3-stage paints

[chevynut]

It seems that many of the higher-end OEMs are moving to 3-stage paints...I know the Corvette Atomic Orange is 3-stage. The PPG "Vibrance" paints seem to be 3-stage as well.

I have been doing some research into these paints, because there are some colors I really like and they seem to "pop" more than BC/CC. Some of what I read is a little confusing. It almost seems that these are "candy" paints, where a base of silver, gold, or some other color is applied, then a tinted midcoat possibly with pearls is applied over that, then the final clearcoat.

What are the drawbacks to doing this, other than the obvious added step? I have heard they're harder to repair, but I have also heard they're easier to match during repair.

[Rick_L]

Since you use a transparent midcoat, the end result depends on how much midcoat you apply. So it has to be harder to repair. It's going to be easier than a true custom, where the contents of the midcoat are a variable also. So there's more to it than bc/cc.

If you were repairing, with the factory tricoat, perhaps all you need is a test panel or three to narrow in on how much midcoat to apply. And if applying new, you'd have to discipline yourself to get the same amount of midcoat everywhere on the car.

[chevynut]

Thanks Rick....I'm going to have the car painted and not doing it myself. I would like to, but I'm not that experienced and I'm afraid I'd screw it up. I'm painting the frame the same color as the car, so it seems that it would be hard to do with tricoat. On the other hand, it's not as visible if it is a little different.

I saw some awesome colors at SEMA, and it's making me take a second look at paint for my Nomad.

[Olderthandirt]

The body shop that repaired our 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada painted in a 3 stage maroon color.
In order to save on the deductible, he was able to mix a bc/cc to match the 3 stage paint.
The match was so close it was very hard to see the difference.
Talk to your body man to see if he could mix the paint for your frame in a bc/cc.

[chevynut]

Thanks OTD, good idea.

[Bihili]

Have you talked to any shops that use House of Kolor paints?
I used all PPG to epoxy prime and 2K primer but Fuzzy recommended HOK for top coats.
One of the things that sold me was the HOK Primer Sealer, which is put on just before base coat, it is tinted the same color as the top coat.
In my case after several base coats came two coats of clear with the prism effect mix in then the numerous coats of clear.

[chevynut]

Bihili, I'm a little leary of changing brands at this point in the process. I have used PPG DPLF and K36 up to the final blocking stage. Did you go with the HOK?

[Bihili]

Bihili, I'm a little leary of changing brands at this point in the process. I have used PPG DPLF and K36 up to the final blocking stage. Did you go with the HOK?

Yes I did. There seem to be more custom paint options with HOK than PPG


http://www.houseofkolor.com/speedshapes/speedshapes_shimrin.jsp

[Rick_L]

No problem with HOK.

They do have some custom "formula" colors, more choices than PPG or Dupont. And they have the materials for you to customize them.

[ilike55s]

WE painted my 55, the closest thing I found to the old style candy apple red. It is 2005 Mustang Lazer Red and is a three stage that used a gold base, red pearl mid coat and the clear coat. I had heard lots of painters do not like the three stage paints because the end result is influenced by the amount of mid coat you use. My painter had sprayed several other jobs using the three stage paint so he was aware of the differences. I supplied the painter a good quality picture of the shade I wanted and he matched it perfectly. The only thing different is that the old style Candy Apple Red was a solid color with no metallic and the mid coat does have some gold metallic when you look way down deep into it,!! . But I still love the finished product

[Rick_L]

True candy paint was the original 3 stage paint. It is very hard to apply but the painter can also customize it in many ways. The reason it's so difficult is because it's so transparent - so it's very sensitive to film thickness and application. REALLY easy to get "tiger stripes". The OEM tricoats, and some of the custom formulated tricoats, are not quite as transparent. The degree of transparency will determine the degree of difficulty. But they will not be as striking as the true custom stuff when done right.

There are also many variations on how this is done. True candy is tinted clear w/o metallic over a metallic base. The metallic base can vary in color, flake size, etc.

"Metalflake" is the opposite. You put down a base and put the metallic/clear/tint over the base. Pearl is similar. It's "pearl" instead of metallic. And then you can mix and match variations of all.

[ilike55s]

Jeeze rick, are you ALWAYS contrary?




Up to the 1950s, Detroit-based auto paint companies were the major players in the industry. According to George Barris in vol. 4 of his "Barris Kustom Techniques of the 50's" series (Thaxton Press, 1997), at that time several California individuals and companies entered the arena, adding various dyes, inks and toners to clear lacquers to achieve a show quality. They often called the bright colors "candy" or "kandy," as in "candy apple red."


Acrylic resins



Improvements in using acrylic resins in enamels came along several years later. Those paints did not require buffing for a high gloss and also provided better resistance to harmful ultraviolet rays from sunlight. They were more durable as well. Shortly after introducing those enamels, developers incorporated catalysts that increased durability even more.


Primers and overcoats



Primer substances improved as well, especially the use of electrophoretic deposition (a form of "electroplating") to apply the primer paint directly to the metal so that rusting was almost eliminated. In that process, an electric current runs through metal submerged in a chemical bath, producing a coating on the metal's surface.

In the 1980s, finishing techniques began to include applying a basecoat under the color as well as a clearcoat finish on top, which provided a durable finish for high gloss and resistance to chipping.