Wet edge

GATO

Promoted Users
I'm new to this forum and new to spi products. I've had good luck with intercoat clear. Struggled a bit today with my first run with UV clear. Started out with medium activator, but switched right away to slow and just couldn't get it to flow good. Had a hard time keeping a wet edge. Seemed like I couldn't get across the hood with getting dry overspray when I went back to the fender where I started. Results were overall good, but had to really smash it on. Turned out on material an additional 1/2 turn (3 turns out total) but OS got excessive so I dropped pressure from 29 to 25 at the gun... W400 bellaria 1.4. Seemed good out of the gun, but really dried fast. Almost no tack in 20 min. Booth temp was about 80. Humidity was low and was running dryer in the shop. I am in the habit of warming clear... Material was about 90 degrees. The only other thing is the air compressor is in another room and it was pretty hot in there. Good news is I couldn't make it run if I tried!!! Is this clear just really temp sensitive? Any advise before I wet sand and reclear would be appreciated. I'm not really of the mind set of thinning clear either... Don't care for adding more solvents.
 
First do not heat this clear unless in winter but no need in summer, now with that said it still does not make sense as gun adjustments were good so only two things i can think of.
You have an internal strainer in gun or your spraying more than 5 to 6 inches from panel??
Some of cheaper clears you need to but won't work with spi.
 
First do not heat this clear unless in winter but no need in summer, now with that said it still does not make sense as gun adjustments were good so only two things i can think of.
You have an internal strainer in gun or your spraying more than 5 to 6 inches from panel??
Some of cheaper clears you need to but won't work with spi.

Thanks Barry. I do have a filter in the gun, so I'll be certain to remove it next time and will definitely not warm the clear again. Jury is out on the distance... My shoulder was pretty tired after a long week of late nights! LOL! One thing I did stumble on in another thread last night was that you suggest 120 psi at the wall. If memory serves me I am set below 100 psi so that may have been a factor??? BTW - Car looks really good today!!!
 

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Was it an overall? If so I'd bet that you were taking too long to get around it, in other words it wasn't staying open long enough for you to get around it. That would be the most common cause in warm temps.. Next time try some of the Polyurethane Retarder. It helps with that especially in warmer temps. Plus it lets it flow more as well. I use it a lot.
 
Was it an overall? If so I'd bet that you were taking too long to get around it, in other words it wasn't staying open long enough for you to get around it. That would be the most common cause in warm temps.. Next time try some of the Polyurethane Retarder. It helps with that especially in warmer temps. Plus it lets it flow more as well. I use it a lot.

Thanks Chris. Yes it was an overall. You're right... I didn't accommodate enough for the warmer temperatures. I'll add some Retarder to my next order for future use. Good news is the car looks great and I have NO RUNS!!! And that's saying something for me. :p
 
I'd suggest going with all very slow activator and maybe a touch of retarder for overalls and 50% mix of slow/xslow for smaller single panels.
 
I'd suggest going with all very slow activator and maybe a touch of retarder for overalls and 50% mix of slow/xslow for smaller single panels.

I forgot there was a very slow activator. Thanks AAE.
 
Anything near about 80° plus on multipanel jobs, and I will start mixing Slow and Very Slow together, especially if there is a hood roof or decklid involved. On an overall, I might have tried a 50/50 blend on the first coat and see how it goes, then make it slower if need be. I like doing this more than adding retarder, but the retarder is good stuff too, and a little goes a long way to making the clear spray nice for big jobs.

I think that the temp ranges specified by SPI tend to be for less controlled hobbyist environments and not decent spray booths. Long flash times will cause lots of problems spraying in a barn, for instance. In a booth we can afford to let that film be open longer, to lay out a bit, and absorb overspray.

Just an example, in the PF series tinted midcoat in my Standox system, I use the normal temp activator, but it flashes like SPI Very Slow. So you can see that Standox is aiming their products at heated downdrafts, but SPI caters to those who have to make do, like me. Like Hub used to say, "I paint in 3D: dark, damp and dirty!"
 
Just a follow up on this for informational purposes... Removed the cup filter from my gun, upped the pressure at the wall to 120 psi and that little Iwata turned into a fire hose; see also my post on "Sanding Runs"!!!:)
A 50/50 mix of slow and very slow reducer with about 10% retarder helped a lot. I backed it down to 5% as all the runs were in the first coat and 5% seemed to keep it open long enough to get around.
I'm still finding my feet with application, but this clear sands amazing and seems to look better the next day.
Just a shout out to the folks on this thread and to a company owner who's engaged with his customers... Thank you!
 
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