Paint Project Advice

Deegz

New member
Hi Everyone,

Hope someone can give me advice on this topic. I recently built a guitar and finished the paint this weekend. I sprayed a sealer coat for the wood, then a black base coat, followed by HOK metallic red and a 2K polyurethane finish. I waited as instructed for all the flash times but the paint is way too soft. I could stick my fingernail into the paint and it’s been about 36hours since the clear coat. I waited 15mins between each colour coat as well as the sealer. Then I waited until the next day to lay down the clear.
All the mix ratios were followed as directed. Even the clear coat was mixed exactly as instructed. I know this could happen if the flash time is not followed correctly but should I have waited 30mins between coats(sounds like a lot of time between coats). The finish came out really nice and I’m happy with it but it doesn’t seem to be hardening. Will it eventually hardened? I’m really hoping there’s a solution and I could fix it. Any advice is much appreciated. P.S. the temperature in the shop was about 24 degrees Celsius all weekend.



All the best!

Carlos
 

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chopolds

Member
Hard to say without knowing what products you used. Sealer, and basecoat paints usually dry quickly, and in thin coats, so softness is usually not an issue with them. Most likely it is is the clear that didn't properly cure. Temperature is within range for proper cure. I find even if I lay the clear on thickly, or too quick, it still cures hard, you might just have problems with "solvent pop" or tiny bubble coming up later.
The first thing I think of, with problems with clear, is that the hardener, or activator is the problem. If the can was opened a while ago, or it is just very old, it could lose it's properties. As long as you mixed properly, this is usually it. A secondary issue is incompatibility with the paint under it. Not usually a problem with most basecoats, and different clears, but it does occasionally happen.
 

Deegz

New member
Hard to say without knowing what products you used. Sealer, and basecoat paints usually dry quickly, and in thin coats, so softness is usually not an issue with them. Most likely it is is the clear that didn't properly cure. Temperature is within range for proper cure. I find even if I lay the clear on thickly, or too quick, it still cures hard, you might just have problems with "solvent pop" or tiny bubble coming up later.
The first thing I think of, with problems with clear, is that the hardener, or activator is the problem. If the can was opened a while ago, or it is just very old, it could lose it's properties. As long as you mixed properly, this is usually it. A secondary issue is incompatibility with the paint under it. Not usually a problem with most basecoats, and different clears, but it does occasionally happen.

Thanks for the reply. I used a sanding sealer for the wood followed by a black basecoat and then I used HOK colour followed by the clear. I'll link the clear to there website. I'm not sure where I went wrong but it might the hardener like you said. Is it possible that this clear never dries?

All the best!

 

chopolds

Member
HOK stuff is real high quality. Some clears take a bit longer to set up, but by 24 hours they should all be hard. Still think it might be the hardener, but what type of sealer did you use?
 
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