Best way to re-colour ally composite

[Phil Veitch]

we always powder coat, sometimes though the ral match can be expensive if not in stock type colours

[Hugh Potter]

can you not flood coat in vinyl?

[Richard Urquhart]

Correct me if im wrong but can this be powder coated I thought the heat caused a problem with the material
Rich

[Peter Dee]

Ah I forgot, as standard I believe it is coil coated, not powder coated.
I also heard somewhere that it is not easy to get a key on top of material which is already powder coated.
Hugh, I had considered this but I never think that vinyl gives such a good gloss finish as painted. Also one job which will be dark brown which would show every mark, rub, scratch and blemish.
The other job would be difficult to get the right vinyl match (salmon pink)!

[Hugh Potter]

fair play! i’ve flooded panels plenty and they look ok but, they’re always a good 6ft away from the nearest pair of eyes!

Hugh

[Richard Urquhart]

Peter I have painted many sheets of this and have had no problems I key the panel first with red scotch brite pads and then use 2k solid colour, a car body shop will do this for you but tell them to allow last job at night so they dont have to do a full bake.

[Peter Dee]

Is that to stop it warping Richard?
Does 2K mean 2 – pack?

Would you pre-drill all fittings for letters etc before or after painting?

[Tim Painter]

Peter give ashby a call, It’s sounds like a lot of work just to colour change rather than have trays made up and coated the correct colour from the start.

[Peter Dee]

Tim, I’ve often used Ashby’s but if I can make a composite tray in house it makes for a better markup on the job.
One of these jobs will be not so much a tray as a flat panel with just the bottom edge folded back by 110mm. So simple to make in composite hence wanting info on painting.

[Martin Gray]

If painting remember to leave it 24 hour for out gassing before applying vinyl

Martin

[Richard Urquhart]

I would do all my drilling and prep first, less chance of damage to paint work after, normally I put matting agent in the 2 pack as I feel its just a little to glossy, thats just me.
I never put the oven on full bake as I was worried it would bow and warp, even some glues have a bad effect on this material. I dont have my own oven now and as I have been so busy just had and fitted a really well made tray from Ashby’s painted to a standard RAL colour looked great.
thanks Rich

[Peter Normington]

From my limited experience, it is more cost effective to buy in, I have done my own trays from composite, many times, and it is time consuming.
Ok if you have nothing better to do, making your own may allow more mark up, in theory, but not in real terms.

Its a bit like cutting vinyl with scissors, rather than using a plotter,
if you see my drift,
Peter

[Graeme Harrold]

Is there not painting instructions on the Alcan product info sheet for dibond. It has been posted here before……………..

[Phill Fenton]

If it was me – I would just do as Hugh has suggested and flood coat using vinyl. Much quicker, easier, probably cheaper – and just as effective.

If you can’t get a vinyl that is the right colour – print the colour onto vinyl then flood coat.

[Peter Normington]

quote Phill:

If it was me – I would just do as Hugh has suggested and flood coat using vinyl. Much quicker, easier, probably cheaper – and just as effective.

If you can’t get a vinyl that is the right colour – print the colour onto vinyl then flood coat.

Thats ok in theory
but in practice, not always achiveable with a cymk printer,

try pantone 718 as a typical example

Peter

[John Childs]

quote Graeme Harrold:

Is there not painting instructions on the Alcan product info sheet for dibond.

Good thinking Graeme.

I. Painting
Dibond Material can be easily painted by experienced
and qualified professional panel painters. Any painting
operation must be of the type that is cured by chemical
action or by air drying. Never use a paint system that
must be baked in an oven for curing. The drying time
may be speeded up with heat provided that heat does
not exceed a maximum of 140°F.
It is essential that the paint manufacturer be consulted
to evaluate their paint systems compatibility with the
polyester paint on Dibond Material. Proper selection
of primers (if needed), top coats, colors, etc., should be
done according to the direction of the paint
manufacturers.
For off-line coating and repaint operations, proper
substrate preparation is important, from sanding and
scuffing to proper primer selection. Best adhesion will
occur when the coating is applied over the existing
polyester substrate, following the precise selection of
compatible materials.
Aurethane based paint is recommended for use with
Dibond Material since it provides very good adhesion.
The use of lacquers is not recommended, and any
coating material under consideration should be tested
for performance over small pieces of Dibond Material
prior to full scale production.

[Peter Dee]

Thanks all – some useful tips given.