Clear coat question

[Guest]

I just finished painting my bike with urethane paint. I had to wait for the paint to dry because I put a stripe down the middle and now I need to remove some masking tape residue. All the stuff I have read on the internet says that clear should be applied when the paint is tacky. Now that my paint is dry can I still apply the clear coat? If so do I wetsand all the parts with say 2000 grit until dull and then hit it with clear?

Thanks,

Raz

[spyug]

I'm no paint expert and have had my share of issues this year but you can clear coat anytime. If the base coat is good and cured ( say a few weeks or more) I would wet sand firrst with a 1500 or 2000 grit to give some tooth for the clear to bond with. If the undercoat is only a few hours or even days old then you can just go ahead and shoot.

I've done it both ways and never had an issue getting the clear to take. The problems I run into this season are with compounding after the clear, I just can't seem to get anything like our friend Ukilme up in Ottawa. His work is stellar for shine.

I think the secret is to start with a fairly heavy build up of clear. I usually only go two coats but 4 or 5 might give a better layer to buff out. I'll be trying that next project.

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out. Pics of course.

Cheers,
spyug

[razooki]

I was thinking of letting it sit for a day or so and then wet sand some imperfections in the paint before I clear it. Then I'll wet sand the clear and use some compound to make it shiny. I'll post some pics when/if I ever finish it.

Thanks,

Raz

[posplayr]

If you are doing multicoats, you normally put them on in sucession with no more than about 12 hours between (usually 1-2 hours max). It makes for a busy day with taping and shooting. If you have the proper tape from the paint store there should be no residue.

Not sure what paint you are talking about but base color coats are not meant to sand.

What the hey 2000 and clear; worst thing that would happen is you start over.

[razooki]

That is why I am asking - I don't want to start over!! It is urethane paint and the reason I wanted to clear it is so that it is smooth to the touch between the stripe and the rest of the paint. I knew somebody was going to chime in with "if you bought the right tape....." comment - after the fact it does not help much at all!!

[rustybronco]

What kind of urethane did you use? base coat/clear coat, single stage (SSU) as a base coat, then putting a clear coat on top of it.

does the base coat have metallic in it?

what brand(s) paint are you using?

[razooki]

What kind of urethane did you use? base coat/clear coat, single stage (SSU) as a base coat, then putting a clear coat on top of it.

does the base coat have metallic in it?

what brand(s) paint are you using?

I went to the auto paint supply store and asked for two spray cans of urethane one stage paint. The spray cans were mixed and filled there. I believe the brand is Nason. There is no metallic in it.

[rustybronco]

Were these cans set up with a hardener in them that you either had to smack the can to active, or did you have to run home and spray them within a certain amount of time? what I'm trying to figure out is, if the paint you were given was 2 part urethane with a hardener.

if it does have a hardener in it, then you can scuff sand with the manufactures "recommended" paper grit and clear over it. if is just a base coat without an activator there will be a certain amount of time that the base is open and if it exceeds that time period, you usually have to scuff sand and re-base.

I would call the paint supplier to see what was put in the can and go from there.

Nason link... http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/...uct/nason.html

[razooki]

No time limit on the cans. Just had to shake the ball inside for 2 minutes before using it.

[rustybronco]

Find out what they used in the can, look at the product sheets for it and it will tell you what you need to know.

[posplayr]

That is why I am asking - I don't want to start over!! It is urethane paint and the reason I wanted to clear it is so that it is smooth to the touch between the stripe and the rest of the paint. I knew somebody was going to chime in with "if you bought the right tape....." comment - after the fact it does not help much at all!!

A little touchy aren't we

[Octain]

I've never heard of anyone clearing days after the base was applied. I think it has to be done within a few minutes.

If it were me, I'd scuff with a scotch brite pad(red), re-base and then clear.
Dont sand the base then try to clear coat. Never heard of shucha thing.
Please tell me you sealed with some type of DP before applying the basecoat?

[razooki]

A little touchy aren't we

Maybe just a bit... More frustrated than anything. It's a long story with this bike that started a year ago. I'm now in the finishing stages and was planning on doing a BC/CC myself only to find out that no paint store around here sells any small quantities (they cater to the pro shops so everything comes in a gallon!!). So I decided to go with the urethane spray cans because it was the only way I could get the colors I wanted. The guy at the store told me that I did not need to clear this paint but that I could IF I wanted to. I understand that urethane is resistant to gas so that's not my reason for wanting to clear it - i just did not want to feel the edge between the stripe and the rest of the paint. In the end I guess I can just wet sand it and polish it and ride the darn bike.

[rustybronco]

Raz, the only Nason urethanes I found, used either an activator, or a hardener. those type of paints have a "pot life" anywhere from 1 to 4 hours. are you sure they gave you urethane and not acrylic enamel?

[razooki]

I'll check tonight when I get home what the can says exactly.