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Paint or No Paint?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Detroit Diesel Man
  • Start date Start date
We've done a fair amount of powdercoating raw steel with a satin or clear powdercoat with work.

It ALWAYS starts to develop some kind of discoloration under the clear, Ed is exactly right. Some of our customers want that industrial look & they don't care. We do proper "pro" prep with the acid bath etc & our units go inside... Good luck!

No reason why you can't powder that gauge of metal.

You can't compare it to Aluminium.

I would suggest a brushed nickel or chrome plate, that will give you a stainless steel kind of look - big money though.

Dan :)
 
salty_monk said:
We've done a fair amount of powdercoating raw steel with a satin or clear powdercoat with work.

It ALWAYS starts to develop some kind of discoloration under the clear, Ed is exactly right. Some of our customers want that industrial look & they don't care. We do proper "pro" prep with the acid bath etc & our units go inside... Good luck!

No reason why you can't powder that gauge of metal.

You can't compare it to Aluminium.

I would suggest a brushed nickel or chrome plate, that will give you a stainless steel kind of look - big money though.

Dan :)
Click to expand...
Hear it from the pro.. I stand down on the clear issue, thanks salty monk..:dancing: Even thouigh a 'clear" will show through, the solid colcors won't. Like my header on my bike, numerous cars , wouldn't a silver ceramic coat be cheaper and then buff out be cheaper?? since a plating requires dipping in acid, the copper, then nickle the chrome and buffing between layers.. versus ceramic being sprayed after one treatment and baked similar to powder? I know my header when i polish shines like aluminum and i do it with scotchbrite pad . Just wondering?? Or a silver powder coat sanded and buffed would do the same??
 
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We "time save" the metal (sanding with a 400 grit or so all in one direction on a machine, you'd have to do it by hand)... then plate, then add a satin clear over the top. That seems to be the best way. Never done it for a full on outside application though....

Gives a "brushed" stainless type of look. Chrome is a bit more blue than stainless, Nickel E plate is a bit more yellow. Chemical Nickel is spot on colour but the rust issues start to come back & not many places have that facility.

Dan :)
 
I've stripped and polished a steel tank and the result was amazing. After stripping to check the tank was clean and straight I then used a buffing wheel starting with sisal and steel polishing compound and finishing with a cotton mop and perspex polishing compound. Many hours later the tank looked like it was highly polished nickel !!!!!! Now the problem is the finish, as the team have said a clear that will not yellow,craze,get damaged and allow rust to form is an issue that can be difficult to solve. I did the tank as trial to see how it would turn out, great look, but I never went on to clear coat it. The care and maintenance of a clear coated polished steel/non alloy material would be greater than most other finishes and would not be a low priced option even if you do most or all of the work yourself. One thing for sure, the look would stand out in the crowd and you wouldn't lose it in the carpark, cheers.
 
Shouldnt the metal be sealed with some type of primer before coating, similar to if it were painted?
Every paint job I've ever done or seen done is first sealed with a sealer type primer before paint.

I say just get the darned thing chromed. Prolly cost a little bit more but at least you'll get the results ya want and not have to worry about it not holding up to the eliments.
 
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I rode my 72 T250 with the raw metal look for 6 months with no rust. I stripped it and the side covers, luckily steel, with aircraft brand spray on paint stripper, then used dupli color spray on clear coat and had no problems. I switched to red dupli color because all the other cafe kids in town started running the raw steel look.

l_117afe12ed6c4e079585bb137583ab2b.jpg
 
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