Producing Lacquers

[saff]

Based on emoritt's post, you have to wonder: wouldn't an existing nail polish factory already have the licenses and facilities required to make the coating? One of them might be interested in a new revenue stream... the aluminum discs are probably the easiest part.

[misjah]

I want my lacquers in Bordeaux red please

[emorritt]

Actually there is no "easy" part of producing a lacquer disc, especially one that is of master quality. The coating is just one element. Aluminum discs have to be cleaned, ground to the proper surface, thickness, etc. Then, if I recall correctly, the aluminum discs used at the Apollo plant were pre-punched with lasers for the center hole and possibly the drive pin hole on discs made for older equipment. I don't know if they could get discs that were the proper size, or if they had to cut down 14 (or larger) inch discs to all disc sizes they made. The metalwork is a whole operation in itself. Then, once the discs are prepped, the coating equipment is a bear to operate and maintain, as well as the "drying line." I don't know how long this thing was, but photos I've seen of the Capitol Magnetics operation (which I think is what Apollo bought years ago), once the discs are coated, they then have to be slowly dried through a clean-room type "tunnel" on a conveyor belt. Not sure how long this process takes, but after one trip through, the other side of the disc is coated and the process starts all over again. Once inspected and graded, the holes are punched, the discs are fitted with the plastic edge and center piece that holds the discs surfaces apart, they're given the outer plastic and paper wrapping materials, then boxed. THEN... they have to sit for some time (possibly a few months!) to dry a little further and "cure" before they can be sold and shipped. Sooo... it's not as simple as getting some aluminum pizza pan separators from webrestaurantstore.com, some nail polish and start producing even reference grade lacquers.

[saff]

Fair enough! That said, it would be really good to know how a much smaller operation in Japan (MDC) is making all this happen, albeit at a smaller scale, with better, more consistent results... at least of late...

[emorritt]

Yeah, it would be nice to know more about MDCs operation. I don't know anyone who has any information about them or their process. With Apollo down, I'd even settle for an Allied product at the moment...

[symatic]

https://www.pbr.co.jp/master-en

they have a nice video showing some of their process...

I wonder if there is some Nail Polish supplier that could tweak an existing product to produce the right lacquer?