Newbie question about curing time and waxing

[KrisMas]

Hey everbody. A newbie here from Malaysia and have absolutely no idea on paintwork but into detailing for a couple of years now. Not professionally but just a weekend enthusiast.

Just a question on waxing new paint. Is the general idea of letting a new paintwork to 'out-gas' or cure for a month or two before it is safe to seal it with wax is true? If so, then how would you know (a simple test would do) that the paint had cured and ready for a layer of wax?

Thanks in advance.

 

[flamepain]

i tell my customers not to wax or wash for about a month just to cover my butt.however i've put wax on a day later and have never had a problem.i dont want people rubbing my fresh paint until it's good and hard.cyas

 

[hoss]

clearcoat cures from the outside in, so if you put a non-breathable coat of wax on it then it can't fully cure.

if it's winter when i paint and the bike is setting in the cold i tell them to wait till summer to wax. just clean it w/ soap water and shammie it off.

usually in weather above 70 degrees i'll have them wait a month or two before waxing.

everyone has their own thing, i've never heard of an actual right up on the subject. but the more layers of clear the longer i'd wait.

 

[KrisMas]

Meaning to say, there aren't really any simple way to tell whether the paint's fully cured?

Guess it'll be best to take the safest route which is to wait....

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[flamepain]

waxing early

I've been in touch with sikkens on this problem and they told me that most compounds and polishes have what they call fillers and you guessed it.oils and wax.also they put in glycerin.the more glycerin the cheaper the product.what it does is fills micro scratches so you get a better shine faster.however it only lasts for a few months or as my rep says queen for a day .they don't recommend waxing on fresh paint but say it can be done.so what I'm trying to say is that just by polishing you are applying some wax ,oil and silicone in most cases.cyas

 

[hoss]

but is it a breathable wax? wizard products has the hand glaze which is what i finish up w/ and it's a non-sealing breathable wax.

is that just a bounch of malarkie, or is there something to that?
breathable vs. sealing wax?

 

[flamepain]

this is only my opinion but i would say that wax would not stop your paint from gassing off.however i would watch out for any thing that has a polymer type sealer in it.or a silicon for that matter.i don't always do it but in fifteen years i can honestly say I've never had a problem and would like to here from someone who has.i don't have the wizard polish here and am not going to condemn a product I've never used but i would check the glycerin content for sure.i once bought some really cheap stuff from a jobber.i thought it was the best thing since sliced bread (what a shine.and so easy to use !).six months later it wasn't so pretty.lol.i guess you get what you pay for.take care.cyas

 

[flamepain]

By the way Hoss.remember that baseball hat you did?. i tried the water effect on a computer and everyone that saw it was totally freaked out.lol.nice one.cyas :cheers: :bigokay: :bigokay:

 

[JohnPSW]

For all the people who have never seen a problem with sealing the solvents in with a nice coat of clear, I can tell you what it looks like... You get a nice black AMG Mercedes, do some repair work, paint both quarters, sail panels, roof, tell the customer to not wax it for at least 30 days. The next day, he takes it to "his guy" for the usual babying, including a nice hand rubbed and polished paste wax. Over the next few months, the customer notices what looks like little bubbles showing up in the clear.

Of course, he wants the shop to pay for the re-do.

There's nothing wrong with waiting a full 30 days.

 

[hoss]

By the way Hoss.remember that baseball hat you did?. i tried the water effect on a computer and everyone that saw it was totally freaked out.lol.nice one.cyas :cheers: :bigokay: :bigokay:

very cool!!!!

 

[flamepain]

i guess the bottom line is.if you can wait by all means do .but if not then go for it.you can also get solvent pop if you clear over your base to soon i know I've done it lol.scape it off with a blade and if the bubbles go down to the primer you cleared to soon.cyas