Clear coat help!

[Silverknigh58]

Hi there, I'm new here...

I've been building funny car kits since I was a kid.. on and off... I enjoy building a clean looking model with a nice paint job.. nothing too fancy.

Lately I've been digging into my stock of kits and finished a decent Shirley Muldowney Bounty Huntress using the Revell Blue Max kit and Slixx decals, it turned out pretty nice.

Now on to my problem I used Testors One Coat clear and had no problem, the next one I worked on was Ray Alley and had the decal on the hood curdle and bubble even trying to use light coats.. I wet sanded the decal and ordered another set of decals. I'm waiting for the decal to dry as I type. I just finished applying Tom McEwen's Mongoose 2 decals a coupls days ago and did a light coat of Testors Gloss coat, figuring it may be a little less volatile., worked ok... waited an hour and did another one... I had curdling on some decals... gonna order another set, and wet sand a re-apply.

What is the best product to use on these decals to seal them and get a nice gloss without wrecking all that work?

I look forward to your answers, thanks!

[Steve Keck]

Future works for me. Brush it on in one stroke. Let it level out and dry overnight. Then apply your clear of choice.

[Silverknigh58]

Thanks, I tried that and it lifted the decals on my White Bear Dodge.. I'm in the process of re-decaling it after a strip job and re-paint. I need a fool proof method.... idiot proof in my case lol.

[Mike Kucaba]

Then try spraying the Future on in very light coats over several hours and let it dry for a few days.

[Mooneyzs]

Hey Will... I personally use PPG base coat/clear coat on my models. To be exact I use the DBC and Omni line for the bases and their 2020 or 2021 Urathane Clears and haven't had any troubles with shooting the clear over the decals. I will spray my base coats let them flash inbetween coats about 10 to 15 mins depending on weather. Then I wait about 30 to 45 mins to shoot the clear. once done with that I tend to wait a fiew days before I apply my decals then will wait a day or two and then go back and add more coats of clear over the decals.

I have a thread where you can see how I painted a Front Engine Dragster where I did the process I just explained if you wanted to take a look. Not sure if any of this has helped but I would make sure you mist your first and maybe second coat of clear. now I am not sure what type of paint the testors one shot clear if it is an enamel or a Lacquer. if its a lacquer it may just be having a reaction with the decals. I am not sure what else to suggest. How long are you letting the decals dry before you are clearning it?

I have never tried the method that Steve mentioned about brushing a coat of future over the decals before clearing. maybe try a test decal on a sheet of plastic or old body before you try it on your build.

[mcandela]

Try some clear from Duplicolor. Spray 2 light coats first, and after it has completly dried sand with some 1500 or 2000 and finish it with another 2 more coats and its's done. If You really want it shinny polish it with some rubbing compound and wax.

Edited September 2, 2011 by mcandela

[MikeMc]

Hi there, I'm new here...

I've been building funny car kits since I was a kid.. on and off... I enjoy building a clean looking model with a nice paint job.. nothing too fancy.

Lately I've been digging into my stock of kits and finished a decent Shirley Muldowney Bounty Huntress using the Revell Blue Max kit and Slixx decals, it turned out pretty nice.

Now on to my problem I used Testors One Coat clear and had no problem, the next one I worked on was Ray Alley and had the decal on the hood curdle and bubble even trying to use light coats.. I wet sanded the decal and ordered another set of decals. I'm waiting for the decal to dry as I type. I just finished applying Tom McEwen's Mongoose 2 decals a coupls days ago and did a light coat of Testors Gloss coat, figuring it may be a little less volatile., worked ok... waited an hour and did another one... I had curdling on some decals... gonna order another set, and wet sand a re-apply.

What is the best product to use on these decals to seal them and get a nice gloss without wrecking all that work?

I look forward to your answers, thanks!

Future works for me. Brush it on in one stroke. Let it level out and dry overnight. Then apply your clear of choice.

Well I think Steve is right on course. What I suspect is in both cases your decals lifted or bubbled...I'm thinking trapped water and that WILL cause both products to fail. If the future fails, strip it with a fresh coat or a windex wash...neither will harm your base paint. Did you clear your Basecoat before the decals? I clear first for a smooth even base, decal....forget about for a while in a box and when I find it again its all dry ready for my final clear. I shoot both TS13 and Duplacolor clears depending on my base color paint.