Thanks to everyone who gave their suggestions in my last primer fail. We just scraped it all off and and primed again. All is well now. Got a few more questions though, planning on painting tomorrow the entire car (underneath, inside, truck body etc. We want to do 2 base coats with 2 clear coats. 1. How long do you wait from going from the first base coat to the next base coat? 2. How long can I wait before I clear the car, we would like to clear the car after we reassemble the car (2 or so weeks)? Also, how long do you wait between the 2 coats of the clear? 3. Thinking of going 4/2/1 paint, reducer, hardener. Do I use that same amount on both base coats? Does that sound good with clear too or what are your opinions with clear? Thanks!!!
Follow what the paint instructions say, they all have different flash times, and some need to be cleared within a certain period of time. As for 2 coats of base, you'll just have to see how well it covers.
DDB is right. Every different type/brand of paint is different. They should have mixing instructions on the can. You usually don't thin the clear, just clear and activator. You can't really say how many coats of base color you want to apply ahead of time. You have to see how much it takes to cover and look good. If you have different color panels you're painting over you may be able to see a difference until it's adaquately covered. Between coats of color you want to make sure it's not still wet before the next coat goes on. For the clear you have to make sure it's nice and tacky before the next coat goes on or else it will run all over the place. Usually a half hour between coats of clear will do it as long as it's not too cold. Three coats of clear is usually recommended.
If you haen't bought your paint yet one thing to think about is a nonsanding sealer, and you can get them tinted in most cases so that it doesn't take so much color to cover. As John said, if you paint over panels that are different color it can actually shade the top coat so that your panels look like like you used different paint. So say you are going to paint the car red, you get a sealer that is tinted red, spray the car, wait the reccommended time(about 45min to hr usually), tack cloth it and come right back with color. Most base coats have to be cleared within 24 hrs. one exception that I know of is Shermin Williams Ultra 7000, and that can go up to 6 days, I don't know of one that can go 2 weeks. Another idea, but this adds work, is to cover the color in an intercoat clear(basically clear base coat) and then assemble your car, scuff the intercoat clear very good with a grey scotchbrite pad, tack and clear. This is more work and gives more opportunity for blemishes but it is an alternative. Something you didn't mention but is helpful is the brand of paint you are using. Everybody has a preference that they use, but knowing the brand might make it easier to get some good advice from someone on here that uses what you are planning on using.
Good catch wardf. I forget to reply to the whole 2 week between color and clear topic. Definitely not recommended and can lead to poor adhesion between the color and clear a well as other problems I'm sure. As you said though there could be ways around it like sanding and one more coat of color before you clear. No guarantees on what the result may be and not worth the risk in my opinion.
I will say though that I did paint one of my trucks with diamont many years ago and it was 7 colors along with some airbrush work. It took 2 or 3 days to get it all laid out and then I took it to a booth the next day and sprayed the whole thing with a pearl mid-coat before the clear went on. No sanding between coats. I never had a problem with that paintjob, maybe the mid-coat tied it all together?
I would never sand directly on the base coat as that show in the finished product if you weren't going to put color over it, John, as you stated you could sand and put another coat of base coat color just before clearing. I guess I'm always thinking about what I'm doing in that if I do a multi color job and airbrush or a set of flames. I do this on the side so I'm a little slow but say I'm going to paint the whole car then put down a set of flames, I don't want to build it up with regular clear and or take a chance breaking through and lifting the clear so I'll coat it with intercoat clear. That way I can come back and scuff it, do my layout, spray the flames, unmask, coat with clear. This being said I would think if you were going to wait 2 wks before clearing you could treat it the same way. John you obviously have alot of valuable experience to offer and a way of doing things also, this is just an idea for one to consider, not saying it is the only way or even the right way, it has just worked for me.:Handshake
Laid on the first coat of base today...ehhh...not too great. no gloss, no reflections, runs, not too great. Hopefully the next coats of base and clear help things out a bit. Thanks for all the replies guys
Base coat is not supposed to have any gloss. That's what the clear is for. So what type of paint are you using? You never mentioned that part. And did you find the mixing instructions?
You can cut the runs with wet sanding and re-shoot the base....What kind of paint and what color...Is it metallic or solid???
