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Clear over truck gilding....

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Doug Fielder
Posts: 143
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:08 pm
Location: Port St Lucie, FL
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Clear over truck gilding....

Post by Doug Fielder »

Hey guys,

This past weekend I was down in NJ for my mentor Harry Henkel's birthday and stopped by Glen Weisgerber's shop on my way home.
I spend the day at Glen's shop Monday, and he filled me in on his technique for clearing over gold.
He lays the gold, then after the gold effects (burnishing) he 1-Shot sizes it again, then when that is dry he coats it with Sikkens Cetol Gloss Marine Varnish then the next day clears it agin with the same stuff.
He has been doing that for between 6-8+ years with no failures (I think he said 15 years, but I am playing it safe). Anyone who knows Glen and his work, knows he is known for quality and precision.
Also, he told me this stuff from AutoTech called 1001 MPC is better than Rapid Prep for getting stuff clean. It is water based and is an Armor All killer! You just need to wipe down with alcohol after to get rid of the residue.
For the Kustom Painters on here, he uses Standox Colorless Base Coat for mixing his own Kandy Koncentrates, it is better than the intercoat clear and produces a better finish. Another tidbit, the Eclipse Airbrush from Coast Airbrush is KING with its teflon bushing and o-rings, doesn't gum up and give you the lazy trigger.
Whenever in Edison NJ, look him up and stop by his shop, it is sure a learning experience.
Doug F.
FALLOUT Grafix
Port St Lucie, FL

Formerly from NJ, Formerly from VT,
Formerly from SF, CA, Formerly from NC,
Formerly from CO, FINALLY settled in FL!
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Jim Moser
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:36 pm
Location: Grass Valley, Ca.

Post by Jim Moser »

There is no doubt that Glen's work is some of the best, but I don't understand coating the gold with size before the Sikkens varnish. I have been using various catalized polyurethanes ( House of Color and Lesinol ) with good results. I don't care too much for frog juice as it is not resistant to mineral spirits if you make a mistake when outlining. The best clear ever was DuPont synthetic enamel automotive clear, which of course is no longer available. :(
Life is much too important to be taken seriously
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Doug Fielder
Posts: 143
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:08 pm
Location: Port St Lucie, FL
Contact:
Contact Doug Fielder

Post by Doug Fielder »

Great question,

Glen said he had seen that most clears don't hold onto the gold and the only thing keeping it stuck to the vehicle is around the edges....
He re-sizes the gold because his theory is that the gold sticks to the size, the size must stick to the gold. Then the other side is pretty much a paintable surface. He described it as a gold sandwich.
Makes sense in my head.
He was also saying that the catalyzed clears are too brittle and that is part fo the failure.
Doug F.
FALLOUT Grafix
Port St Lucie, FL

Formerly from NJ, Formerly from VT,
Formerly from SF, CA, Formerly from NC,
Formerly from CO, FINALLY settled in FL!
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