Frequently Asked Questions.

Q: Why should I purchase your system and not one of its cheaper competitors?

A: Our system is more reliable than any other. The A100 Spray bench is more sophisticated than its rivals, and the paints and chemicals are more accurately formulated. This ensures the system works every time.

Q: Is the AstraChrome System New? 

A: Yes the system is completely new, and has been developed by ourselves to overcome the problems associated with competing systems, such as poor adhesion and unreliable “Chroming”. Several features are unique to our system, which takes spray “Chroming” to a new dimension.

Q: What is the difference between the AstraChrome  system, and its competitors?

A:The system was developed as a result of the difficulties we had attempting to use competing systems commercially, and all our materials, and application machines are designed for intensive use, unlike most of our competitors' systems.

Q: Is the AstraChrome System just another metalic paint?

A: No metallic paint consists of particles of metal, usually Aluminium, in a clear lacquer. Even with the best, and most expensive metallic paint, the metal particles are quite large, and cannot form a completely smooth surface to give a mirror finish. Our system uses a chemical reaction that takes place on the surface of the work, to produce silver particles the size of single molecules, to give the ultimate mirror finish.

Q: Must I always use AstraChrome base and top-coat lacquers with this system?

A: Yes. Our base-coat, and lacquers are specially formulated so that the metallic coat adheres to the layers on each side of it. Special additives not found in other manufacturers’ materials create a chemical bond between the layers. You can of course use third party primers below our base-coat, and their lacquers over our top-coat. 

Q: Do I need to apply any other finishes over your top coat to get durability?

A: No. All our top-coats are of an aeronautical quality. However for special situations we offer a range of additional lacquers to be applied over the standard top-oat. A high UV resistant lacquer for use in strong sunlight, and a glass-flake material providing exceptional abrasion-resistance are available. 

Q: Why do I need a spray booth?

A: To keep dust out of the coatings. A small defect, such as dust in the base-coat appears much more visible once “Chromed”. The booth also provides a safe working environment, free of lingering organic fumes. 

Q: Can it be applied to exhaust pipes?

A: Not at the moment.

Q: How long does the spray “Chroming” process take?

A: The actual spray “Chroming” stage is very quick, and depending upon the size of the object being sprayed, “Chroming” can take as little as two minutes, including the drying off stage. The base and top coats behave like ordinary paints, and need to be allowed to cure completely. 

Q: Can I bake the paints to hurry the process?

A: Yes, but after baking the base-coat sufficient time must be allowed for any remaining volatile organic materials to dissipate before “Chroming”. If insufficient time is allowed, the resultant “Chrome” will be dull, or iridescent. 

Q: Why do you call your colouring materials dyes rather than tints?

A: In order to maintain an exceptional degree of clarity in the top-coat we do not supply tints, which are dyes diluted with some resins. These can cause loss of sharpness in the final lacquer-coat. As our dyes are not diluted with resin, they are more intense than tints, and less is required to get the desired result. 

Spray Chrome Solutions does not adopt a “one size fits all” policy with it's AstraChrome System , as some of our competitors do. So if your use for our system is non-standard, we may be able to offer you a special solution to fit your needs.