Chuck Nukem
Promoted Users
First post! I can't believe it took me this long find my way on to this forum. There is so much experience and knowledge here I can't believe it.
I have been using SPI as projects come and go over the last few years. I am currently working on a Lotus Europa that is a John Player Special edition. The factory used vinyl gold tape as the pinstripe. I am planning to do one better and go with real gold leaf. Here is a finished product.
I searched and found a few threads about gold leafing, but I had a few questions pertaining to this application. Right now the car is in Slicksand poly primer. I will block it to 600 or so, shoot reduced SPI black epoxy as a sealer, then shoot 2 coats of SPI black around 4-6 hours later in the same day. The next day I will shoot 3 coats of universal clear. As of right now I am planning to sand this coat of clear with 800, tape off the car, apply size, and use the 1/4" 23k gold leaf pin stripe I got from Letterhead sign supply. I have read on the forum about applying adhesion promoter to the gold. Would you tape the entire car off and only apply it to the pin stripes, or is it OK to apply adhesion promoter between layers of clear? Is it even necessary to sand the entire car before applying the gold leaf? is there a window on doing tape work to clear like there is with basecoat? Thanks in advance!
Just for reference here is where I am at.
Here was the booth when I first put it up. Need to replastic again...
I have been using SPI as projects come and go over the last few years. I am currently working on a Lotus Europa that is a John Player Special edition. The factory used vinyl gold tape as the pinstripe. I am planning to do one better and go with real gold leaf. Here is a finished product.
I searched and found a few threads about gold leafing, but I had a few questions pertaining to this application. Right now the car is in Slicksand poly primer. I will block it to 600 or so, shoot reduced SPI black epoxy as a sealer, then shoot 2 coats of SPI black around 4-6 hours later in the same day. The next day I will shoot 3 coats of universal clear. As of right now I am planning to sand this coat of clear with 800, tape off the car, apply size, and use the 1/4" 23k gold leaf pin stripe I got from Letterhead sign supply. I have read on the forum about applying adhesion promoter to the gold. Would you tape the entire car off and only apply it to the pin stripes, or is it OK to apply adhesion promoter between layers of clear? Is it even necessary to sand the entire car before applying the gold leaf? is there a window on doing tape work to clear like there is with basecoat? Thanks in advance!
Just for reference here is where I am at.
Here was the booth when I first put it up. Need to replastic again...