Metal Flake anyone?

[robertbj]

There has been some talk lately about early 16’s colors and when different colors were available, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about one with metal flake. Maybe no one wants to talk about it. My “66” 16 ski sporter #16-346 has metal flake, or it use to, on most of the boat. The years of abrasion and polishing have removed the flake from the deck and left pits that fill up with wax and or dirt. The areas around the foot rest and ski locker that didn’t get polished still have the metal flake. The bottom doesn’t look like it had any. I don’t polish or wax it anymore because of the bad effects. I use a liquid preservative like Armorall almost every day when in use. The pic’s I sent along don’t show very well but you can see the white specks on the deck photo’s (that is the wax still in the pits that I can’t get out) and the gold colored specks (metal flake)on the floor shot. Anyone out there with the same situation?
Bob

[gcarter]

No, but Minicraft here in Florida offers a course in metal flake repain in gel.....

[VetteLT193]

There has been some talk lately about early 16’s colors and when different colors were available, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about one with metal flake. Maybe no one wants to talk about it. My “66” 16 ski sporter #16-346 has metal flake, or it use to, on most of the boat. The years of abrasion and polishing have removed the flake from the deck and left pits that fill up with wax and or dirt. The areas around the foot rest and ski locker that didn’t get polished still have the metal flake. The bottom doesn’t look like it had any. I don’t polish or wax it anymore because of the bad effects. I use a liquid preservative like Armorall almost every day when in use. The pic’s I sent along don’t show very well but you can see the white specks on the deck photo’s (that is the wax still in the pits that I can’t get out) and the gold colored specks (metal flake)on the floor shot. Anyone out there with the same situation?
Bob

That looks flat out awesome.

[mattyboy]

Robert ,

no help with metal flake the only classic I have seen in metal flake was not done from the factory was this one

[LKSD]

We do metal flake work. It is much easier to build a boat from scratch in a mold with flake than it is to repair afterward or to duplicate.

Repairs or Re-flaking is not so much more material expensive that non flake. It is the labor intense part.. It gets tricky & Time consuming to get it to look right..

We have done our fair share of that stuff. I think it is really cool looking on some stuff, but solid colors or pearls/metallics are more common these days and usually less labor intensive in comparison.. ;) Jamie / Lakeside

[robertbj]

We do metal flake work. It is much easier to build a boat from scratch in a mold with flake than it is to repair afterward or to duplicate.

Repairs or Re-flaking is not so much more material expensive that non flake. It is the labor intense part.. It gets tricky & Time consuming to get it to look right..

We have done our fair share of that stuff. I think it is really cool looking on some stuff, but solid colors or pearls/metallics are more common these days and usually less labor intensive in comparison.. ;) Jamie / Lakeside
So the metal flake could have been applied after market? If it was, who ever had it done, did it up right. It’s even on the entire ski locker.

[LKSD]

Yes, metal flake can be applied afterward. It is just time consuming & tedious to do right.. :) Jamie

[BobinCovington]

I have a dark green donzi 16 with the white stripe (1966) Hull#16-226. After buffing/polishing it appears to be a very fine metal flake. We have had the boat in the family from day one as a new boat...so go figure. I have no idea if it was Donzi "experimenting" with colors or whether it is gel or even paint. I guess that makes two of us scratching our heads....

[Cuda]

Metalflake is uglier than homemade sin!
They still use it on some bass boats.

[BobinCovington]

You should take a look at the metal flake we are talking about, I didn't even know until it was pointed out to me. It is so fine of a size you can barely tell, but it just reflects the light enough to glimmer. I'm not trying to make you feel bad, but comparing a vintage 1966 Donzi to the finish on a bass boat...really?

[Cuda]

I don't feel bad at all. I see tons of bass boats here on the St John's River.
I would never put any kind of metal flake on a Classic Donzi.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Cuda]

You should take a look at the metal flake we are talking about, I didn't even know until it was pointed out to me. It is so fine of a size you can barely tell, but it just reflects the light enough to glimmer. I'm not trying to make you feel bad, but comparing a vintage 1966 Donzi to the finish on a bass boat...really?
That looks like British Racing Green.

[penbroke]

There has been some talk lately about early 16’s colors and when different colors were available, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about one with metal flake. Maybe no one wants to talk about it. My “66” 16 ski sporter #16-346 has metal flake, or it use to, on most of the boat. The years of abrasion and polishing have removed the flake from the deck and left pits that fill up with wax and or dirt. The areas around the foot rest and ski locker that didn’t get polished still have the metal flake. The bottom doesn’t look like it had any. I don’t polish or wax it anymore because of the bad effects. I use a liquid preservative like Armorall almost every day when in use. The pic’s I sent along don’t show very well but you can see the white specks on the deck photo’s (that is the wax still in the pits that I can’t get out) and the gold colored specks (metal flake)on the floor shot. Anyone out there with the same situation?
Bob


Yup. My '66 18 has the same gel on both deck and hull. I have heard it called red with bronze metal flake and I have no reason to believe it is not original on my boat. It is very subtle. Most would never see it...


Frank

[BobinCovington]

Mine is a british racing green, but with that barely noticeable sparkle of the tiny metal flake. Cuda... I wouldn't paint the boat anything but what the factory put on it. In fact when we were polishing it and trying to match for a small repair, that is when we noticed the slight metal flake. Prior to that I had no idea.
So now that we have cleared up that this is not the large grain Bass Boat metal flake applied by some backyard paint shop...and we believe it was applied by Donzi from the factory. Can anyone give any background on the Donzi reasoning behind it? Were they experimenting with colors or did all of the early dark colored boats have it? Or was it just a part of the paint mix and after all the years it is just starting to show up?

Robert, I apologize for hijacking your thread a little, but I believe since I have the same era boat and what I believe to be metal flake this is "of interest" to the original question.

[Cuda]

Dude I have seen every kind of metal flake known to man.
I doubt it was painted on.
Hmm, I wonder if the reason Donzi didn't produce more metal flake (I have never seen ONE), is because they are uglier than homemade sin. It would make more sense just to use a British Racing Green gel coat.

[BobinCovington]

I typed about 5 responses to that, but none are appropriate or worth anyone's else's time, so I backspaced through them all. I'll say no more on this thread.

[penbroke]

Don't let a nonbeliever de-rail an interesting discussion. I don't care for bass boat style metal flake either. :wink: This is not at all the same...

I was starting to think I was the only one that noticed the 'flake in the gel. At first I thought the look was from age and weathering. When I changed my transom shield I had to open up the hole a bit so I have a couple of small pieces that have been covered since the beginning...


Frank

[Cuda]

I typed about 5 responses to that, but none are appropriate or worth anyone's else's time, so I backspaced through them all. I'll say no more on this thread.

Stop it. My eyes are getting misty.

I wouldn't put up a thread saying I wasn't going to say anymore, I just wouldn't say anymore.

[cutwater]

Cuda - Maybe that's because you do always say more, haha... :wink:

Bob & robertbj - That's really an interesting find if the metal flake on both boats is original... Being in Tennessee we see more than our fair share of crappy bass boats with crappy metal flake paint jobs. I usually hate metal flake, but both of yours seem subtle enough that it looks really classy. :pimp:

[robertbj]

Thank you for the response on the metal flake. I am glad that I am not the only one with this type of finish on my boat. I don’t think anyone should comment on how it looks until they see it. It is nothing like what you would see on a bass boat or an old jet boat. It does make it hard to match for a repair (my boat has a few). It is also a challenge to wax or polish without ill effects. I was hoping to hear from someone with knowledge of what Donzi was up-to during that era. Maybe they remembered hearing about the attempt to get a different look with metal in the gel coat.
Bob

[VetteLT193]

The flake like that looks awesome. plain and simple.

And yes, Donzi used and continues to use metal flake in their gel and paint jobs. My current Donzi has metal flake in the paint. Most of the Shelby's had metal flake and the Shelby outsold all other classics while it was out. there is a reason for that... people like them.

[cutwater]

Bob - I took the liberty of re-posting an earlier pic of yours. Obviously not over the top gaudy with metal flake. Just enough to bring it to life. Looks good IMO.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48356&d=1248199395

[robertbj]

Cutwater, thanks for the nice comment.

Vette, thanks for the info, got any more on when and why Donzi started putting metal flake on?

Bob

[Cuda]

The flake like that looks awesome. plain and simple.
And yes, Donzi used and continues to use metal flake in their gel and paint jobs. My current Donzi has metal flake in the paint. Most of the Shelby's had metal flake and the Shelby outsold all other classics while it was out. there is a reason for that... people like them.
Is it paint or gel?

[Walt. H.]

FWIW when metal flake is that small or tiny it's called metallic not metal flake, and when its micro fine its sometimes called fire mist. :wink:

[penbroke]

Is it paint or gel?

It's in the original gel... ...really... The old red boats that photograph with the goldish tinge to them... Those are them. I have a couple of pieces I cut out from under the original transom shield that have never seen the light of day.


Frank

[Cuda]

I imagine a repair to a metal flake would be tough. It's like a fancy paint job on a truck. If it's ever wrecked, good luck matching the paint look.

[h20loo]

FWIW when metal flake is that small or tiny it's called metallic not metal flake, and when its micro fine its sometimes called fire mist. :wink:


Absolutely!!

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

We do metal flake work. It is much easier to build a boat from scratch in a mold with flake than it is to repair afterward or to duplicate.

Repairs or Re-flaking is not so much more material expensive that non flake. It is the labor intense part.. It gets tricky & Time consuming to get it to look right..

We have done our fair share of that stuff. I think it is really cool looking on some stuff, but solid colors or pearls/metallics are more common these days and usually less labor intensive in comparison.. ;) Jamie / Lakeside
Jamie i agree 100% as far as being labor intensive and something i do not really care to mess with anymore .

[LKSD]

I imagine a repair to a metal flake would be tough. It's like a fancy paint job on a truck. If it's ever wrecked, good luck matching the paint look.

It does take some skill, and some are a a real PITA.. Some paints are like that too. Paint Tricoats for some of the metallics and pearls can also be tricky & a PITA.. ;) Jamie / Lakeside

[LKSD]

Jamie i agree 100% as far as being labor intensive and something i do not really care to mess with anymore .


Indeed, I get a fair amount of bass boat guys in for repairs. However the full gel/polyflake jobs are not too common these days. It takes a special kind of person to commit to what is needed to do that. It also takes the right era boat to look good on IMO.. :) Jamie / Lakeside

[Greg Guimond]

I think you have to keep an open mind on finishes and agree with Walt H on metallic and firemist. It all depends on the projects intended goals, coupled with how much authenticity matters. I think it is cool that a '66 has some authentic metallic. I'm sure back in the day, the boys at the factory would break for lunch, sitting on empty 5's and compare some notes on what they thought would be the Cat's Ass of finishes. Pretty cool to think how that creative bul****tery led to some early one off finishes. Not some robot sprayin without a soul!

Grinder, good info in your post..........:yes:

Cuda, how did you ever get so many posts? Are you the #1 posterboy?

[Greg Guimond]

Question for those who understand this stuff far better then I do. If Axel took pity on my and gave me the graphics for that cool stuff he did for his GT21, could that be recreated in firemist, metallic or flake? Also, what about ghosting in a metallic overlay on the solid deck stripe? Would that actually be visible or only when the sun hit it at a certain angle?