[Frog]

Hi,

I have a red and white scram. Does anyone know the ral number for the red so I can get a match?

Cheers,

Frog

[axman88]

I wonder if people even know what RAL is?

https://www.ralcolor.com/

They have a lot of reds, but there's no reason to assume that any or every manufacturers color is based on an RAL designation.  You can purchase a color chip booklet if you want.

[TSTM]

It's an European (German) thing.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAL_colour_standard

And more informative in Dutch:
https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAL_(kleursysteem)

[axman88]

It's an European (German) thing.

I know, but it's making headway in the USA also, especially for powder coated finishes.  Years ago, I recall folks applying Pantone color numbers for paint and powder colors, but Pantone was developed for printing processes and applies more to inks, whereas I understand RAL was developed specifically for surface finishes.

I have a RAL K7 color chip booklet here at my desk for reference on powder coating and laminate surfaces.  My experience is that a little squinting is required for "matching".  Manufactures seem to allow themselves quite a bit of variance from the standard, while still using a RAL number to designate the finish.  I could easily show you four different finishes, and all would be called RAL 9007 by their respective makers.  Close enough to be "the same" in your memory, if you weren't looking at them side by side, but different enough to look motley if you tried to build an assembly from different parts coated with powder from different makers.

To get consistent appearance, we've found it's wise to get everything coated by the same vendor, using the same make and LOT number of powder.

[TSTM]

Yes.
But it depends on what you're gonna paint
If it's separated by distance and/or another color, a close match is good enough. If it's for touching up or painting adjacent surfaces, you're in for a challenge. As with all color systems.
(didn't know it was gaining ground in the USA as well)

[Frog]

I tend to think in Ral for colours as I made myself a little powder coating setup (very cheap and easy to do once you've got the design sorted out - which took me a while with many iterations.). I use it to coat custom air-rifle parts I make and small bike parts. Powder coat is great stuff:-)