Base/clear application
 

Hey guys,
Curious with a base clear application if it better to apply clear while the base is still a little tacky or better for it to be completely baked and dry before the clear application. Thanks.

follow the recommendation of the paint manufacturer you're using. The ones I've sprayed are usually in the 20-45 minute minimum after last base coat, and no more than 24 hours after, or you need to re-scuff the car for adhesion which would require another base coat unless it's a solid color).

Jody

Let it set up till its fully dry,then you can clear.
Some paints have a window which means after so long they need to be scuffed and re shot

I'm with Pete let it completely dry. This also gives you a chance to check over the base and make sure there aren't any runs, drips, dirt, etc that you can sand out before putting the clear on top.

x eleventy billion times,

usually there is a label on a can that tells you how long you have to wait, if there isn't one, get tech sheet for this product from you supplier or get online and find it,

if you're spraying at appropriate temperature, 20-30 minutes is all you have to wait,I usually shoot 2 medium coats and get the desired coverage,after 20 minutes I come back and lightly wetsand the whole thing with 1000 or 1200 depending on the color ,then shoot one medium coat,wait another 20-25 minutes and shoot the clear, sanding the basecoat helps getting rid of any flaws,

Thanks everyone for the advice. Car is going to be changed to the factory Garnet red. The reason I ask, is that I would have to get the hockey stick stripes on the car before I cleared. I know this will affect my strategy with the paint job.

I take it then that time is not as important between the base coats.

just the minimum flash time between coats, but that's rarely a problem (at least for me) because by the time I get all the way around the car for a coat it's ready for the next one. But watch the maximum, as most want no more than 24 hours between the last coat and the first coat of clear. That gives you plenty of time to lay out the stripes and paint them, but doesn't give you unlimited time.

Now with a solid color you have even more time as they can be wet sanded with 600 or so after the 24 hour period and then have the clear shot, so if you're willing to do that you can extend the 24 hour max. The problem is with metallics as any wet sanding will change the image and require another basecoat over the top before laying down the clear.

Jody

I'd still wait atleast 7-10 minutes between coats when shooting base, you don't want to load bunch of base and not let it flash, you may end up with die-back if you don't wait

20 minutes till a wet sand? how much of a mess does the wet sanding make? i'd assume a whole bunch, but you never know.

thanks, Tim