- Hammer Finishes
- Antique Finishes
- Clear Lacquer Finishes
- Tinted Lacquer Finishes
- Metallic Finishes
HAMMER FINISHES
Hammer Finishes are effectively metallic leatherette, so that similar principles for Formulation apply.
ANTIQUE FINISHES
Antique Finishes are usually based upon black leatherette, although other base colors are
occasionally employed. This leatherette base is then simply blended, or if reclamation is required encapsulated, with the metallic pigment of the required color, e.g., aluminum, so that in this case a black antique with a silver vein effect is obtained.
CLEAR LACQUER FINISHES
Clear Lacquer Finishes are, as the name implies, CLEAR finishes. No pacifying pigment or filler should be employed. Although this may at first sight appear straight forward, major problem s can occur as a result of slight incompatibility between the flow agent and the resin base. Unfortunately, there are no simple methods for correcting this effect,(which invariably leads to a milky looking finish),and as a result the development chemist usually has to carry out exhaustive compatibility trials prior to any full scale manufacture. Occasionally very low levels of blue or violet pigment are incorporated to mask the slight yellowness of the resin or curing agent being used.
TINTED LACQUER FINISHES
Tinted Lacquer Finishes are a variant of the clear lacquer finish, and are produced by incorporating a small proportion of a solvent soluble dyestuff (usually at a 1 – 5% pigment level).
Tinted Lacquers yield a good, hard, resilient coating if applied correctly. Two major factors must be observed for their correct utilization. Firstly they must be applied over a high lusture, blemish-free substrate, e.g. polished nickel or chrome. Secondly, being transparent their resultant colours are film thickness dependant.
METALLIC FINISHES
In an attempt to overcome this lose of luster; many powder manufacturers use a post blending process. Again, extreme care must be employed with this technique. By far the most common approach applied today is slow speed tumble – mixing. This method and powder is quit satisfactory for those customers who apply the powder via a spray –to – waste technique. However, as the popularity of the finish grew, many coaters attempted to recycle the overspray, and thereupon immediately found the problem of this type of powder – the separation of the metallic pigment from the powder base such that when one attempted to re spray the material, zoning occurred. As result of this the encapsulation process was developed.
In the encapsulation process, the powder base and metallic pigment are mixed together so that the particles of powder become covered or encapsulated in a thin layer of metallic pigment. At present this technique is patented, so that the service is only available through “Evade Bonding Ltd” or their licensees.
Finally, it should be mentioned that while the post additive and encapsulation approach produces a powder system which yields a high luster finish, in both cases, the pigment is not bound in the resin layer, and therefore attains no protection from the binder. As a result the coating will easily mark, and the environment importantly, will attack more. To overcome and/or avoid these deficiencies it is necessary to apply a second coat of clear lacquer.
