We all know paints are not what they used to be, ahhh lead!, so I was just wondering what people think are the best enamels available today. I currently use One Shot, Solver and Viponds (the last two being Australian brands). I was looking online at House of Kolor striping and lettering enamel. Has anyone had any experience with these? They are expensive!
-------------------- Bryan Lynch
Lynch & Son Master Signwriters Posts: 15 | From: Gold Coast Australia | Registered: Feb 2011
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Bryan, check out my website below on tripod, its been up 16 years and gives an in depth feeling for HoK as well as sign enamels. I do not sell anything on the site.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
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HOK is cool and also single stage paints made by PPG are great to use. They are going to be pricey though BUT they wont fade out like one shot will either. On signs we went to all latex vechile we use single stages if we paint at all
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
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You get what you pay for. The durability of urethanes is much greater than the enamels, which seem to be getting worse by the day. Something else to consider, urethanes don't skin over. Even the rarely used colors will remain workable right downt to the bottom of the ca. I've been using urethanes for the majority of my work for over ten years. I have yet to have to throw away any unused paint. Sure they will still cost more in the end but what is piece of mind worth, plus we aren't paint the Queen Mary with it either.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
Michael, once you get the hang of working with HOK, the brush strokes aren't a big problem. I'm not going to lie and say it flows as well as One Shot but it's not too far off. It is fussier than the enamels in that you have to have it mixed properly. More catalyst slows it down to where it's quite workable. The DuPont Hot Hues line is a good bit more workable than the HOK.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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Listen, paint two small signs/panels. On one sign use 1-Shot and on the other use House Of Kolors lettering/striping paints (Or similar product). Do a little striping, airbushing or what ever else you would nomally do. In other to keep your costs down, just use black and white. This way you could mix them up to get some greys and shades. And then see how you feel about the two different products. I have both products at my shop. Both have their particular uses. In the world of painted finishes, I don't think one product can do ALL jobs. You woulnd't paint your house with HOK, or try to do candy flames using latex paint. To me it just using the right paint for the job.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3813 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Thanks for the tips George. I didn't know the urethanes wouldn't skin over, for instance. I had occasion to do a sign with a hot pink color on a black background. I then used a mask and rolled the hot pink on, so it would be uniform coverage. This is One-Shot, now; and the sign is mounted on a wall, where it gets a lot of sunlight during the day.
After drying, I clear-coated the whole panel with Sherwin-Williams SherKleer, with UV inhibitors. Even with the UV, the hot pink died back fairly much (not real bad) in about 2 years.
I don't think this is good longevity, really. I'd like to think I could get several good years out of a sign. The urethanes are a good alternative for lettering and striping; just take some getting used to......
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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Dale, I've found when using 'weak' shades, like maroon, I'll paint an 'under' coating of a rusty red oxide colooured enamel, then the maroon over that, and with pinks, put a white down first, then the pink.
That way when the inevitable fading happens, it fades back to something less blatantly bad.
The alternative is I atill have a little bit of the lead-based stuff-good for when longevity really is important! I've also done a bit with urethanes-not enough to call myself 'comfortable' with them, but we have them here.
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Thanks Ian! It was a little shocking to see what happened to that color. It was a vibrant hot pink, when done.
I didn't see it for about a year. At that time, it still seemed in good shape. At the end of the second year, I would've thought that if it faded, it would've just gotten paler; but in fact, it had actually changed to a different shade......more toward a "brick-ish" shade. It wasn't nearly as attractive, at that point.
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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