Clear or not after first base layer for Crystal effect?

[MikeInTheBay]

So as I've seen it, the process for doing the crystal effect is that you put your candy base down, then you put a urea solution on, allow it to crystalize, spray black on top of that, then wipe off the crystals so that only the black that was in the cracks between the crystals is showing, and then candy on top of that, and clear.

The time I tried it, I had trouble with the urea solution wanting to bead rather than sheet-- I think this was at least in part because the surface I was spraying on was a bit too rough. I'm wondering if it makes any sense at all to put a layer of clear on top of that first base coat so that the urea has a smoother, more chemical/water resistant surface to sit on, and also so that when you go to sand off the parts with the urea crystals on them, you can be a bit more aggressive without going into/through your base coat? Or will the black base just bind better to the candy base? Or is this this process just stupid in general?

 

[Jim C]

i tried that stuff 15 years ago and never got it working right. tried over base and sanded clear. to me it was just a gimmick. it ended up looking blotchy and irregular and that was on small areas too. you can keep playing with it. maybe you will have better luck that me but i would just cut your losses and do something else.

 

[MikeInTheBay]

I mean, I think my idea is that if I make it look intentionally irregular enough it will make it easier to not have parts stand out when I inevitably have to repair them after the track is... the track. . I'm starting to wonder if it will actually make it harder though...