wood
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Posts: 237
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Post by wood on Jun 6, 2011 16:39:24 GMT -7
Hello all,
Been searching the site for tips on clear coating. I have found some but thought maybe its own thread may be in order.
I have a problem with the clear reacting with the water slide decals. (wrinkles) I have access to automotive clears but it's a pain. Has any body used the Future floor wax with good results?
If you have a clear coat tip or best result in your opinion let those finger fly!
Thanks wood
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Post by Joe65SkylarkGS on Jun 6, 2011 16:59:30 GMT -7
For "sensative" decals I brush Future's on. Comes out great. Future's self levels itself too. I just got turned onto the stuff a few months ago myself.  Oh and for the decals curling or rolling the edges up, I went without the Micro Sol. This is good stuff for most applications but again, with thy sensative, homemade decals, put em on with a little soapy water, no Micro-Sol, and you should be able to position them where you need em. When they dry, Future's. ;D |
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Post by TGM2054 on Jun 6, 2011 17:24:48 GMT -7
I've heard of using Future to clear coat the car after it's painted and decaled, but it doesn't take well to crashes (but thats something we're not supposed to worry much about is it?  ) I've never heard of using soapy water for the decals. Now you've got me curious Joe  |
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Post by kiwidave on Jun 6, 2011 18:03:48 GMT -7
I always use a small drop of dish washing liquid soap and use warm water. You can brush Future on or dip the whole car. I used to dip the bodies but now brush it on.
The soap will buy you some time while positioning the decal.
Hope this helps!
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Post by customho on Jun 6, 2011 18:50:17 GMT -7
I've tried dipping in Future and had it come out uneven and had to reaply it. I had someone yesterday recommend using a foam brush to brush it on. Haven't tried it yet. But he swears by it.
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Post by Joe65SkylarkGS on Jun 6, 2011 19:25:39 GMT -7
When I dip an entire body, I will take it and have it attached to a chassis mounted to a short 8 in 1/2 by 1/2 piece of wood and kinda of shake it off in the garbage, good and hard, and then you have to wick the bottom edges with a paper towel so it doesn't come out uneven cause the stuff will settle at the lowest points. Also have it perfectly level for drying.
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Post by Bananasmoothie1975 on Jun 6, 2011 21:03:51 GMT -7
Kiwi - do they still sell "Future" over there?
Apparently it was sold here in Oz years ago, but now the closest is a combined cleaner/polish under the Pledge name.
Still gives a clearcoat, but much thinner.
Am investigating some industrial cleaning floor products, to save me importing Future..
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Post by customho on Jun 6, 2011 21:14:24 GMT -7
Future is basically a clear acrylic paint
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Post by kiwidave on Jun 7, 2011 3:02:54 GMT -7
Johnsons and Johnsons Klear is what I use. Let the paint harden completely before you use it! Seals down the edges of decals nicely.
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Post by Bananasmoothie1975 on Jun 7, 2011 9:21:26 GMT -7
ahh yeah I seem to remember that name from some previous research...
When I can spare $20 I'm gonna try a product called Gemini Floor Sealer, another acrylic floor polish.
Vectra is another one, yet to find it in less than 5 litres though.
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wood
Pro Stock
Posts: 237
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Post by wood on Jun 7, 2011 14:27:13 GMT -7
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Post by falcon on Jun 8, 2011 10:20:24 GMT -7
I am new at the painting part and just finished a camaro using duplicolor paint and clear coat. The decals were from Hairycanay ( THANKS ) and they are definitely on to stay. I crashed to the floor and not one decal messed up. I put 2 coats of the clearcoat on and let dry overnight. I then put on the decals and after 2 hrs. put on 2 more coats of clearcoat letting them dry overnight inbetween. Just my 1 cent worth.
Bob
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Post by pceng on Jun 8, 2011 15:46:34 GMT -7
Have never tried the polish or dipping. Seems it would be adding extra weight to something I'm trying to keep light. Guess if your looking for that glass look it could be the way to go, to make things quicker than coat after coat of paint. Years ago I'd put 18-20 coats of clear gloss on models(light sanding in between) for the glass look. Lately its been 3-4 coats of clear, gloss enamel over enamel (decals in between). Never had a problem with decals, always keep first coat very light.
Someone told me years ago that you couldn't mix paints. Something about them not bonding chemically. Laquer over enamel was a no no. Usually I use Testors sprays (enamels) and Testors sells a clear laquer. Why? I don't know, but I do know it made a mess out of a paint job about a year ago. Curled decals, shrank, and looked like alligator skin when dried. Got a large can of clear auto enamel now, been using it for months no problems. I'd say check to see if your mixing paints if your having problems.
Maybe Ron(bondo), could help us out here. C'mon "Bondo" give us wanabe body guys the scoop here( just messin Ron, but if you know, I'd sure like to know for sure).
............my 2 cents, PC
(Hey Ron, TIA just in case)
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Post by bondoman2k on Jun 8, 2011 17:38:46 GMT -7
Wow, can't believe someone is actually ASKING for ME?   THAT don't happen very often! But, THANKS! ;D Ok, couple things. First off, definitely can NEVER use lacquer OVER enamel. Biggest reason has to do with dry times, and 'solvent evaporation' or as some guys say, 'gassing out'. Enamel takes MUCH longer to dry, since it actually 'skins over' and creates a longer dry time by trapping solvents under the topcoat of paint. Lacquer actually dries from the inside out, reverse from enamel, and as a result of this, dries very quickly. You can spray just about anything OVER lacquer, including enamel, urethanes, Future, whatever. So hope that helps explain that part. As for the 'weight' of clear coats, the heaviest actual clear you will probly use would be urethanes, or automotive type enamel clears. Altho, if you can manage to only get by with two coats, and thin them down without running when they hit the car, or drying too fast, like 'in the air' before they hit the body (and believe me, I've done this! It's called 'dry spray', or Orange Peel, but the car looks WORSE than an orange when that happens! LOL) you can still keep it reasonably light. As for 'lightweight' clear, probly the lightest you could use would be either lacquer, or actually Future, even in multiple coats, is still very lightweight (and I'm talking actual weight in grams guys). By far, the BEST looking would be a two or 4 part automotive urethane shot thru an airbrush. But, the drawbacks to thatr are, as I stated, the weight, and the cost, and also it being difficult for the 'beginner' to use. After you use it a while tho, it is actually easier than it seems. Plus, another thing to watch out for, a LOT of clears have problems with humidity. Lacquers ESPECIALLY, They will turn white on you! And, unless yo sand it off (impossible to do without ruining SOMETHING on you new paint job or decals!) it will STAY white! As for me, I prefer automotive urethanes. BUT, up until recently, I have been using Duplicolor Clear engine enamel in a spray can (yea, I said ENGINE clear..lol), mostly due to the fact that it's cheap and easy to use. I got the 'tip' from a buddy of mine that swore by it, he was doing motorcycle helmets, tool boxes, and bbq grills with it, and told me it was probly the closest thing in a spray can you can find to actual automotive urethanes. Somewhat 'self leveling', and dries pretty quick, and looks good too. You know what? He was right! I've done quite a few cars with it and ALWAYS looked good! VERY shiny, hides decal edges, and paint edges. BUT what he never realized, living in the midwest, is that humidity wasn't too much of a prob up there. I know, I lived there for 43 years..lol. Now, I live in a state that the humidity is either high or low, NO in between, and lately it has decided to STAY high! So, out of the last 6 bodies I've tried to paint, I got two that look GREAT, two that are not very good, and two that are JUNK!  Meaning, I need to repaint 4 out of 6. That's NOT a good ratio! And, in the last week, I've tried Future as well. NOT that impressed with it myself. Haven't dipped it yet, or airbrushed it, but as for brushing, tried two coats, 3 coats, up to 5 to 6 coats. Looked WORSE with every coat! Whether I let it sit overnight between coats, or put them on within an hour. Not saying it doesn't work, as it obviously does for a lot of people, and has for years. Maybe, it's the fact that the 'new' Future is NOT the same as the 'old' formula. Now, I can't find anything with just the name Future on it, and was told and heard that it's now "Pledge with Future shine". That's the only thing I could find here, and that's what everyone's said as well when I asked. I DID try it on a few windows, and while not perfect. it did HELP them look a little better than they were. Still not as great as I been told it would be tho. Hopefully, it's just me, and the way I'm doing it. I'm still gonna keep trying it, especially since I have a VERY large bottle of it, and no floor to use it on! LOL!!! Maybe I'll get better with it. So, in my opinion, the BEST paint job would be a few coats of a lacquer basecoat, then decals or graphics, then one to two coats of an auto urethane. Anymore than that and you do start making the body 'heavier'. Of course, if you add blowers, or scoops, headers, chutes, wire the chutes, etc., then you will need to keep in mind you're adding more weight as well. Spray can clears, as long as you find one that works for you, will stay pretty light as long as you go no more than two to three coats. And this is ONLY for the guys that really care about the weight! Personally, and this is just ME talking, I don't CARE about the weight. I figure, if mine are gonna be slow anyway, they might as well LOOK good! LOL! ;D Ron (Bondo) |
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Post by bondoman2k on Jun 8, 2011 18:02:56 GMT -7
Also, forgot to mention this. A lot of Enamels in a can nowdays are actually a 'modified enamel' Somewhere between a lacquer an an enamel. As a result, they do dry fairly quickly. Any of you that has used automotive type enamels, whether clears or colors, know what I'm talking about. I can still remember painting a lot of semi truck cabs (full size 1 to 1's I mean) with 'fleet' enamel. Took FOREVER to dry! Sometimes up to 72 hours or longer! And the smell STUCK on you for DAYS! LOL! Then, we went to clearcoating (before the urethanes of today came out) with Ditzler Delthane clear, with the hardener additive, DXR-80, sort of the same as today's urethanes, but an enamel base. But MUCH harder to use! And, if you sprayed that clear with that hardener, without a mask (keep in mind with ANY auto based paint, you should ALWAYS wear a mask ANYWAY!)..you wouldn't even make it out of the spray booth ALIVE! Stuff would harden in your lungs within minutes! Then we tried buffing that, sanded it with 400 to 600 grit! And it STILL took ALL day and ALL the energy you had, just to sand it! And buffing it was yet another story! We went thru a LOT of buffing pads just to get a shine out of it! Looked GREAT when everything worked right, but what a MESS if it didn't..LOL. VERY 'hard' paint! So anyway, what I'm trying to say is, that's a lot of the reasons why with today's paints and clears, it IS a lot easier to use an 'enamel' over an 'enamel'. In the past, you would have to wait a LONG time to recoat or clearcoat something if it messed up, as I stated in my post before, due to the way enamels actually dry. It is still true tho with regards to a lacquer based paint OVER an enamel. At least a 'true' enamel anyway. Now, are you THOROUGHLY confused yet? ;D Ron (Bondo) |
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) I've never heard of using soapy water for the decals. Now you've got me curious Joe 
THAT don't happen very often! 
Meaning, I need to repaint 4 out of 6. That's NOT a good ratio!