Weirdguy

Yeah, I know, everytime I think of something, it's too crazy to be done.

So here's my new idea:

when painting a car (all of it or just some fancy graphics), what it be possible to mix some "glow in the dark" powder to the paint, let's say, for a nice blue glow.

This kind of powder isn't cheap, but for graphics, only a kg would be sufficient, I guess.

AzNxSandMan

Putting aside the fact of whether or not it's possible, unless it were pitch black out you wouldn't be able to see your graphics glow. You'd be better off going with indiglow graphics or ghost flames.

Visionz

It could be done, but you would have to mix the powder in with the clear coat. After you did that, you would then have to have apply multiple coats of straight clear, and then sand so that it was completely smooth. However, you would have to find powder that was compatible and would still glow when mixed with the paint.

I'm about 99.9% sure that the glow from the powder would be VERY weak since the clear coat would disrupt the glow characteristics of the powder. And putting aside all facts, if it did glow, thenlike AzNxSandMan said, it would have to be pitch black, and you would have to charge the powder for awhile under a light to make it glow.

Random

They make glow in the dark paints. You'd be better off to mix that in with your clear coat, or, apply a light coat of the glow in the dark, then clear coat over that.

Biggest drawbacks to Glow in the dark stuff, is quick fade, and they are damaged by bright light souces (the sun), they are also damaged by UV rays. Ever seen a glow in the dark frisbee left out in the sun for a weekend? It looses all of it's "glow" properties.

The "car and feeding" of the glow in the dark paint would make it nearly impossible to use on a anything other than a show car that sees very limited daylight exposure.

One good thing about Glow in the dark stuff. It reacts powerfully to Blacklights. You can use a quick flash/exposure to a black lite is equal to about 30 seconds of strong light exposure. You can also setup black lights some distance away from the glow in the dark object to keep it glowing powerfully. So you could setup blacklights around your car at a indoor car show to get it to glow. Black lights don't "burn out" the glow in the dark properties like sunlight does.

Weirdguy

I looked thru the site and found out that:

with an outdoor application, exposed to the sun every day, the glow would last 1 or 2 years (more than enough to get tired of the glow...)

the glow paint can be use and protect with a clear coat without any problem or a lost in the glow.

the average glow is 2h and can go up to 8hours.

and of course, this powder is produce in order to be mix with paint.

and for your reading pleasure, here's the web site:

Glo-net

Visionz

LMAO!!! Dude..seriously man...things that glow in the dark...have you EVER seen them last longer than a few minutes after applying a light source to them? And I don't mean what Random said about the black lights. I mean, actually holding a light source to them (flashlight, lightbulb, sun, etc..) and watching them to see how long the glow lasts. I seriously doubt it will last 2 hours, let alone 8. rolleyes.gif

Weirdguy

We won't know until someone try it out...

That is what the site said, not what I believe. But it would be cool to have it glow for 2 hours...

Random

Well, in show conditions you can always "recharge" the glow with either a strobe light flashing once every 30 seconds or so or just a powerful light source, (but strobes are best for powerful light of short duration), or blacklights setup around your car like I mentioned earlier.

I think their estimate of 1-2 years is very optimistic....

[ January 21, 2003, 09:47 AM: Message edited by: Random ]

mrfrieze

hok makes some glow paints I dont know how long they last but you could always call hok and find out