Apply color directly over epoxy? - and other questions

S

smills1840

I have my engine bay media blasted down to bare metal. I'm going to shoot SPI epoxy over the whole thing. My questions are:

1. Can I shoot my color base coat directly over the epoxy? Or do i need to shoot a high build primer or something over the epoxy? I'll hopefully be staying in the record window of the epoxy if the weather holds out.

2. What do I do about seam sealer? I assume it goes on top of the epoxy, but do I have to put another cost of epoxy back on top of the seam sealer once it dries?

Since this is in the engine bay, I'll be shooting a cheaper ppg base and finishing it with an SPI clear. I've heard nothing but good things about SPI.

Thanks!
 
1. It would be nice to put a couple coats of 1:1 epoxy over the area.

2. Apply seam sealer to the epoxy

3. 400 sand everything. (or whatever grit you prefer for final work)

4. Seal with epoxy 1:1:20% is my chosen mix.

5. Base/clear

This is what I would do.
 
Thanks for the reply!

1. I'll definitely be covering everything with a couple good costs of epoxy.

2. Sounds good.

3. The problem I have with sanding the epoxy is all the nooks and crannies. I'm working on a 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse engine bay so there aren't a lot of flat/smooth areas like in older domestic cars. Is the sanding required?

4. I reduce the epoxy to get a smoother finish, correct?

5. Sounds good.
 
Depending on the seam sealer, I use Lord Fuser seam sealer and it has immediate paint or can wait 30 days before sanding is needed for paint. Check with the seam sealer you are using to see when and how and when you can paint over it each one is differant.
 
Sanding is only required for the epoxy if you're past the 7 day window. Other that that it's how you want it to look, which is the other reason for any of us sanding. Even in an engine bay that you care about enough to media blast, sanding & then spraying with a reduced epoxy coat will look a hell of a lot more professional. If not concerned with sanding, just spray 2 coats & paint within time window. A reduced coat over unsanded won't smooth things much.
 
There are some flatter areas that are going to be more visible than others, so I guess I could knock those down before spraying my reduced coat. There are a lot of corners and edges though, so I worry it will be super easy to sand through the first coats of epoxy.
 
No big deal if you sand through the edges. That is what the sealer will do. Cover the bare edges and cover the seam sealer.

Heres why I recommended sanding. Engine bays have alot of crevices to blow dirt from when spraying. No matter how clean you think it is they tend to kick dirt up. Those first 2coats of epoxy will kinda trap most of that stuff. The sanding will knock the junk down and the sealer/topcoats usually are cleaner. You don't have to go crazy either, just smooth out dirt nibs.

The sanding is unneccesary if the epoxy is as clean as you want it to look. Spray it out and if it looks great to you then seam seal and base/clear. Seam sealers will take paint.
 
Some urethane seam sealers can be primer or painted wet-no wait. Stay away from the old solvent based seam sealers IMO
 
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