posted
I am looking for your favorite finishes for gold leaf work. I recently did a fire truck and was not satisfied with the top clear coat,the size was Luco's quick a little blotchy in the humid weather. I have been gold leafing for some time now but phased out over the past 7 years cuz no one was paying the price. Bruce Deveau (excuse my spelling Bruce!) showed me Interlux jet speed 100 boat varnish and it never failed me, and I always liked Chromatic auto clear for a top coat. On this last job I thought I'd try some stuff available from my gold dealer and wern't to damn impressed..... got to admit I never did like Luco when I first tried it on a motocycle job back around 78..... swore it off then so could be I just have a bad attitude. Anyhow would like to see what some of the old gold pros are using now and maybe I can stop bugging the local boat yard about when they might get some pints of the Jet Speed
-------------------- "No excuses!.... No regrets!..."
posted
Tossing in a frost heave and a premature pot hole in order to bump my post..... I'm always trying to learn new gold trick so don't be shy. I'll consider trying anyones faves for fast size and clearcoats on gold... home remedies???..... dijon and beer aged to perfection maybe??? belly lint and boiled linseed oil???
-------------------- "No excuses!.... No regrets!..."
posted
I use single stage automotive clear with hardener.I do not mix any thinners with it. You have to clear the gold right after it is gilded, burnished and or spun,being careful to only clear the areas ya want the gold to stay.After it dries(in about 30 minutes in most cases) you can clean off the ecess,then outline and embelishments go on top of the clear with hardener added to alow for a second coat. Only thing is you must have all the size covered with leaf good and no pinholes as the clear can react if the gild is not good. I did a brush truck humvee about 5 or 6 years back and the gold has only been scratched off where tree limbs took the original finish off down to the primer . One truck was so close to the fire that it melted the plastic lenses and decal striping but the gold held up well under the automotive clear even tho it got hot enuf to melt the plastic.This clear will work only on automotive finishes, Standard lettering enamel finishes and backgrounds will not allow this process without a possible reaction with the clear.
It's a long story, but the One Shot quick size is identical to the good old reliable jet speed one hundred. I've been using the one shot for several years now, and if anything, it's quicker than the jet speed. I experimented with the the jet speed as a clearcoat, but it has no UV protection and dies an ugly death.
I agree with Timi (so would anyone who has seen his work...awesome!) with regard to the clearcoat..you have to be a bit careful, but it appears as if the two part urethane is the best protectant for gold on vehicles. I've been experimenting with the one shot UV clear, which is a nice product and convenient, since it doesn't have to be catalyzed, but it doesn't seem to be holding up as well as the two part.
Best wishes, Bruce
-------------------- Bruce Deveau 331 Main St. Amesbury, Ma USA 01913 Posts: 139 | From: Amesbury, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Tim & Bruce Thanks for the posts.... I've been fooling with asphaultium (sp?) for blending and wonder how you guys like it with the automotive clear? You both know what it's like doing big red fire trucks.... long way around them!.... how fast have I gotta be to clear the burnished gold?
-------------------- "No excuses!.... No regrets!..."
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking...If you are mixing the asphaltum with automotive clear, it seems as if the clear would be a bit too quick...but not sure as I don't do that type of blending. I met a fantastic firetruck man at Mars this summer, Dan Danzenbaker, who did beautiful blends by mixing just some oneshot shading black with some gold size (lafranc's slow). I'm not sure how he handled the clear, as he also used the two part...I think he let it dry but not sure.
As far as getting around a firetruck with clear, I just count on doing it as soon as the gold is done...unless it's time for lunch, in which case I would eat lunch then clear. Seems to work fine as long as you get it on the same day.
Bruce
-------------------- Bruce Deveau 331 Main St. Amesbury, Ma USA 01913 Posts: 139 | From: Amesbury, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Hey Bruce if you get a chance send me the name and prod.# of that clear that you use and the and when you get a chance check this guys stuff out... I have an old safe that needs this kind of work done to it. www.firegold.com I appreciate the time, thanks a million!... well maybe lunch is more in my budget. Geet
-------------------- "No excuses!.... No regrets!..."
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Stephen,...a word of warning,....I had to repair several trucks that the artists used asphaultum glazes on then used automotive clear. Seems the 2 part clear and the alsphaltum had a reaction and didn't blister until about a year later. I now use hok brown and the automotive clear to make any glazes and or make the glaze with a compatible brown paint and the clear that I use for the top coat. The bad reaction was from in effect an automotive clear over traditonal asphaltum glaze. Hope this helps ya!
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I followed the link to Fire Gold and I have a question.
Is the darker shades made with the size or applied after the gold as I assume the white highlights are???
Is this what you guys are talking about in this thread, the shading??
Ok, it's a couple of questions, and I have lots more. With my back situation I am trying to learn some specialized trades such as gilding and pinstriping so at least when I can do some work, it is somewhat of a limited source work.
You know, work one day, collect pay and rest my back for a week.......
-------------------- Troy "Metalleg" Haas 626 Kingswood Dr Evansville,In 47715 Posts: 1100 | From: Evansville,Indiana, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I have mentioned this before, but briefly,I would size with quick size,then gild after about 3 hours, then spin with a velvet pad in a cordless drill (slower RPM).I have tried both Lefranc and 1shot within the past couple of months, and would vote to use the 1-shot.
Then I would clear using Imron with no thinner. During the clearing I paint the shaded areas too with the Imron. By the time you do one door the second door will be just about dry. Then outline and shade the copy over the Imron.
If you have striping, with scrolls in corners, you can make the flat scrolls look rounded by adding a shading highlite, like Timi was talking about. Asphaltum was traditionally used for this, but you can also use a drop or two of universal tint, which you can get at any paint store that mixes colors, I use the same Imron for this...the idea is to put on a transparent glaze in certain areas of the design, then go back and reglaze until it looks as dark as you want.
Finally I clear the entire lettering , etc, with Imron. That first coat under the painted shadow does something to make the topcoat less likely to lift. I have usually cleared the next morning after finishing job. When clearing the trick is to use a fairly large brush(I use an 8 quill on 3" letters). Also keep moving along and don't rebrush anything if you can help it. Also I always look the finished job over at an angle to the light, so you see the glare. Then you can spot any "holidays more easily. Do this after the first coat too.
That's all I can think of...hope this helps.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Steve, Thanks for the link to Peter's site...Wow. Peter actually camt to one of my first letterhead events, and even blew away the NJ guys. I can't wait to spend some more time there. I've used the sikkens clear, then the Ditzler 2020, which I'm not sure is still available. I'm going to try Imron if I can buy it in less than a gallon!
Troy, Pick up or order Kent Smith's "Gold Leaf Techniques." It will explain most every thing better and more completely than can be done on the web site. I've been gilding for 25 years and still refer to my copy.
Bruce
-------------------- Bruce Deveau 331 Main St. Amesbury, Ma USA 01913 Posts: 139 | From: Amesbury, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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