I've had good results with Monalisa brand adhesive and leaf. I personally like copper leaf better than gold, but thats just a personal prefference. If you have any more questions about leafing feel free to ask. it may take me a few days. but I'll get you some answers.

HK

 

I've seen people use a gold paint instead of some kind of glue. That way if the leaf doesn't cover totaly you have a better chance of not noticing. Like in the cracks of the wrinkles which you'll more than likely get.

 

Applying gold leaf If I find anything else I'll edit it into here.

Kevin

 

Man you guys are awesome
I have seen the Mona Lisa brand adhesive but did not know if it would hold up under the urethane clear coat without attacking it? I just sent the piece to the sand blaster today. If it weren’t so darned cold here in the Midwest I would be ready to prime it this weekend.
Thanks for the replies keep them coming. :thumbup:

 

Is there such a thing as silver leaf ? if so how do you get it to have a prism effect like the picture below ? Check out my photo album for more samples .

 

Is there such a thing as silver leaf ? if so how do you get it to have a prism effect like the picture below ? Check out my photo album for more samples .

Check this site out and see if you can find what you need http://www.seppleaf.com/


Kevin

 

HK hooked me up with some copper leaf and a small bottle of adhesive (Mona Lisa) ... I'm gonna hit the hobby shop soon and look for something big enough (at least 6" square) to use as masking to cut some design ideas out of. Then I'm gonna experiment with some gilding. The copper leaf is very silver in color, with a touch of copper -- I like the color!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

 

Engine turned look on Silver leaf

I am also working on a paint job using Silver(aluminum) leaf on a Motorcycle fender. I have been practicing with the leaf but I want to go a little further. I want to put the engine turned swirls onto the leaf. Like Ed Roth. I know if I use the abrasive technique, like I do on stainless or aluminum stock it will shred the leaf. I did a search through the old threads but I have not seen this discussed. I heard of someone using cotton on the end of a wooden dowel but want to see if anyone knows a tried a true method. Any help would be extremely appreciated. Thanks.


Fryguy

 

I have never tried it, but a painter I knew years ago used a wooden dowel with a felt cloth rubber banned over the end- he just spun it back and forth in the fingertips on aluminum leaf, overlapping as you would in turning... again, I have never tried it but it was super cool! The felt was just those little squares from the hobby store. I have gold leafed some stuff and as stated the Mona Lisa stuff has worked.:thumbup:

 

Really, some felt rubber banned onto the dowel. I mean its the same theory in effect. Something abrasive relative to the hardness of the metal.

You watched in person and it came out nice? I am going to give that a try. Just hand turning the dowel? Thanks


Fryguy

 

Is there such a thing as silver leaf ? if so how do you get it to have a prism effect like the picture below ? Check out my photo album for more samples .

i am assuming that since you are asking you didn't paint the couple bikes in the pics in your gallery. i have seen that chopper before, somewhere. i have a picture of it too. it is an interesting effect and have seen it a couple times but never found out exactly what it was. its not any kind of leaf though. its a special effects paint and its not made by any of the big manufacturers. it might be one of the products made by metalflake corp, possibly vreeble but dont quote me. if you find out let me know, i am interested.

 

I would e-mail Tom Prewitt at Damon's Motorcycle Creations.The add. is www.damonsmc.com.He is the guy who painted the bikes for West Coast Choppers.I have met him at sevral custom paint demos,and he is a really nice guy.He or someone on the staff may be able to help.Also try House of Color.

 

I really like to see custom painting, I have done VERY little so I can only dream when I see stuff like that, thanks for the education on this tread.

Tell me, looking at that fender and tank photo it looks like a "mid coat" of something like Chromaillusion was applied over the leaf, could that be?

If not, I would think that it would provide a very cool look. :welcome:

 

Fryguy- yeah, I watched and he just rolled it back and forth with the fingertips like we used to grind the valves on the old motorcycle engines!! I watched him do 'inlays' on the sides of a rear fender. I think it was a half inch dowel with the felt just stretched over the end and banded. Saw the bike done and it looked great and as far as I know lasted good... If I remember correctly I have a pinstriping/painting book that shows it done also- if I get time I'll look for it tonight and let you know!

 

Dragon, that would be awesome. I can do leafing, but I haven't perfected the art of engine turning the leaf. tried all kinds of things but nothing seems to get the effect I am looking for. If you can find that book, that would very cool. Thanks


Fryguy

 

Really, some felt rubber banned onto the dowel. I mean its the same theory in effect. Something abrasive relative to the hardness of the metal.

Check your local WallyWorld or even the grocers in the aisle that sells light bulbs etc. They have packs of small felt circles for the bottoms of lamps, ashtrays, etc. that already has the sticky on th ebottom and comes in various diameters.

Kevin

 

Good idea Kevin-.... Fryguy- I looked up some sites for you- see your pm's- as I found, it may be velvet not felt- similar but maybe too coarse. Do a test and let us see results! (I admit I'm getting old but I was sure it was felt the guy used!)

 

I used craft store variegated color gold leaf and their craft adhesive (looked like Elmer's glue to me!) and I sprayed ti with catalyzed urethane. been on my car for nearly 10 years w/ no problems.

You can kind of glimpse the lettering on the door and turret top in this pic.

 

Yep, thats what I am looking for. I actually called a Sign supply company who was advertising Silver Leaf Vinyl with the engine turning already in it. They say they don't make it anymore. Its a really cool classic look especially against a metal flake paint job.

Thanks


Fryguy

 

couple things.

i have seen the engine turning done before and the guy i saw do it did use a velvet, not felt tip on the end of his dowel, he also had some padding stuffed in there to.

the other thing.... i found out about the holographic crackle finish on those parts. i was wrong, it is like a leaf effect but its not silver, its special stuff on a mylar backing thats applied just like gold leaf and it is designed to have that holographic effect. its available at coast airbrush. here is the link. you need sizing glue and a special iron for the application.

http://www.coastairbrush.com/pages/96.html

hey willys36!! found out about this from craig fraser, you might know him or know where kal koncepts is, he is from out there in bakersfield where you are.

 

Wow! Now that is a big move from CA to NJ. Sorry don't know Craig but I am not hooked up to the rodding scene here in town.

PS, if you try the engine turning on silver leaf by had, the word is light touch! That stuff is literally only a few molecules thick and to say it is delicate is not doing it justice.

 

mrclean is right- they do say velvet in all articles I found in the books (my bad!) as the kids say.... Fryguy I sent you the book titles and info- will send some scanned pages if you return address- they have preturned leaf at some sites- one being www.beacongraphics.com/signgold.html and another at www.lionet.com good luck and hope it helps!
...p.s. also found a tutorial w/gold at: www.letterhead.com/steps/airbrush/jonas3/

 

That preturned stuff must be different from the normal leaf. The stuff I used is so thin that it didn't lay down in perfect sheets - there were wrinkles, patches etc. It looks great and seamless when done but if it had a uniform pattern to match, no dice. I can't imagine how a preturned pattern could be laid down uniformly enough to look good.

 

Agreed willys- I've never used it, but seen it many times... the old book I sent info to Fryguy on suggested using a drill with the velvet- after using leaf myself, would think that way too aggressive... interesting though!

 

It only take a 1/4 to 1/2 turn to mark the gold. use the real stuff that comes in 3 inch sheets not the fake stuff in 5 inch sheet, it engine turns better.

If you use the vinyl stuff from SignGold I heard you can't clear over it. It will delaminate.

like willys36 I like the variegated gold leaf


some variegated gold leafed stripes

some variegated gold leafed flames