Clear over Spaz Stix.

[misterNNL]

I am rounding third and headed for home on my scratch built 1/25 1940's era Airfloat travel trailer project.After a lot of research and careful measuring it's time to paint.I decided to go for a sort of polished bare metal finish so I am using the Spaz Stix ultimate chrome paint in rattle cans.I found this in a hobby shop that carrys a lot of RC stuff.The base Is their# 10209 ultimate black backer and the finish coat is # 10009 mirror chrome.Base dried quickly in today's 75 degree weather.Top coat went on without any disasters as well.Then being unsure as to wether the top color would finger print I unfortunately decided to clear coat it with Testors # 1261 gloss clear.After the first coat I wished I hadn't done that.The clear actually dulled the surface making it look like just any other silver paint job.

I repainted it starting with the black backer then the mirror top and all looks like was intended to look.My paint is Not a mirror finish as there was no way to create a super smooth surface with ribbed side panels and 850 rivets showing but overall I am pleased.

My whole point here is to caution other builders to think twice before clear coating this product.

[bugman9317]

I did the exact same thing thinking the gloss coat would make it look even better. Just chalk it up in the memory bank.

[935k3]

Future is the best thing to use over it because it is a totally neutral clear that does not react with the paint. All other clears will react with the paint to some extent. Future will dull it a bit but not to the level of other clears. If you don't like or want it off it strips with straight ammonia which does not effect the underlying paint(except water based acrylics)

[peteski]

Another vote for Future (Pledge Multi-surface ... blah blah, blah, whatever they call it now).  Alclad also sells a water-base clear for their mirror-finish paints.  It is white in a liquid state but dries clear. Either of these should not change the sheen of your metallic paint.

Those high-shine metallic paints have thin flat metallic particles with very shiny surface (like microscopic mirrors). When they are applied over glossy surface, the metallic particles lay down flat and align with each other as the paint dries, creating a large mirror-like surface.  If a solvent-based clear coat is applied over those paints, the solvent partially softens the base layer - that  messes up the alignment of the metal particles. When they are no longer in alignment, the mirror effect disappears and they look like any other metallic paint.

[High octane]

I've used Spaz-Stix a few times and never use any clear over it. I'm pleased with the results.

[misterNNL]

Thanks for the information Peter.I never had idea of the chemistry behind the finish.Pretty cool actually.

[MeatMan]

I used Jacquard clear varnish, but Pledge works as well. I did the same and then read the can which specifies water-based clears!

[fairlane1320]

I just did this tail panel and bumper with Spaz Stix. I'm going to need to detail the tail panel with a black wash. Is this going to be a problem?