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Clear Coat Help

Started by Wagster, June 03, 2008, 06:20:07 PM

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Wagster

I sprayed my pedal with FolkArt Hi-Shine Glaze over a week ago and I can still press my nail into the clear coat.Should I strip the finish and try a different clear coat or give it more time?Here's a pic of what I used on my acrylic finish.




23

Try putting it under a flood light/heat lamp type of light, you can get em from wally world for about 5 bucks in the automotive section, 30 mins under these seems to work for my finishes and of course and little drying time to let things completely set up. Is the "glaze" that you used recommended  for aluminum/metal, and typically you want to use acrylic on acrylic and like wise with enamels and other finishes.
Check the can to see if it can be used for what your using it for and try the light or a toaster oven on about 130 for ten mins, dont scrap it yet. If all else fails redo it with the proper stuff.
Hope this helps.......

scott
put it together, now take it apart

SteveB

Are you sure it's just the clear coat that is soft? If you painted the pedal with acrylic paint, it may stay soft forever. A thin clear coat will only get as hard as the paint underneath it. If the base paint is indeed hard, you may want to try other clear coats.

Krylon Crystal Clear is a great fast drying clear.

Or, you could brush on coats of Future floor coating. It's commonly thought of as floor wax, but it is really liquid acrylic that dries hard. Many scale model builders use this as a clear coat for their models.

23 had a great suggestion, too. This time of year you can put it outside in the hot sun, too.

Steve

Rodgre

Quote from: SteveB on June 03, 2008, 10:52:14 PMOr, you could brush on coats of Future floor coating. It's commonly thought of as floor wax, but it is really liquid acrylic that dries hard. Many scale model builders use this as a clear coat for their models.

I was going to mention this as well. I learned about Future as a clear gloss way back when, when I went through an airliner modeling phase and I would airbrush thinned Future as my final overcoat.  I just overcoated a coffee table at the studio with it the other day.

This is a great tip. I find that if the finish, whatever it is, is totally dry and hardened (I'm talking a week or so of letting it cure) that a couple of light coats of Future can build up to a nice shine. It's easily thinned with water and shot from an airbrush or else you can brush it on, if you don't mind a couple of visible strokes in the finish, that you may be able to polish out. I've never actually tried sanding and buffing out a Future overcoat to get a super glass-smooth finish. I've always been afraid to mess with it once it's been sprayed on, but I bet that once it's dried you can probably polish it like any cured acrylic paint. Anyone confirm this?

Roger

dxm1

If I'm applying a clear decal over a _dark_ paint or powder coat (not white), I always level the finish with Future before setting the decal. Future is indeed an acrylic clear, but it will darken with time. Use it on darker colors only, and only _under_ the decal.  It works great to get a smooth finish for water-slide decals (no air bubbles), and means less clear acrylic coats.

I use an airbrush (light coats are better), and give it about three light coats, then 24 hours to dry.  Apply the decal(s), then clear coat.  No setting solution is usually necessary, but a shot of Windex (or diluted ammonia) helps to position the decal.

For those not in the US, the different flavors of J&J Future can be found here:

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

I'm finishing up DougH's Brick in an orange powder coated 125, and will post the results in the 'Pictures' thread.

Wagster

I'm using acrylic paint.I'm on a swirl kick lately.I'll try the Krylon clear acrylic and see how that works.

Thanks,
Billy

plankspank

Krylon "Triple Thick Crystal Clear Glaze" works well also.