Your silver/metallic tips/tricks?

[nweibley 10+ year member]

I’m just wondering what people find seems works to best for shining up the inside of a somewhat abused surface for giving it a shiny/metallic look. (MDF, specifically already painted)

So far I have gone 60 grit to remove as much crap as possible -> 150 grit to smooth things out -> 3xx grit -> 600 grit. This is the first box I have had where it didn't turn out well, and I think it is because of the metallic based paint I initially used (dumb mistake, I know).

Do you guys have any tips or tricks? At this point in time I'm considering having mirror cut to fit the inside of the box edges and sealing it to the sides //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif I think that would look wicked!

-----Nate

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[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The mirror or a polished piece of metal is probably the easiest way. Otherwise you are looking at sanding, filling, sanding, priming, sanding, basecoating, sanding, topcoating, sanding, clearcoating, sanding and finally buffing to get it to look shiny.

 

[ROBB]

Well there is no easy way to get it to shine like Carmen Electras' ass...Buy a rubber pad sander and bust out the imperfections..I posted a pic of a amp rack I did in a candy apple, and a fiberglass face plate for a box that I did for you...Let me know if I can help......

Cheers,

Robb

 

[1BadHawk 10+ year member]

Robb, what kind of paint did you use for the amp rack, and how many clear coats? That piece looks awesome

 

[ROBB]

Thanks Bro,

I didnt use any clear here are some tricks to gettng metallic colors to get that wet look.

Make sure you scuff your primer with a scotch brite pad or some 220, dont let it plug up either.

After primer try and use a sealer/primer make sure the whole thing is one uniform color.

Use not less the 3 coats of the base color

1.Tack coat...your just misting it on giving the next coat to stick to

Make sure to let it flash in between....Wait about 10 mins for the 2nd and the 3rd.

2. Color Coat..Make sure to cover the whole thing with one even coat dont worry so much about it being shinny at this point. You want to start with the hardest to paint areas 1st to avoid runs.

3.Gloss Coat ...Its hard to explan but you need to lay it on heavy enough so that it will flow out but not run

-use full strokes one side to the other and keep an even distance

-have a ton of light

-at least 65f but not more than 80

-make sure to overlap you pattern

-dont get to close with the gun or can and try to keep the same distance following the contour....and practice your ass off..............!!!!I hope this helps

This is a fiberglass face plate I made the other nite when I was bored..Let me know if I can be of any more help

Cheers,

Robb