question about flat black

[darth ney]

ok if i get the flat black and do a clear coat over it what will happen? i like the flat but not the wet look.

[Darth_DevilGuy]

it should impart a slight sheen to it but nothing like the wet black look, at least thats what I would think from my previous experience with clear coating models and some of my artwork, but I haven't seen Tim's results directly.

[xl97]

why add a clear cot then if you do NOT liek the 'wet' look?

Are you trying to add more protection?

powder coating is very durable by itself.. (thats why people use it over painting)..

for example Harley motorcycle frame are powder coated.. and they are very durable..

[darth ney]

i want it to be more protected,i've never seen PC first hand,so i did not know how strong it was thanx for informing me of that fact. now my soon to be all aluminum qui gon will look sweet!!!!

[Strydur]

I guarantee you have seen it first hand and just didn't realize it.

There isnt much these days that is mass produced and not powder coated over painted. Yard furniture, bicycle/motorcycle frames, etc..

Here is a good write-up on it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_coating

[darth ney]

oh wow never thought of that kind of stuff. now that i think about it my bike is not painted. i can take a knife to the chrome on it and it would not hurt it at all do you think that is powder coat?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

oh wow never thought of that kind of stuff. now that i think about it my bike is not painted. i can take a knife to the chrome on it and it would not hurt it at all do you think that is powder coat?

Powder coat and chrome plating are two totally different things, so, no, the handlebars are not powder coated.

[Strydur]

Correct..we can powder coat the color of chrome but a real chrome plate is much nicer and stronger finish.

[Darth_DevilGuy]

yeah there are a number of acid based electroplating processes used for metals like chrome or copper that actually lay down a layer of metal over the base material.

Powder coat on the other hand relies on first coating the piece in the 'paint' and then baking it on (it's way more complicated than that but no one wants to read an essay), because metal and alloys used in plating are bonded at the molecular level, they are essentially one piece of material, and a lot tougher than powder coat, which is more like a pottery glaze.

[darth ney]

ok so let me see if i got this right,PC is not a tough as say something that is baked on? but it is still tough enough to not chip or scratch(without the clear coat) if i drop the saber say..like on cement?