Solvent and Waterbase Cleaners

O

Outlaw

I get a little overwhelmed when I try and digest all the information on this forum. I understand SPI is intended for bare metal. I understand wiping down bare metal with SPI solvent base followed by SPI water born. What I am not sure of is after epoxy has been applied and before filler is applied, should the surface be cleaned with both or either solvent base and water born? After filler has been applied and blocked, should both or either solvent and water born be used before applying 2K Primer? Same question for prep step between 2K and Epoxy sealer, and again for sealer to base?
 
I think the preferred order of application is water first then the solvent last, the solvent helps with the evaporation of the waterborne.

After you're done with epoxy on bare metal many shops switch to only using the solvent on all the following steps as long as you know you've kept the substrate reasonably clean.

If there's sweat, skin oils, maybe silicons floating around your working area then all bets are off and you're better going back to using water then solvent cleaning steps.
 
Isopropyl alcohol works very good at eliminating organics such as skin oils. We used it when cleaning magnetic media surfaces in electronics. It should be 90% or greater though to evaporate fast and it leaves no residue behind. I generally follow up with that after a solvent base wipe (ex: DX330) on all surfaces starting with bare metal. I don't apply anything wet to filler on purpose however as a rule and if I do get some on it in preparation to epoxy and/or primer, I let it dry over night if necessary. I wear thin Harbor Freight nitrile gloves to keep skin oils off the work.
Even though I'm new to BC/CC (was a SS guy), I used solvent and alcohol at every step up to base, but not base to topcoat. Using alcohol gives a new meaning to "squeaky clean". :) You have to feel it to know what I'm talking about.
Mike
 
MikeS;n81684 said:
Isopropyl alcohol works very good at eliminating organics such as skin oils. We used it when cleaning magnetic media surfaces in electronics. It should be 90% or greater though to evaporate fast and it leaves no residue behind. I generally follow up with that after a solvent base wipe (ex: DX330) on all surfaces starting with bare metal. I don't apply anything wet to filler on purpose however as a rule and if I do get some on it in preparation to epoxy and/or primer, I let it dry over night if necessary. I wear thin Harbor Freight nitrile gloves to keep skin oils off the work.
Even though I'm new to BC/CC (was a SS guy), I used solvent and alcohol at every step up to base, but not base to topcoat. Using alcohol gives a new meaning to "squeaky clean". :) You have to feel it to know what I'm talking about.
Mike
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Mike do you use any cleaners on top of filler or 2k primer?
 
I always try to avoid getting the filler wet, but if it does I give it plenty of dry time. I've use cleaners on every primer step only. I don't use any cleaners on a sealer coat other than a tack rag.
 
When you guys use the water based first then solvent based, do you allow the 30-45 minutes for the water based to dry?
If not, how long do you let it dry?
Also how long do you let the solvent based dry after a dry cloth wipe down?

Danford1
 
I just blow off with air. Have painted things from five minutes to hours later and haven't had any problems that I know of.
 
Here is my outlook on this, when starting with bare metal I clean the bare metal as thoroughly as possible with Waterbourne cleaner. then apply my epoxy. then body work, then more epoxy, sand epoxy again, and then 2k primer.

THEN once I sand the primer I use solvent cleaner on the sanded primer just before paint, I use it as a final cleaner.

I typically do not use cleaners in between steps as it has already been cleaned, If I feel I have introduced a contaminant then I will wipe that area down again, but from step to step IMO there is no reason to clean between stages, it's already clean, and i am not going to introduce any form of contaminant onto the vehicle at this point. I do the final clean right before the paint just to remove any last minute contamination and also to clean the panel of dust and debris right before paint.

I do not like the idea of a cleaner soaking into the filler and not having a chance to escape before primer.

NOW with all of that being said. I do have projects that I may let sit for a long time between stages, in some instances like this I may wipe it down again before starting the next stage. But this isn't something that happens to often.
 
Chad, my plan is to get everything in epoxy and 2k. Once its in 2k (blcoked and ready for sealer or final epoxy), Im going to consider it in infinity storage. I will keep the pieces covered in a clean white sheet or plastic and in a heated shop. When Im ready to paint, I do a quick epoxy seal, base, and clear all within the recoat window of the sealer. Im doing it for a hobby so, I have no deadlines until I get into recoat windows. I figure the window between 2k primer and sealer is the best place to suspend the process. Your thoughts?
 
I did something like that where various front end sheet metal in final un-sanded primer (prior to sealer) for months before I got to spraying them. I stored them in large 'banana storage bags' to keep them safe from hands and airborne particles.
 
MikeS;n81875 said:
I did something like that where various front end sheet metal in final un-sanded primer (prior to sealer) for months before I got to spraying them. I stored them in large 'banana storage bags' to keep them safe from hands and airborne particles.
Click to expand...

A few cautions here.
For any fresh paint only cover with a cover that can breath, no waterproof covers.
Always when covered store off of garage floor.
Never store where water may wet the floor when covered.
Any of the above can be a disaster waiting to happen, fresh paint is paint up to six months old.
 
All good points, Barry, and I do realize your commenting more for painted parts. My primed panels were stored on carpeted wood blocks in a finished basement with A/C so humidity was always low. Though in plastic bags, the bags open ends were left loosely draped over the panel end and I had a few slits so it could 'breath'.
 
Mike, the caution was for epoxy, 2K primer or painted parts, all have the same risk.
 
even draped plastic touching a freshly painted or primed part is not a good idea for any length of time.
 
Question. Let's say we are using 2K Turbo Primer over 3 day old epoxy and storing parts for future work. The data I read says the Turbo will reach full cure in 3 hours, something about hyper cure resins...
If say the Turbo was sprayed 2 days ago, couldn't the parts be draped with plastic as the resin have already cured? I don't mean air tight, just a plastic drop cloth thrown over them to keep debris from getting into the texture of the primer.
I hope so because that is what I'm doing :-}

Danford1
 
I have seen in person, 2 year old factory job destroyed due to covering and due getting under cover., a 8 and 12 year old repaint destroyed for same reason.
A 6 month old black base/clear get white spots 2-6 Inches long.. Just be careful how covered and where it is setting.
 
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