How long does 2k clear coat take to dry?

D

Daniel D

Guest
Hi, I sorayed 2k clear coat about 13 hours ago..and it's not hard, it's kind of soft and I can pick at it. I'm not sure f it's not fully cured. And I did add the correct ratio. The ear coat I got is a 4:1 ratio and I mixed it perfectly. Not sure if it take a day or two before it's actually hard?
 
Can't answer that without knowing which one you use. The manufacturers information should have that details on it. The manufacturers information should always be the first place you look because they can all be different. There are parts to the process. There is the initial dry to touch then the hardening up. Typically (at about 20 degrees Celsius) touch dry is about 1 hour but it will still be soft. Normally full cure is 7 days as long as you've mixed it correctly. You can normally mask over it in about 24 hours.
 
I'm waiting to wetsand it to get the imperfections out...not sure if doing that now will ruin it or not since its not fully cured
 
I would check the tech sheet. Is it really cold or maybe applied way too heavy? Might also be incorrect mixing. Too many variables. I have clear that is hard in 2-4 hours.
 
I also found a few different discussions on automotive forums and it seems a lot of people are having problems with this stuff, all complaints appear to be related to the drying time.

So it looks like this is one product that does not do exactly what it says on the tin.

According to the sheet if you didn't second coat it after flashing, you should have.
 
Could always spray a must coat of the activator over it and see it it cures up
 
Hey guys, I'm real new to both airbrushing, and this forum, but I am an automotive refinisher. Mark is right that the clear dries in stages. First a physical dry by the solvents drying out, then a chemical crosslinking. That crosslinking process slows down and even stops at about and below 60 degrees f. It will restart and finish as it warms up again. The warmer the better. If it still doesn't dry after that, I'd say maybe you got a bad hardener since you said your sure you mixed it correctly.
 
Only have limited experience in clear, but you need to stick religiously to the spec sheets regarding mixing, flash times between coats, and temps.
 
Hey guys, I'm real new to both airbrushing, and this forum, but I am an automotive refinisher. Mark is right that the clear dries in stages. First a physical dry by the solvents drying out, then a chemical crosslinking. That crosslinking process slows down and even stops at about and below 60 degrees f. It will restart and finish as it warms up again. The warmer the better. If it still doesn't dry after that, I'd say maybe you got a bad hardener since you said your sure you mixed it correctly.

Phil, please pop along to our introductions section and introduce yourself, I have decided that you are now our resident automotive specialist, you will be on call 24/7 but you can have Saturday afternoons and Sundays off if you wish:)

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your input. :thumbsup:
 
Hey guys, I'm real new to both airbrushing, and this forum, but I am an automotive refinisher. Mark is right that the clear dries in stages. First a physical dry by the solvents drying out, then a chemical crosslinking. That crosslinking process slows down and even stops at about and below 60 degrees f. It will restart and finish as it warms up again. The warmer the better. If it still doesn't dry after that, I'd say maybe you got a bad hardener since you said your sure you mixed it correctly.


So it seams that after 24 hours it feels harder. It's not leaving fingerprints which is good. I didn't either when I first touched it. I just want it to be hard, so I can't dish my fingernail into it. I'm guessing that after 72 hours it should be close to fully hard
 
Use it all the time I mix it 4:1:1 though 4 clear 1 hardener 1 reducer. I have had clear that didn't harden before but that was cause I let it get to cold might have froze
 
Use it all the time I mix it 4:1:1 though 4 clear 1 hardener 1 reducer. I have had clear that didn't harden before but that was cause I let it get to cold might have froze
Yea it actually is hardening up pretty well. What do you use to reduce it? I got it at my local napa store. Didn't see the reducer there. Just got the medium hardner with the ultimate clear
 
Also, if spraying this outside with a respirator, is that okay?
 
Also, if spraying this outside with a respirator, is that okay?
Spraying outside bring in new problems , Dust in the air that will be trapped in the under layers of the clear forever, Insects can get stuck in it . bird droppings . You see the picture.
When painting a car I built a make shift paint booth. soaked the area down to get all the junk out of the air pull the car in and wipe it down and paint it clear it and if graphics are going on that is also done in the confines of that booth.
Lots of plans for DIY paint booths on the web.
 
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