Base Coat and Clear

JimKueneman

JimKueneman

Mopar Nut
Next question. I am painting an old Dodge B Body. I am using the grey primer. I have settled on the SPI orange. I plan to paint the under body the same as the exterior. I understand you can mix the clear with the base coat to get a quasi single stage for the under body, trunk and door jambs.

A number of questions to get me thinking and asking the right questions when I call.

1) any guesses to the number of gallons of base to paint the single stage items (under body, trunk, jambs)
2) any guesses to the number of gallons for the exterior and the number of coats it will take?
3) what clear do I use for my own restoration?
4) I don't see a definition for the different speed reducers for the base are they the same as the temperatures for the clear activator?
5) why is the clear activator in quarts only? Because once it is opened it has a short shelf life?
6) I now I see the base needs reducer and the clear needs activator. How do you mix all this to get the quasi single stage?

Thanks
Jim
 
I do believe all companies say use white under yellow and orange but orange will cover the gray.
For underneath do a 50/50 mix as there is enough polyol in the orange to handle that amount and of course that is with the base UN-reduced, then add 10% extra harder to the mix.
Two gallons will easily do everything you want done with the base.
70 or above use the slow 885 reducer in the base.
Clear I would just go with the 4003, slow activator.
Activators are in quarts because, the last thing you want is opening a gallon of activator in a restoration type deal and then finishing up a a year later and finding out the activator is bad.
 
Just to be perfectly clear.. (since I am assuming hardener = activator)

Take equal parts of the base and clear and mix
Now for the 4003 activator (assuming it is the hardener) do I use the 1:1 based on the amount of Clear I used + 10% or 1:1 of the total mix + 10%?

Thanks
Jim
 
Yes kinda, only activate the clear with equal amounts of hardener and then add 10% extra of hardener to the whole mixture. (by volume, not weight)
 
Ok I see, base is effectively a "tint" for the Clear + Activator mixture. That mixture becomes the "reducer" for the base.
 
Ok I have my list to order on Tuesday for the material to paint the understand so let me make sure I have it all figured out.

1) I will take the Universal Clear and add 4003 activator 1:1 and stir.
2) Next I take the same amount of Orange as Universal Clear I used in the previous step and mix that into the step 1 mixture
3) Lastly what ever is now in the mixing cup (in step 2) take 10% of that and add that much more activator

Once mixed do I let it set for a specific time or can I shoot it immediately?
What about flash time between coats? 60 minutes since this is a restoration and not production?

Thanks
Jim
 
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