Kevin, what would you guess the advantage would be with powderpaint?
Just thinking a bit, I know I could find a base color that would match the Suzuki Red base color. I could apply it and do a ½ bake. Then maybe use some black powder squeegied across my plate and then use Saran Wrap or maybe my roller to apply the grain followed by another partial bake, ...followed by an application of clear coat to seal it in. I am thinking the Mil thickness would be about the same as how I am doing it now, ...and since I am using a urethane base (which has great adhesion qualities) and using catalyzed acrylic urethane as the finish coat, my instincts are that it would be equally as durable as the powder-painted part.
Two comments to contemplate;
a) Based on my personal experiences, WAY more often than not the window trim or the dash panel will need to be body worked prior to applying a basecoat. While there are products out there that are applicable as a substrate for powderpaint, they are kinda expensive and very difficult to work (i.e.: sand). The same thing can be said for the clear. I can colorsand and polish powderpaint and make it glass smooth just like fresly rubbed-out lacquer however it is very tough stuff to sand and buff. Most people want the clear applied over the grain pattern to be colorsanded and buffed.
b) I recently received something where someone was saying all woodgraining processes (even those folks using Grain-It's system) are not the same. I had to explain to this person that we use good quality 2k primers and 2k urethane paints. If someone is searching to have woodgraining done, ask the craftsman whether they are using 2k urethane for the base & topcoat, --or whether they are using fast drying lacquer. Common sense dictates that if one craftsman is using lacquer out of a spray can, it will be faster to apply and less durable (chip resistant) than someone who is using catalyzed urethanes.
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