suggestions?

[non-stick]

fades are a tricky thing that you'll eventually get the "touch" for. Try coating the entire piece in one base colour first (black for example sake) and then going over the part at the top 1/4 with the second colour you want "faded". Coat that top 1/4 like you would normally and then for the second 1/4, back off on the gun a good 10" and give it a light coat. that *should* help you some in your efforts.

[DALE]

I do my fades all at same time. It really helps to hang the part vertically and work from the top down. Any kind of masking causes sharp lines.
I spray top color then with very low air pressure blow off what you don't like and the direction of the gun makes a big difference. Try not spraying dirrectly and try to keep the gun pointing down on the second coat. It's definately an art not a science. Most important if it looks bad then don't bake it blow off and do over till you get desired result.

[non-stick]

VERY sound advice,Dale.... it's been a while since I've had to do a good fade. Thanks for the assist.... Russ

[duke]

sounds good, has anyone got pics of a faded project? would like to see it.

cheers.

[DALE]

I'll try to find them for you but they are hard to photograph nicely.

[drfjr1976]

I believe I have 2 pics in the powder coating album. Not very good pics, but they are of a fade coating. Chrome PC to Gloss Black.

[mkminoia]

Thanks to Dale for your suggestion. I'll give it a try and then post some pics.

[mkminoia]

Dale, drfjr1976, I am still having a little difficulty getting the results I want. I do the first color, everything is fine, hanging vertically as you suggested, but when I attempt to do the second color, there are some portions of the first color that develop pock marks in the powder. Kind of like orange peel. They do not flow out when the piece is cured. Any suggestions>

[mkminoia]

on one portion of my part there is a tough inside corner. Faraday cage effect makes it hard to get powder in there, so it seems I have to put more on to get coverage in those areas. Any suggestions?

[DALE]

Sounds like you are curing between coats, correct? When you do this it causes issues where the fade isn't a good coverage. Try one like this and let us know your results.
1- Clean and hang part like normal
2- Shoot the upper color with gun pointing upwards(don't bake it)
3- Clean gun and apply second color with gun pointing downwards
4- Bake normally
As for the farady adjust voltage and air till you find a combo that works also you might want to shoot that area first to help reduce over coating the other areas.

[mkminoia]

Thats what I did, but when I started applying the second powder, these craters appeared in the first color. I've been practicing this for a while, and it doesn't seem like it should be as difficult as I am making it.

[DALE]

Are you useing a Caswell gun?

[mkminoia]

yes

[DALE]

Sounds like a voltage problem. Your getting back ionization. move gun further back from part