Glass Powder??? in clear coat...

I friend of mine that owns a gl*** shop said I should try mixing in some powdered gl*** with the clear when I paint my Buick.... I've heard some old-timers say they did it in the 60s along with crushed abalone shells, but I've never seen it in person, picture or otherwise. Does anybody on here have pictures of it?? Has anybody seen or done it first hand? I'm not really sure what kind of effect to expect... Is it similar to using a modern dry pearl powder?

Thanks in advance for any info, I'm really intrigued by this stuff! I'm gonna try it out regardless, so I'll post pics when its done (hopefully before the Fortuna car show next Saturday)...

 

Chrysler used it,they called theirs"Sunfire metallic"-

Lincoln also offered it under the label"Diamond Flare".....

Go to a shop selling auto paint and look at their chips in the 1970-s
Ground gl*** like your buddy offers prob wont be as cool,just buy the real stuff there at the paint store.
BTW-It wont take much to be -too much-, so use a bit of restraint......

 

I've seen it a buncha times. Most don't use enough and it looks like dirt in the finish. Too much, then buried, nice thick fibergl*** lookin finish that only pops on bright days, again looks dirty in less light. To get the "sparkle" that it's supposed to have takes a processed material that has reflective surfaces, like mica, pearl, flake, etc. Magnified, those materials have facets like cut stones, or indeed cut gl***. I'm in line with 'rods, a pro developed mat'l is the way. It might be $100 more at the job's bottom line in cost.

 

I painted my trash truck in the yard. Before I sprayed on the color I sand blasted and primed a few spots. I forgot to blow the sand out of the cracks. When I sprayed it the sand went all over the paint. The color was white mixed with gray which came out like a gloss primer The sand mix makes it pop. People always tell me how good it looks. When the sun hits it just right it looks like quartz.

 

I didn't know they used gl*** in factory finishes, that's kool!!

Can anyone recommend a good product to use for a "gl*** sparkle" kind of look?
The product my body has is for use in gl*** blowing... I've seen it in gl*** pieces before, it has a sparkle to it like a really fine flake, with kind of a crystal looking effect. But NOT like any of the "color shifting" pearls, it just looks like, well broken gl*** I guess I have no idea how it would look in clear on a painted surface, though... I guess I'll just need to get a sample and try it out first!

While I'm looking for things to test, what's a good product you guys would recommend for a crushed gl*** kind of sparkle? I'll already be doing a metallic base (BC-185 in Diamont), I'm just looking for something that's not your everyday pearl or metallic...

 

Fory, I'd recommend you stop by your local auto paint jobber and let them show you some of the things they have that's being used in mixing auto paint. There are many mixing bases and additives that can be used for custom finishes that are anything but everyday pearl or metallic. You will be suprised and facinated by what you see.

Dave.

 

The size of the gl*** particles maters a LOT. Along with clay, talc, and ***orted floor sweepings, gl*** dust/powder has been used as a gloss flattening agent. If left exposed to the surface, gl***(typically gl*** beads) provide a reflective finish. That might be interesting, but not sure how durable it would be. For any other effect there is something else available that will do a better job.

 

I think a Mica Flake would be close to what you are looking to achieve and a lot more available......

 

Sounds like it would be today equivalent to a mica flake or a pearl

 

I do believe that Planet Color has a product like that.

 

I still have a little diamond dust which is ground up mirror

 

Absolutely.


Do a test first.

 

Anyone with some picture examples? New or old?

 

Back in the early 60's the Texas state highway department would use gl*** bead in the highway signs to make them glow when night lights hit them.

 

I think Fink'd used it on Ian Berky's Minor Threat Chevy

 

I remember using diamond dust in clear back in the 1970's.It was actually industrial diamonds that were too small for commercial use.Mixed sparingly in clear and used over a black or dark colored surface they sparkled just like stars in a night sky.Problem was they were super abrasive and tore up spray nozzles very rapidly.

 

You need to be really careful with Gl*** Powder. As a part time gl*** blower one of the first things you learn was never breath it. It will clog your lungs and shorten your life.

check the link below for whats available.

http://www.gl***color.com/

 

In the 60s Cadillac called it "Firemist". They offered a few colors with it. There is a similar PPG product that can be added to clear base as a midcoat. It's called Flamboyance. Here's the link:

https://buyat.ppg.com/refinishProdu...x?FileID=a8a43f1b-1f2a-474d-aa31-c9f1f5ac1aec

 

I used gl*** beads in a paint job once. The owner wanted white, but with a sparkle. Most products just looked like dirt in the white, and he didn't want the subtlety of pearl. The gl*** beads were realtively invisible, but when the sun hit them....watch out! Same beads used in highway sign, got them from Sid Moses. Had to use my flake gun (primer gun with 2.0 tip, and inner screen removed) to shoot it.

 

what you are lookin for is gl*** flake, as it was called in the 60's , it came in colors , took a real big tip to spray it ,looked like lighting when the light hit it at night, but it will make your nose bleed if you breath it in and then rub your nose, painted a 55 chevy dash with it in 1970 ,the coolest dash i have ever seen, at night it was kinda scary, !!!! looked just like lighting struck it !

 

crushed gl*** is what it is called, and if anyone knows were to get it i want to know!

 

Here's Ian Berky's thread which is described as crushed gl***. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397409&highlight=chevy+gl***+paint&page=2

 

Yeah!! Thats what I'm talkin about!!! Crushed gl***, I'll remember that. That's exactly what I want, something that literally lights up when light hits it... Thanks for the replies!! If anybody has more pics of crushed gl*** paint jobs, please post em!! I'd like to see a pic of it in the light.

 

I found this on the internet :

Firemist™ pigments are made from discs of calcium, sodium and borosilicate, and produce truer colours, a more intense shine, better transparency and reflection than traditional pearl lustre pigments (particle size 5-300 µm).

Firemist™ is a registered trademark of Engelhard Corp., Iselin, New Jersey, USA

Note that it contains borosilicate, which is a kind of gl***. So, Firemist was a special gl*** with discs of a specified size. I thought it was just larger metallic. It was an impressive look. I have wondered whether it just fell out of style or if there are other reasons it went away?

 

Just talk to someone at an automotive paint store. I know that crushed mirror is a currently available additive.

~Alden

 

Yes, available, but why are manufacturers no longer using gl***? Durability issues, environmental problems, style, cost, or?

Mirror is only shiny on one side. Wouldn't that be a problem? It would be possible to apply an all-over mirror finish to gl*** particles. I wonder if that's what they are actually selling rather than "crushed mirror".?

 

Firemist is still available from BASF which bought Engelhard a few years ago but it is no longer used in (new) factory colors.
Xirallic is also a coated gl*** flake made by EMD chemicals and it is also brighter and cleaner than Firemist.
It is used in tons of factory colors now and comes in about 10-12 colors. It was unavailable for almost a year because it was manufacured in Japan and the Tsunami wiped the factory out.
It is in production again and it is now being produced in Japan and Germany.

 

I bought cruch gl*** at Michaels craft store. I wanted to mix it in come clear but, havent gotten to it yet. I think it was around 10 bucks

 

I bought some from Sherwin Williams, $95 for a tiny bottle. I'm spraying it on my 59 El Camino this weekend, will let you know how it comes out. the stuff I'm using is very fine indeed.

 

i want to see more photos! please label pictures with product,this is going to be cool!