When To Spray Clear?

[Rudy]

I am finishing up the paint on a 57 chevy pickup that I am building. It is my first "Real" attempt at a good paintjob. I had never done much else other than just spray the paint and call it good in the past. I have sprayed many coats of Testor's enamel on the car with a good coat of primer and a nice wet sanding underneath the paint. I have never sprayed clear before and was just wondering how long after I spray the last coat of paint do I apply the clear. Right after? When it is still tacky? 15 mins? 2 hours? 2 days? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Rudy

[Canada Jeff]

Enamel paint takes a VERY long time to fully dry (or "gas-out" as it's often called), especially if it's been put on in many thick coats as you indicated. I normally like to let my colour coats dry fully before starting on the clear coats. You may want to let that car sit for at least two weeks or more to let that enamel paint dry. If you start putting clear coats on top of paint that isn't fully gassed-out, you risk trapping the remaining solvents in the colour coat under the clear, which could lead to problems with your clear coat down the road (yellowing, clouding, or even peeling).

I have two pieces of advice for you here:

1) Let that body sit for a month before you spray your enamel-friendly clear coats.

2) During that month, start a new project and switch your paint system over to lacquers (Tamiya or Duplicolor products are great, easy to find and not that expensive). Lacquer paint dries much faster than enamel, is usually glossier right out of the can, requires less paint thickness for good colour coverage, and dries to a harder, more durable finish.

I stopped using enamel paints about four years ago and it was the single biggest leap forward in the quality of my finished cars in the 25 years I've been doing this.

Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

[Harry P.]

I stopped using enamel paints about four years ago and it was the single biggest leap forward in the quality of my finished cars in the 25 years I've been doing this.

A huge AMEN to that!

The single biggest step you can take to improve your paint finishes is to DUMP THE ENAMELS and use either acrylics or lacquers.

Enamels are finicky, extremely slow to dry, and basically a pain to work with. On your next model, try acrylics or lacquers, for the reasons Jeff stated above. I guarantee you'll NEVER go back to "model paint" (enamels) again.

Personally I swear by DupliColor, but there are many other brands. Do yourself a huge favor and check them out.

[dragmodeler]

Some helpful hints here.

If you do continue to use Testors enamels, invest in a food dehydrator to dry models in faster. I did, & though I do love the newer Tamiya & Testors lacquers, I still use Testors enamels in some cases, simply because I like some of the colors available in them.

Now, on spraying clear, here's a little hint for you.

When spraying the final color coat of Testors enamel, have a warm can of their enamel clear at the ready. As soon as the final color coat is on, spray a coat of clear over it. This works well in reducing & leveling out orange peel. Then set the body aside to dry/gas out for a week or longer, (less if you use a dehydrator of course). I've clear coated bodies after 36 hours using the dehydrator with no problems. It also helps lacquer paint jobs to cure faster.

Do NOT do the above trick on a white painted body or a light blue one, as enamel clear has a slight yellow tint that will show up on the white over time, & can shift the shade & hue of light blue colors.

You can do the same trick with clear lacquer over a lacquer paint job to reduce orange peel as well.

If you do switch to a hobby lacquer, be forewarned that Tamiya's clear must be applied immediately over their colors after painting, or you need to wait at least a month for the color coats to gas out, (or again use a dehydrstor to speed up the process). If you don't do this, you run the risk of the clear crazing.cracking over the color coats. IIRC, even Tamiya's website mentions this. You may or may not have the same problem with Testors color lacquers & their clears. As I use the dehydrator on all my panit jobs now I can't say for sure if Testors does like Tamiya does.

Finally, go by Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc, & get a can of Krylon Crystal Clear clear coat. It's a polyurethane, is safe over hobby lacquers & enamels, & won't yellow. Use this as your final clear coat.

[dragmodeler]

Great suggestion on the Krylon. I assume it is ok over white lacquer (i.e. won't yellow). Is it cool enough over decals?

[Rudy]

Dammit. So much for my "quick build" to break up the monotmony of the longer, annoyingly delicate builds. I guess I will have to get a dehydrator...... Sounds like Laquer is the only way to go........ Wait a month!?!?!?! Jeez....... What a p.i.t.a........

Thanks gents!

Rudy

[MR BIGGS]

I think only a few day's will do. It should be ok to clear it now. I use alot of enamel's on my engine's and other small part's then clear them right after in hr's and never had a problem. Make sure of one thing once you do this is you got to let it breath or gass out like Jeff said. Alot of guy's paint car's and stick them right into a container ant their paint don't look like it did when they put it in. that's due to the gasses and not letting it breath. I am a big laquer FAN and like and die by them. If you go to pepe boy's they cary all the automotive paint's in duplecolor that what you should try and get a hold of. you will never go back.

ANTHONY R.