What's a good clear coat?

L

Lucky_Freek

Guest
I'm just getting into painting metal panels and I want to start painting helmets.
What is a good clear coat?
How many coats do you put on, and do you wet sand in between.
This is all new to me so if you want do a step by step for me that would be cool too.

Much Thanks
Lucky_Freek
 
Stay clear of rattle can clears!!! Options here are napa has a decent clear local works good used it many times. I love HOK clear sprays nice too. The duplicolor clear I hear is a laquer base so I would stay clear of that also. Use the tech sheet that comes with the clear coat you use it will give all information on it. Including how it should be sprayed most of the time. If you stick to a quality automotive product you will be fine hvlp spray gun one of the smaller models would work perfect for helmets.
 
Hi guys im sort of in the same position as Lucky_Freek.
I'm also just starting to paint helmets and have the same question.
I've done one trial and error came out pretty good(for first helmet).
but before destroying a more expensive helmet i could use some advice.
I'm using Createx wicked for colours what clear coat could i use best?

helm facebook.jpg
 
I never used a clear coat yet but from what i heard for helmets a 2K clear coat would be best. There is a 2 components spray can clear from Spray Max available
and i heard lots of good things about that one. Some people use them for clearing whole bikes and parts of cars. You can get it on Ebay from several german shops,
just type Spray Max 2k Klarlack in search.
 
I know nothing about clear coat....apart from DON'T SPRAY THROUGH AIRBRUSH! as strictly said get yourself a spray gun
 
Rustoleum gloss clear did the trick for me...... I sprayed my old kevlar bucket when i had from my military days.... Used a hvlp gun to spray spectra black paint as the base coat sanded down with 100o grit clear coated with the rustoleum a real light coat of clear than airbrushed over top than cleared it with 3 coats....came out pretty good if u ask me
 
Like Mr STranger said 2k clear coat. There is lacquer and hardener in seperete bottles or cans and b4 use you have to mix them together 2:1. Never use clear coat from the can cause is to soft,2k is hard as hell unless you mix wrongly hehe
 
Another word of advice when it comes to spraying urethane clears... Practice on something close to the same shape as your helmet first!!! Practicing with the real deal will be expensive, but it will cost less than redoing the helmet because you screwed it up. Laying down a "glass" clear coat looks very easy... It is not! There is an art to spraying clear. Until you are proficient at it, I would recommend farming your clear coating out to a local body shop. For small parts like a helmet you might not get it done for free while they are spraying something larger. Just my 2 cents..

BTW.. I prefer House of Kolor myself. Trevor
 
For small parts like a helmet you might not get it done for free while they are spraying something larger.

Sorry, meant to say you might not be charged for small parts if the shop can spray it at the same time they are clearing something else.
 
Runs are very easy to get on helmets and no fun to get rid of plus you might have to wet sand and buff the helmet which is a whole new set of skills. There is nothing worst than burning through a new airbrush job that you just cleared. Plus you you need a compressor that can handle a hvlp which for a helmet as long as you a sufficient storage like 30gal or larger you shouldn't have a problem. There allot of pro's and cons with clearing your self. I would definately get a quality clear and stick with it learn the product. When you do you will have minimal mistakes and beautiful clear jobs that don't need to be color sanded and buffed. Good idea is to make a list of pros and cons for you along with a list of costs. Maybe it's worth it to you to clear it yourself maybe it's worth it to you to have a shop do it.
 
Can anyone recommend what sort of respirator to use, and how frequently you need to replace the filters?
 
[QUOTECan anyone recommend what sort of respirator to use, and how frequently you need to replace the filters?][/QUOTE]

Any NIOSH approved respirator designed for solid or liquid particulates if you're spraying urethane. A particulate dust mask will work for water based. There are a lot of variables when it comes to changing the filters... How much you spray and the climate you live in will affect filter life (moisture will decrease the charcoal filters life). I usually change my charcoal filters out once a month and the pre filters get changed roughly about the same. When the pre filters are no longer white, they should be changed. You can increase the life of your charcoal filters by keeping the respirator in a zip lock bag between uses (if you do this, I would recommend changing the filters every six months). Hope this helps...


Trevor
 
[QUOTECan anyone recommend what sort of respirator to use, and how frequently you need to replace the filters?]

Any NIOSH approved respirator designed for solid or liquid particulates if you're spraying urethane. A particulate dust mask will work for water based. There are a lot of variables when it comes to changing the filters... How much you spray and the climate you live in will affect filter life (moisture will decrease the charcoal filters life). I usually change my charcoal filters out once a month and the pre filters get changed roughly about the same. When the pre filters are no longer white, they should be changed. You can increase the life of your charcoal filters by keeping the respirator in a zip lock bag between uses (if you do this, I would recommend changing the filters every six months). Hope this helps...


Trevor[/QUOTE]
Very informative,
thx for your advice Trevor :)
 
Be very careful spraying 2k at home - in some countries, its illegal to use it outside of a properly filtered spray booth as it's extremely toxic...

How about having a chat to an owner of a panel beating shop and ask him how much for him to do it when he's completing a job. They usually have clear left over in the gun, your pretty much guaranteed a professional finish and you could be surprised on how little it could cost you (a mate of mine got his bonnet cleared for the cost of a carton of beer)!!!
 
Maybe not the right topic to ask but can anybody recomend a budget spray gun? I saw some in Harbor Freight from 15$ to 40$ are theese any good? I want to get one only for clear coating.
 
I'm in the same boat. Just started looking at doing helmets and got some offers. Need a spray gun though, see everywhere from eBay to Walmart 25-500$ just looking for a budget one that will get the job done.
 
I got 2 cheap chinese spray guns here that i got from ebay, they are ok so far but i guess a good brand one has a much better atomization of the paint and a better spray pattern. Also it´s hard to find
any spareparts for those guns if you need them. I looked into the entrance line of the Devibliss brand and seen one that alot of people in a german forum recommended for a beginner if you dont want to spent too much money.
It is the Devibliss SLG-610 with a 1.3mm needle. It is just for a hobby and not for professional use since it is not a HVLP gun that is ATEX conform but the spray pattern is supposed to be good.
 
i did a whole metalic flake and auto air candy on my lap top and used rattle can clear and you can scratch it with your finger nail. i agree get a good gun and 2k.iv never used 2k b4 does it stil give off fumes after it cures and you polish it. last ly if your just clearing art work and you want a good shine krylon low odor acrylic clear works well just try to use it on a dry day or hit it with a hair dryer after you spray it . its a stinky nasty smell get a mask and spray in a verry well vetalated area
 
i agree get a good gun and 2k.iv never used 2k b4 does it stil give off fumes after it cures and you polish it.

Yes ferret it does. It can take up to 30 days for a quality 2K clear to completely cure. What appears to be a glass smooth, cut and buffed beautiful finish really isn't at all. Microscopically, there are tiny little holes throughout the finish similar to the pores on our skin. Chemicals in the paint evaporate or "gas off" through these pores during the curing process (which does give off an odor) and the finish won't be fully hardened until the curing process is completed. For these reasons, I tell my clients to wait at least 30 days before washing their freshly painted vehicles to avoid scratching the fresh finish.
 
As for guns. I use sata minijets. I love the minijet. I recently got a iwata LPH-80. I haven't had time to test it properly. I did clear the hard hat with it and got a run :(

That's me I'm sure. It atomized diffrent. Anyway you can get sata minijet 4 for around $250 used. Make sure the nozzle is not damaged because that alone is 75-100$

Now the respirator I use is a forced air mask. Isocyanides are very dangerous and if you breath 2k clear into your lungs it will cure in there and that is not good.

Well fitting noish approved mask, and a body suit (cheap home depot one) would be min
 
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