Opinions wanted on clear finishes.
- Thread starter 67fastback
- Start date
One of the many things I learned from Eric was surrounding this very issue. I was getting crazing / clouding . This was due to me using the same finishes that were recommended by the pen turners. Basically I was using BS Thin because that's what I was told. I wasn't giving the CA time to dry either. I now use the Loctite that Eric is talking about for my first coat with no accelerator and then BS Medium for the finish coats. I only sand between a coat if I see some glaring issue. Once I had that licked it was all in the final sanding and buffing process. Be sure you are wiping off the excess accelerator as Eric says.
It's a process. When Eric showed me, it was like watching Efren playing in the mid 90's. He made it look FAR easier than what it was in actual practice. But as in most things, practice made it eventually pretty much automatic. (watch...I say that and the next one I do will give me all sorts of issues.)
I tried Solarez and could not get past the smell, it was also a real pain to sand off.
My experience with cyano is that it`s really important what type you use. Very thin Cyano like the blue one from B.S.I is just too thin. The Medium one is much better. After playing around with the technique a bit Loctite 401 works really well, but wear a mask, gloves and use some sort of fume extractor. I have always used epoxy as a base coat.
That took a long time to get right. I ended up with the 30 minutes B.S.I, the West 207 Special clear also works great, but B.S.I is just simpler to get a hold of for me.
Now I use a combination of epoxy basecoat and U-POL S2085 wich is a one part acryllic that dries crystal clear. The downside is that drying time and curing time are two totally different things. It can feel cured and ready to wet sand or polish and it will just peel off if I dont leave it for atleast 4-5 days, prefreably even longer. But the gloss is beautifull. I only wetsand and use 3M polishing compound (the yellow and the blue one)
I`m experimenting with my 8" buffing machine and different compounds, I think once I have the right type of disc and compound for the clear I use, it will be a process I can live with and a top class finish that should be plenty durable.
My experience with cyano is that it`s really important what type you use. Very thin Cyano like the blue one from B.S.I is just too thin. The Medium one is much better. After playing around with the technique a bit Loctite 401 works really well, but wear a mask, gloves and use some sort of fume extractor. I have always used epoxy as a base coat.
That took a long time to get right. I ended up with the 30 minutes B.S.I, the West 207 Special clear also works great, but B.S.I is just simpler to get a hold of for me.
Now I use a combination of epoxy basecoat and U-POL S2085 wich is a one part acryllic that dries crystal clear. The downside is that drying time and curing time are two totally different things. It can feel cured and ready to wet sand or polish and it will just peel off if I dont leave it for atleast 4-5 days, prefreably even longer. But the gloss is beautifull. I only wetsand and use 3M polishing compound (the yellow and the blue one)
I`m experimenting with my 8" buffing machine and different compounds, I think once I have the right type of disc and compound for the clear I use, it will be a process I can live with and a top class finish that should be plenty durable.
That's kind of the issue. I had a guy coming to the shop one day last week. I live about 6 miles out of town. He asked if I wanted anything from town, and I told him bring me a Sundrop. In the time it took him to pick up a soda and drive to my shop, I had the butt of a cue finished and wet sanded. I polished it as he watched. From bare wood to polished took around 15 minutes, for the butt alone. Shafts take around 5 minutes each, plus the time it takes prepping and swapping components on the lathe. If it takes me longer than 45 minutes to do an entire cue, it means I screwed up.
I think a lot of guys use the 3M products for their buffing. I have been trying to find a less costly alternative but so far have been unsuccessful.
buffing compounds
You can use some of the off the shelf car products starting with a quality #7 compound, next step is (3M Marine Finesse-It II ) after that, Meguiar's G18116 Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound and then, Meguiar's M7 Mirror Glaze Show Car Glaze
Don't know if these will save you a few pennies but they'll work.
Hard to eliminate 3M completely
I'm using Menzerna products which are pricey but my current finish needs it.
Mario
You can use some of the off the shelf car products starting with a quality #7 compound, next step is (3M Marine Finesse-It II ) after that, Meguiar's G18116 Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound and then, Meguiar's M7 Mirror Glaze Show Car Glaze
Don't know if these will save you a few pennies but they'll work.
Hard to eliminate 3M completely
I'm using Menzerna products which are pricey but my current finish needs it.
Mario
As shiny as a new car
Mario
Shinier !! :wink:
On a side note...I hope that one day anyone who posts pictures would learn to crop/downsize them for forum use.
Ok, I was hoping maybe someone would ask, but before this great thread peters out -
How do you guys apply the subsequent coats of CA? I tried what I thought was the general approach described, ‘not so good’ for me. I’m used to using the penmaker’s approach of a pad with a drop of BLO to rub in thin coats ofCA, would like to move away from that method but don’t seem to be able to lay down a decent coat of CA that would be decent enough to save with sanding and buffing.
Thanks, guys
Mac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
How do you guys apply the subsequent coats of CA? I tried what I thought was the general approach described, ‘not so good’ for me. I’m used to using the penmaker’s approach of a pad with a drop of BLO to rub in thin coats ofCA, would like to move away from that method but don’t seem to be able to lay down a decent coat of CA that would be decent enough to save with sanding and buffing.
Thanks, guys
Mac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Eric does make it look very easy, I still struggle with a smooth application.
Had something similar happen. I thought it was a reaction with material i used, but now I have some other possibilities. Great information in this thread! Thanks!
The CrystaLac C
Registered
CrystaLac Brite Tone
Would be glad to answer any questions in reference to CrystaLac Company Products. Waterborne, self-leveling, brush or spray out of the can. UV protected, nearly 100% resin and super high solids. No sanding between coats needed.
Would be glad to answer any questions in reference to CrystaLac Company Products. Waterborne, self-leveling, brush or spray out of the can. UV protected, nearly 100% resin and super high solids. No sanding between coats needed.
The CrystaLac C
Registered
Durability
The durability will be equivalent or better then anything else you have used. The longevity is much better than anything you have used. Will never get gummy or yellow. If damage does occur just dry sand the damaged area and re-apply. Brite Tone and all of our products are waterborn which equals mechanical bond. Our products don't need to burn in.
The durability will be equivalent or better then anything else you have used. The longevity is much better than anything you have used. Will never get gummy or yellow. If damage does occur just dry sand the damaged area and re-apply. Brite Tone and all of our products are waterborn which equals mechanical bond. Our products don't need to burn in.