[mikewoodson88]

I sprayed the car with like 5 or 6 coats of clear. Then I let it sit for like a month, then tried to sand it wet with a 1000 grit. Barely broke though. Now I tried doing it dry with 400 grit. Most spots are smooth and dull. But there are little spots like pinholes that are shiny. How the hell do you get rid of them? I plan on knocking the clear down smooth, then reshooting it with another 2 coats of dupoint. Then, I will wet sand with like 2000 grit sand paper and buff it. Is that the right process??? Any suggestions?

67 cougar with blue metallic flake

 

[desertdave55]

I sprayed the car with like 5 or 6 coats of clear. Then I let it sit for like a month, then tried to sand it wet with a 1000 grit. Barely broke though. Now I tried doing it dry with 400 grit. Most spots are smooth and dull. But there are little spots like pinholes that are shiny. How the hell do you get rid of them? I plan on knocking the clear down smooth, then reshooting it with another 2 coats of dupoint. Then, I will wet sand with like 2000 grit sand paper and buff it. Is that the right process??? Any suggestions?

67 cougar with blue metallic flake

Wow, 5 or 6 coats of clear? Why? You're building up way too much material. I would suspect you'd have problems in the future with cracking and other ailments. First off, I'm thinking you should've wet-sanded off any imperfections within 12-24 hours of spraying the clearcoat. If we're indeed talking about polyurethane, geez, that stuff really completes its' process and is hard as a rock after a month. I'd suggest you start working those layers down, coarse wetsanding down to fine wetsanding, before you work it out with a buffer with a rubbing compound. Don't add any more clearcoat!

Knock the clear down smooth first by wet-sanding, then start machine buffing with various grades of rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound. Not gonna be easy since the clearcoat has set up, but still manageable.

 

[bosselim69]

Three to four coats of clear is enough and no need to spray more after you wet sand and get the inperfections out. Usually figure you're going to sand one coat off. You want to wet sand with in the first week after spraying the clear while it is a little soft and easier to sand. Waiting a month...you just made a hard job harder... Now I think you are on the right path. Hit it with some 400 then wet with 1000 and then 1500 and again with 2000 or 2500 and buff with a course compound and finish up with a fine. Your going to have to do it in steps as the 400 will leave scratches that will need removed. Then put the Jane Fonda tapes away, because after this you won't need a workout.

 

[Cedar Rapids Ia]

Just throwing this out there for you, I hate to use MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone)....but it's properties allow for the product being sprayed to "melt in" better than lacquer thinner allows for. I have used it in the past to "blend in" dry spots. Perhaps one of our members has a better knowledge of it than I do. It's just what has worked for me in the past. I do agree that you waited "WAAAYYYYYY to long" to try to sand clear coat.

 

[Local Hero]

While I agree it sands easier the earlier you do it. The two last cars I painted were both at least 6 months from the time I pulled the trigger 'til the time I got around to the scuff and buff process. Yes, both were urethane as well.

Yes, 5-6 coats is a bit heavy. But you'll be sanding at least one maybe two off. I feel 400 is too course. I'd go no heavier than 600. Follow that up with 1000, 1500, and then 2000. Each pass will hide the scratches left by the step before. Don't add any more clear. You'll get pretty much all of those pinholes out with this stepped process. The few you might not, then don't worry about them. They blend in just fine after the car is buffed.

Patience is key here.

 

[towcat]

Just throwing this out there for you, I hate to use MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone)....but it's properties allow for the product being sprayed to "melt in" better than lacquer thinner allows for. I have used it in the past to "blend in" dry spots. Perhaps one of our members has a better knowledge of it than I do. It's just what has worked for me in the past. I do agree that you waited "WAAAYYYYYY to long" to try to sand clear coat.

I am not questioning your process, I would like to know when you use lacquer thinner in clear coat except in clean up. I must be missing something.

 

[Cedar Rapids Ia]

I am not questioning your process, I would like to know when you use lacquer thinner in clear coat except in clean up. I must be missing something.

Ooooops...mea culpa...didn't really think about that response before sending it. You are correct sir! (Johnny Carson Show)

 

[Jan Ove]

No problem in waiting that long, or even longer before wetsanding the clear, and about the amount of clearcoats, i see you list it as blue with metallic flakes, if it´s painted with flakes, then you sure need lots of coats with clear, usually the flakes is shot mixed in the clear, then an additional 2-3 coats of regular clear to top that, then wetsand, then shoot 2-3 more coats of clear, and you might have to do 1 more wetsand and reclear to get it to smooth out and get enough clear to cover the metal flakes.

Normally a paintjob with lots of clear coats on, is shot 3 thin coats of clear, then wetsand, so new 2-3 coats of clear, then repeat if more clear is desired, but this is for a regular metallic/pearl paint, a bit different when metalflakes is done, you don´t need to sand the clear totally smooth on the first wetsand, so those "pinholes" as you call them, is no need to get sanded out, then shoot 2-3 coats of clear, wetsand again, this time to a perfectly smooth surface, then 2 thin coats of clear.

But it would be best if you could show us a pic of the pinholes, so i can see if it´s due to the car being panted with metalflakes, or if it´s a defect you gotten in the clearcoat

 

[mikewoodson88]

No problem in waiting that long, or even longer before wetsanding the clear, and about the amount of clearcoats, i see you list it as blue with metallic flakes, if it´s painted with flakes, then you sure need lots of coats with clear, usually the flakes is shot mixed in the clear, then an additional 2-3 coats of regular clear to top that, then wetsand, then shoot 2-3 more coats of clear, and you might have to do 1 more wetsand and reclear to get it to smooth out and get enough clear to cover the metal flakes.

Normally a paintjob with lots of clear coats on, is shot 3 thin coats of clear, then wetsand, so new 2-3 coats of clear, then repeat if more clear is desired, but this is for a regular metallic/pearl paint, a bit different when metalflakes is done, you don´t need to sand the clear totally smooth on the first wetsand, so those "pinholes" as you call them, is no need to get sanded out, then shoot 2-3 coats of clear, wetsand again, this time to a perfectly smooth surface, then 2 thin coats of clear.

But it would be best if you could show us a pic of the pinholes, so i can see if it´s due to the car being panted with metalflakes, or if it´s a defect you gotten in the clearcoat

No more pinholes...shot it with clear coat today another 3 coats of clear...now off to wet sand tomorrow. It never stops!!!!

 

[Jan Ove]

No more pinholes...shot it with clear coat today another 3 coats of clear...now off to wet sand tomorrow. It never stops!!!!

Unless you have a paint booth with baking function, i would say that if you clear it today, and start wet sanding it tomorrow, it will be too soon, even when baked i would have waited a bit longer before wet sanding the clear.
It might be too fresh, so when reclearing again after wetsanding too soon, you might get a chemical reaction due to the last coats are not fully cured.
And also sanding it too soon raises the chance of sinking/settling in the clear, might look perfect right after you´re finished, but suddenly after a week, a month, perhaps two months, scratch marks, sanding marks may start occurring.
Not waiting long enough is a bad thing when it comes to paint, it´s much better to wait an extra day than to start 5 minutes too early

 

[mikewoodson88]

The packet of information that came with the clear when I bought it from my body shop (dealership) says ifs its in a booth, 4-6 hours. If its air dried, 24 hours. But other people say 48 hours, 2 weeks...could this just depend on the product?

 

[Jan Ove]

The packet of information that came with the clear when I bought it from my body shop (dealership) says ifs its in a booth, 4-6 hours. If its air dried, 24 hours. But other people say 48 hours, 2 weeks...could this just depend on the product?

There are too many variables to give a specific answer to that, it will depend on what brand clear you have been using, and also what line of clear, all brands do have several lines of clear in their system, also how you mixed it, what was the temp when you sprayed, what temp did you have during the drying time, humidity, how did you spray it, did the instructions specify what temp it should have to be able to sand it after 24 hours of air drying ?

 

[mikewoodson88]

I think it was 70 degrees or 80. I have a heated garage that I put on 80 yeaterday. Lets just pray for the best. Off to wet sand!

 

[catpainter]

More than likely you're done by now. But, if you open your clear by going 1000, 1500, 2000, then let it set for a couple of weeks to breath. Sounds weird, but you let the solvents out by not buffing it. Then wet sand it with 3000 by D A. It won't buff overly hard. You'll have a shine that will last fooooorever. Because you let the solvents out. I didn't see what type of clear you used. G2-4700? G2-4500? 72500? 7776? Also for pinholes in the clear,"solvent popping," you can mix up a small amount of clear, and touch it up with a touch-up brush, or a toothpick. Then sand and buff it as if it were a dirt nib. That's a production bodyshop painters trick. Very rarely can you see it, unless you are directly looking for it. Even then it's hard to see.