Base coat, clear coat paint application

[Woody]

A friend who is a novice painter told me when applying base coat clear coat paint that the base coat must be sanded before applying the clear. In my research (I'm a wanna be painter) I found that when the dase coat has flashed then you apply the clear coat.........no sanding. After the clear has dried then you color sand...Of course I guess it depends on the paint manufacture's instructions. So, do you sand after the base coat or not?

Thanks guys!

Woody

 

[Drop Top]

The only time that a base coat should be sanded is if it has sat to long between coats. Thats usually 12 hours. If it has been sanded it shoud then be recoated with another coat or two of base before clearing.

 

[Woody]

Thanks for your reply droptop!

Woody

 

[YBLEGL]

different paint maufacturers recommend different times till it needs to be resanded I paint with PPG at work and they give you a 72 hour window to clear the car after its based. If you just base the car and then goto clear it right away do not sand the car you will see all the scratches under the clear and it will look horrible.

 

[Drop Top]

I get nervous if the paint sets longer then 12 hours. I've seen another person let it set for 48 hrs before clearing. It was PPG. Looked great for 2 years then the clear started to peel.
My customers pay $10,000.00 and up for me to restore their cars. I have a very good reputation and a long waiting list. I want to keep it that way. I can't aford for one of them to have a problem a few years down the line. So thats why I don't recomend any longer then 12 hrs. In fact If I have to let it sit for that long I will apllie another light coat before I clear it. Just for safty reasions.

 

[YBLEGL]

dude I tottally hear you I also do alot of custom work on the side and have a waiting list its crazy how business took off I only do it on the side though I still work at a dealership because I need health care and a 401k =)

 

[YBLEGL]

what do you spray and how do you like it im looking to try a new product line so far all I spray is PPG I have tried dupont it wasnt bad, im hearing sikkens has gotten better and HOK sucks now that valspar bought them out but no idea if its true. I got a friend who works at a shop and sprays shermin williams and he swears buy it. Ive also heard standox is really good havent tried it, I think thats what BMW uses.

 

[Drop Top]

I started painting old pick ups on my farther's farm when I was 13 years old. I'm 46 now. It was a hobbie then. I painted my own High School car (70 Chevelle SS) when I was 16. I then started painting my friends cars. I restored my first car (ground up) when I was in my early 20s. 69 Supper Bee then did a 70 Charger R/T SE right after that. I used all PPG products on them. I've used PPG for many years and for me they have worked very well. When the place that I used to buy my materials started to change ownership I fallowed the people that I was used to doing bussniess with to their new store. They did not carry PPG. They did carry Du Pont. I tried using D/P for a few years and never much cared for it. Their paint dosent cover as well as PPG number one and some other issues that I had with the local rep. I did do a 52 Ford truck with d/p that made it in 3 different mags though. Anyway I started using Valspar and have had very good results with their blocking primers and clears. The HOK line to me hasnt changed at all except for the better sence Valspar bought them out. Kosmaskie (Spelling) the founder of HOK is still emploied by them and still has a great deal of perswation with them. HOK line of clears and the Valspar line of clears are vertually the same with the exception of the label. The HOK line of bases are very user friendly and are very impressave. I have shot some cars that HOK has used in their displays at cars shows here in the Calif. area.
If I'm restoring a 60s/70s car. What I use know with great results. Valspar VP line of sealers for the bare metal. Valspar blocking primer. The number escapes me at the moment. But its a very good high bild primer expensive but cheaper then PPGs 280 and dose just as good. Then I use Valspars VP line to seal the primer for paint. Then I go with PPG base coat. It covers well and Valspar base is a good quailty but the shades are a little off. Then I go with eather the Valspar or HOK clear. These clears flow out very nice and sand and buff easy. They have an extremly high gloss and hold up to the eliments very well. I used to use PPGs 2020 and these clears remind me a great deal of that clear.
If I'm doing a custom I do preaty much the same but I switch to HOK for sealing for paint and stick with them for the paint and clear.
Some of he paints that you mentioned are not avalible here. But I would stay away from S/W paints inless I was painting a house. I havent had very good results with them. Sandox is not available here but I have been told it was bought out by Du Pont. So I wouldn't use it anyway.

 

[YBLEGL]

sounds basically like you use what I used I use alot of the concept 2020 clear I also use PPG's global line of clear the 893 and the stuff is awesome so far. I am going to be experimenting with HOK this week since u said the clear is the same as valspar ill just buy their clear since its going to be cheaper hopefully It all works out im painting 3 cars this week with PPG's Harlequin paint which is their flip flop line of paints and its 510 dollars a pint so I dont wanna screw it up. Plus they all need to look mint they are going to the world of wheels show in MA its a big auto show and am hoping to get some sort of paint award.

 

[JP87GN]

Most of the shops I worked at use PPG globel, I think its a great product. Then I started working at a shop that sprays Glasurit and I noticed the metalics sit down better and have a European look to the paint.