Clear Coats - How Many is best?

Energy One
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Satterfield

Member
I am about to get my K-9 painted with the "flag" job like the one BDM has and I would like to know how many clear coats vs base coats would a painter typically use. My base coat is already midnight blue so the base coat on the bike will not change.

I am going down to get in the final ideas of what I wan it to look like this week and any technical details. I don't know anything about paint, so having a few answers would be helpful, for him to I guess.

Thanks, "T"
 

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airbrush-ed

airbrush-ed

kustompaintbyed.com
"for him to I guess."

Is this information for you, or your perspective painter? Because if it's for you painter, you need to find another painter my friend!!!
 
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Satterfield

Member
Clear Coat Question

airbrush-ed said:
"for him to I guess."

Is this information for you, or your perspective painter? Because if it's for you painter, you need to find another painter my friend!!!
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No, the question is for my own information before I get into the details of the paint and its complexity, detail, etc. with the painter. I am certain he knows what he is doing. However, you make a good point I should have made my post more clear.

Thanks "T"
 
airbrush-ed

airbrush-ed

kustompaintbyed.com
My "final" clear-coat session usually involves as much as 3 light tack coats (if the job has any pinstripes). 1 or 2 if it doesn't. Followed by as much as 4 or 5 wet coats. Which could easily count up to 6 coats. I know this seems like alot, but I end up sanding half of it off to make it "smooth as butta". So I probably end up with about 3 coats over the finished artwork. If I had my own baking cycle booth, I would do about 3 coats, then sand flat, then do a "flow" coat session. Which is a slightly hotter, more reduced clear. This would be more ideal, but I don't have a booth - yet.

Some body shops will put as little as 2 coats of clear on cars that they repair. I've seen it. It's not uncommon at all. Some clears even state that in the directions. But they aren't designed to bury complicated graphics. You don't EVEN want to know how much clear it takes to level out heavy metal-flake jobs!
 
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wyatt580

Well-Known Member
After seeing eds work no doubt in my mind where it would be sent. Good luck with the paint job......
 
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stryfox

Active Member
High build solids clear ppg 2021 concept
I usually put 3-4 if I an going to sand and buff. If going over stripes or art tack coats are helpfull.
If stripes are thick 3 coats of clear,bake,sand,3 coats clear, sand buff.
It should look like magic when done right.
Some of the best art jobs out there don't show as good as they can without amazing gloss.
Just make sure the guy clearing it has experiance going over art, if not things can go bad quick.
Oh, and be prepared, material cost are getting crazier all the time.
 
RubWhore

RubWhore

Asshole Extraordinaire
When I built my motorsickle I went to Walmart and got me 2 cans of Rustoleum high gloss black and 1 can of clear and did it my self and had enough left over to do another motorsickle cause everytime I get something paint it never looks right so I figured why not but after talking to Ed I`m gonna send all my tins up there and hes gonna fixem up
but look at my pitchers not bad for shake and shoot
 
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Satterfield

Member
Hey thanks a lot for the input guys. The guy I am talking to here says he uses some kind of different material that lays a thicker coat on each time than regular clear coat and supposedly better. (1/2mm 1mm, I don't remember) I don't remember what he called it but I will find out next week and post it. He also told me in detail the kind of paint he uses.

Thanks, "T"
 
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