Newbee--shot clear too thin

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inspectorbob

Hi all,

I'm new to all this painting stuff--not doing it for a living (thankfully, as I would starve!). I just cleared my first project using one coat of production clear over metallic Chromabase. I was planning to add additional coats after I saw how this worked out. Most of it came out, much to my surprise, pretty good! Had to let it sit for a couple of weeks, but came back to it and realized after it dried that I had some really thin spots in the clear. I also found some orange that I will need to remove.

Now, here is my question. I know I need to sand the clear before adding additional coats, but with there being some really thin, rough spots, I'm concerned that I might break thru to the base. How would you recommend I proceed? The clear is about 3 weeks old now.

Thanks!
 
You'll probably have to redo the basecoat. If the clear is as thin as you say, breaking into and disturbing the metallic particles is almost a given. So sand it with 600-800 wet and re-shoot it, but this time put enough clear on it to avoid this situation in the future.

If you really need to save the basecoat as applied, you may be able to scuff the surface with a grey scotchbrite pad and some prep paste, and re-clear it. But I would expect the finish achieved this way to be uneven in texture, which might mean smoothing it with wetordry paper and clearing it yet again.
 
If it has set inside.. Wipe that baby down, and hammer on 3 more coats.. You will be fine, you will not lose adhesion and you can take that to the bank.. Then you can wet sand it and buff it out to a mirror finish..

Now had that been setting outside or on a vehicle then this would not be the same.. You also shouldn't do this with every manufactures clear, but with SPI this will pass the test under this circumstance..

Best of luck and happy spraying..

BTW wipe it down with some 50/50 mix of alcohol and water mix, or a quality water wax and grease remover that spi sells.. then let it dry good, tack it off and spray your clear..

If my statement makes you nervous, simply call Barry himself.. He will back up what I have told you guaranteed!!
 
BK, I thought that Euro and Production clears were different animals in this respect, I'd like to know so I can give out proper advice.

I know that I have been told NOT to do this with Euro.
 
Thank you for your quick responses guys! I really appreciate your help!

I put the parts outside for about 24-36 hours the day after shooting them, but they have been inside ever since. Bondoking, does that still qualify for reshooting as you suggested??

Actually, only the first two parts were shot too light, and only in a couple of spots ( I did this in pieces ). The subsequent parts had pretty good coverage, but I did get a run on one of those. After looking at it more closely, I think I can get away with at least a gray pad on the light areas, but not much more. Those areas are pretty rough.

I started doing this in my garage, but apparently the ventilation was not good enough, even with a box fan in the passage doorway, and the garage door up a bit. The mist from the clear was just too much, so I had to get out of there. I was using a 3M respirator, but the vapor was so strong, even that wasn't doing any good, and I couldn't really see what I was doing until I came back after everything had settled.
 
Like Bondo said, now I will add something here, it the parts are laying flat, spray a wet coat, then a second and then a third with no waiting in between coats.
Flat parts don't run and i doubt you will need to buff when you are done.
Just a little trick but if you do this you cannot let say the first two coats flash and then do a third, it will blow up every time.
I did four this way on my T-tops and valance.
 
If you let the parts set for a few weeks you better scuff them with a scotchbrite before applying more clear-I wouldn't sand them if the clear is really thin-just a light scuffing to knock the shine off and prep it for the next coats. Get some ventilation in that shop or your respirator won't be able to handle it's duties. Or take the parts where you can spray them with good ventilation. Or spray less parts in one session.
 
Barry, is Euro still the exception to the recoat with no sanding rule? For some reason I thought the Production clear was based on the same stuff as Euro, but something is wrong with what I think I know.
 
i dont use water to clean because it has "stuff" in it an it can be easily seen in the sunlight...
 
crashtech;8685 said:
Barry, is Euro still the exception to the re coat with no sanding rule? For some reason I thought the Production clear was based on the same stuff as Euro, but something is wrong with what I think I know.
Click to expand...

The production is based off the 5100 and the 5100 is based off the 5000, but the difference is in the 5100 is the solvents for the 2:1 voc as with the 2100.
This does change things and most of time you will hear me say good for 24 hours when re-coating.

In this case, we have a new painter where the one coat of clear is real thin and if he sands, he will be re-basing, scuff pad would be a better idea but even without he will be at about 95-98% adhesion at a minimum. Every case is different.

I don't want to be a one answer person for every question, I'm not PPG and if I get that way then this company is no better then the rest as no two paint jobs are a like or done the same.

Crash, you are right there is a difference but I know the limits, so we can do this one a little diffent.
 
This forum, company, and products are great! Thank you all for your input. Fortunately, only the first 2 pieces were light. The other 3 had a really good finish. Barry, your products are so good, they make a newbie look like a pro! This is a 35' motorhome, so I need to get these screw ups overwith early in the game.

Is there a comparison sheet anywhere of the different characteristics of the various clears? I recently read somewhere here that the production clear is pretty hard and subject to chipping easier than others. This rig will be stored outside, so uv protection is important. Am I using The wrong product? I live in California, so voc is a factor.

Thanks!
 
I dont see how you can wrong with any of the clears brother,, That is my honest opinion. I dont know anything about the production clear.. I have always use the original HS when it was in existence, the Universal and most recently the 2.1 Universal and Euro Cali versions.. Cant beat either one of those I know for a quality clear..

I have not ask Barry about the production clear, simply because the universal and Euro fit any need I may have... I think you should keep as few products on the shelf as possible.. So when I do collision work on occasion, I use universal or Euro.. Before the Euro it was universal all the way.. That way I didnt have product that set around and got old from not being used.

As for quality.. I can assure you the production clear is top shelf.. Just not tailored for the resto market.. It will not take as many mils or take abuse like the other clears..

I recommend you call Barry before you go any further since you are unsure....
 
form406;8686 said:
i dont use water to clean because it has "stuff" in it an it can be easily seen in the sunlight...
Click to expand...

A well known Arizona car collector has a home up in this neck of the woods. He recently had a full on DI water system installed, so he can wash his cars and not need to dry them or have worries of water spotting.
DI water doesnt have any of that "stuff" in it.
 
Senile Old Fart;8703 said:
A well known Arizona car collector has a home up in this neck of the woods. He recently had a full on DI water system installed, so he can wash his cars and not need to dry them or have worries of water spotting.
DI water doesnt have any of that "stuff" in it.
Click to expand...
The Boca Raton municipal water treatment plant has the largest operational membrane softening process facility in the world. It worked too well and had to be modified. The water was flat and tasteless so they process 1/3 of the water with a lime-softening system and mix it back in the finished product. If I don't towel-dry the car, there's a tiny bit of spotting. Still, every youngster in town walks around carrying a $2 bottle of water filled from some well in Texas. Oh, and by youngster I mean anyone not belonging to the AARP. Boca Raton is where old people go to visit their parents.
 
Senile Old Fart;8703 said:
A well known Arizona car collector has a home up in this neck of the woods. He recently had a full on DI water system installed, so he can wash his cars and not need to dry them or have worries of water spotting.
DI water doesnt have any of that "stuff" in it.
Click to expand...

Arizona well water is hard and if left to dry on your car will leave white spots that are extremely difficult to remove. In fact when final rinsing in prepping for paint I buy distilled water in gallon jugs and pour it on the car. Might be overkill but I fear that even drying the car by wiping with a towel may still leave residue.
This is another reason I use Wax and Grease Remover and then follow with 50/50. Just trying to be sure it is really clean.
 
my water tastes great but when used as a cleaner it left metallic wipe marks... its in the 7.0 area...hard side i guess...
 
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