Best Clear Coat

[bigapple]

What is the best clear coat brand? rite now i have duplicolor gloss and it seems to work good but im not really sure how to go about sanding and using rubbing compound too... just wondering a step by step to a smooth shine

 

[ghoster]

what are you clear coating? also do you have access to a spray gun and compressor?
If so chromaclear is by far the best clear..its is expensive but gives the best quality..just as refrence..that what i use to smoke the taillights..

 

[Flounder]

Ghoster: Is chromaclear a gun paint or does it come in a spray bomb, also?

 

[ghoster]

gun paint..comes in quarts and gallons.

 

[bigapple]

im recoating my trim on the front because the gloss black is chipping from road debris... i had previously painted it with gloss black krylon fusion and im gunna put 2 clear coats on it and try to buff it smooth with some rubbing compound... if yall have any suggestions of how to go about this i am open to constructive critisizm/suggestions

 

[ctrivelpiece]

maybe i can help ya

Ok first off, you might run into a problem just respraying your trim. It might!! look shinier than the rest of the vehicle, but not much you can do. As far as sandign and polishing before you clear you need to make sure your surface is smooth. This is commonly down by wet sanding the base color with 400 or finer wet sand paper (finer is better but longer). After that is done then your ready to spray, if you have spray gun i have alittle trick i do to hide imperfections better. In the first layer of clear i mix in some base color in with my clear, just enough to give the clear alittle color if you put to much in no big deal. After the first coat is flashed off (to check it flashed usually about 15-20 min at 70-90 degrees, really lightly!! rub the back of ur fingers across the clear if u feel stickiness give it 5 more mins, if not ur ready for 2nd coat. Now in the 2d coat dont mix any paint in just spray it regularly and you should have a nice shine.If you need to wet sand any imperfections out (orange peel "looks liek skin of orange", dirt, ect.) now is the time, be careful not to sand through. Ok now polishing/buffing. If you have a buffer awesome. You should use buffing compuond made by 3M. Its called Perfect it 3000. Oh and get an apron to cause ur gonna make a mess lol. First start off with extra cut compound. Its very very important to make sure the buffer stays moving and be very careful around edges. Also any plastics or emblems. Ok start off with a nickle sized puddle of compound run buffer through it and work and area of about 1ft by 1ft. Ounce you start to see your compound is gone look at the paint from different angles lettign the light hit it and you should see if its perfectly smooth. If it is move on. If not try again. Dont let the buffer burn through the paint. After alot of hard work and patients you should have a beautiful finish. But your not done yet, next you have to go back over it with swirl mark remover specially with black. then they make a gloss finish never used because after swirl mark remover your vehicle show look pretty good. Wash the explorer down and the compound washes off and check it out. lemme know if this helps.

 

[Rick]

Ctrivelpiece, that was an informative first post.

Welcome to the site

 

[MONMIX]

hey buddy !!!!!!!!!
Sounds like I am gonna have some help around here.
I have worked in collision repair for 15+ years now.
I know all about the body end of it but very little on the paint side.
Sounds like your knowledge picks up where I leave off.

Welcome to the site and dont be a stanger.