: Yep, I know Bill. Seems to me that Roy might be onto something
: though. I will try to embed the metal flake he suggested in a
: test patch of epoxy to see if opacity is a problem. I want the
: flake to appear translucent and the blue/yellow colors to show
: through clearly. If it doesn't work, then I will work with a
: clear coat mixture on TOP of a layer of epoxy. I want the colors
: to show brilliantly for the wedding pictures. I have imagined
: the pics of me in my tux sitting in the kayak with the
: brilliance of vari-hued reds, oranges, yellows and blues on the
: deck. I still have 4 months to bring this idea to reality.
: Sadly, the real maple leaves I onlayed under the fiberglass two
: years ago are not looking very good...some have lifted in whole
: and others in part. I have already sanded 3 of them off the deck
: and Linda thinks I should sand off the rest. I am thinking of
: replacing them with paper versions because I still love the idea
: of trailing fall-colored maples leaves along the deck.

: Robert N Pruden

Really surprised that the real leaves didn't work.

The trick with metal flake is to keep it suspended while the material it's suspended in dries/hardens. It tends to settle to the bottom and the sparkle goes with it when it does. It's all the edges of the material and the flakes sitting at various angles that create the effect, laying flat they aren't as pretty. I'd want a very fast setting epoxy if I were to try this. Works well with clear coat though, dries pretty quickly.

Bill H.