3 part polyurethane clearcoats

Hey guys. What goes into these paints? The clear, hardener and a thinner? What do I need to get exactly? How can I go about mixing them to spray a model and how much would the best resperator mask run me? Thanks!

-Chris

I typically use PPG DBU base coat/clear coats on most of my cars that I paint. The base consist of the base coat color and reducer. I believe that I mix it 1:1 or try to get as close since I am mixing up smaller amounts at a time. The clear consists of clear, reducer & harnder. Its mixed either 2:1 :1 or 4:2:1. I don't remember off the top of my head since I haven't painted much in a while. but if you go to an automotive paint supply shop they will have all of the information you need to know on how to mix it. I'm sure you could even search it on the web as well on how to mix it. Different Manufacturs have you mix paints a little different. For example paint brands like PPG, Dupont, Sikkins, House of Kolor....etc they all have a different mixing ratio depending the type of paint...urathane, enamel, acrylic enamel, lacquir..etc.

I prefer using automotive paints to the simple fact that you have more colors to choose from. I think the paint dries much better and is more durable. The down side is that it does cost a lot more. I'm getting ready to buy some more clear, hardner & reducer and to give you an example buying a quart of clear, pint of hardner and quart of reducer will probably run me between $70 & $100.00. I usually get my colors in Pints but I have also gotten them in 1/2 pints or touch up bottles. Colors prices depend on the color for example you will find that most of your reds are more expensive for some reason.

Now on the 3 Stage paints your talking about you have your base, clear w/pearl & clear. Not sure if this makes sense or not cause your base colors can have pearl in them too. Hopefully I have helped and not confused you at all. Best thing is to talk to an automotive paint supplier and they will be able to explain it better.

Your best bet is to go down to the local auto paint supplier and talk to them.

Chris, the hardeners for these paints, once opened, have a limited shelf life. Manufacturer labels sometimes say two weeks or so, but they often last a little longer than that. Watch for the hardener to crystallize in the can; once it does, it's no longer good for use. If you buy it to try it, buy the smallest amount you can find.

Also, make the respirator a high priority. Inhaled hardeners can cause long term respiratory damage. A friend of someone I know died painting his car without using a respirator in his closed garage a few years back during winter. Inhaled hardeners fused to the linings of his lungs and suffocated him. That's an extreme case, but the danger is there. Pro painters don't wear body suits for nothing when they're working with these materials. Stay healthy!

I think I'll stick to good ole laquers. Damn, I dont think its even worth it for a model car. A real 1:1 car yeah...but damn....sounds a little extreme once I have read this!


-Chris

i use house of kolor and ppg urathane clears, all i have to do is mix the hardener in the clear and shoot it on at 25psi. it fully hardens in about 12hours and rarely needs polishing or buffing, it drys with the same shine as it is when its wet, thats why i will never go back to laquers.

How do you guys keep the dust off as the paint dries? That is my biggest hurdle I have, the long curing time combined with my dusty garage does not result in a good finish!

You could hang the bodyshell upside down, works for me:2cents:

How do you guys keep the dust off as the paint dries? That is my biggest hurdle I have, the long curing time combined with my dusty garage does not result in a good finish!

Phil,
to keep the dust off Tamiya color coats I use a large plastic cover (basically a Rubbermaid storage tub) in-between coats and the 2-part auto clear dries really quick...never needed to cover it yet...

hth,
Bill

the 2 part clear will dry within 5-10 minutes, but it wont fully harden to the point where you can touch and handle it for 12hrs