[Leica] Painting cameras, the ALPA black crackle finish

[jackherron at cox.net (Jack C. Herron)]

Vick,
    Wrinkle finishes, as opposed to crackle, which are something different, 
are created by spraying a special paint, waiting a specified time, say three 
minutes, then laying down another coat.  The wrinkling effect is caused by 
the solvents in the second coat softening and expanding the partially dried 
first coat.  This is really just a rigidly controlled example of the failure 
one experiences when you do not allow adequated drying time between coats of 
normal paint and get a catastrophic wrinkle.
    On the plus side, the paint, or I should say, a paint can be obtained in 
aerosol cans from most full service paint stores or art stores, usually in 
grey or black.  For the effect the process is reasonably uncritical.  Making 
a reasonable attempt to follow the manfactorers directions will result in a 
wrinkle of some sort, acceptable for normal uses, ie, cases on electronic 
instruments.
    On the negative side, obtaining a specific pattern of wrinkling is 
critically dependant on many variables, all of which must be held to close 
tolerances which are difficult in the home shop.  The effect is dependant, 
among other things, on the thickness of the first coat, the drying time 
between coats, the temperature and relative humidity, the thickness of the 
second coat, the temperature of the final drying (the wrinkling can be 
hastened by heating in an oven) and the skill with which an absolutely 
uniform series of coats is applied to a 3 dimensional object.  Also it is 
likely that the paint that ALPA uses is not the same as that commercially 
available.
    I have to admit that I think it unlikely that one would succeed in 
matching the ALPA coating, but--
    Having said that, I would, and would encourage you, to go buy a couple 
of cans, practice with some flat surfaces, cut some wood blocks to 
approximate camera bodies, practice some more and see what you get.  You 
might get what you want, in which case, your problem will be to do exactly 
the same thing again.  You might also find a custom variation which you like 
better,  your own unique finish.
    In any event, it is only a couple of bucks and should be a lot of fun.

Keep pressing the paint can button, it'll come unstuck!

Cheers,
Jack
Jack C. Herron
8118 E. 20th St.
Tucson, AZ 85710
520 885-6933
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Javier Perez" <summarex@hotmail.com>
To: <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 10:52 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Painting cameras, the ALPA black crackle finish


>I think it has something to do with painting in a hot surface or painting 
>over a coat that reacts slightly. Voigtlander is now doing a crackle finish 
>on the new bessas I think.
> Javier
>
>>From: <vick.ko@sympatico.ca>
>>Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
>>To: <idcc@kjsl.com>, <lug@leica-users.org>
>>Subject: [Leica] Painting cameras, the ALPA black crackle finish
>>Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 10:33:04 -0500
>>
>>To those who paint cameras, does anyone know how to create the ALPA black 
>>crackle finish?
>>
>>I would love to have an M3 with that finish.
>>
>>Can this be done "at home"?
>>
>>regards
>>Vick
>>
>>
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