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Paint Question

Space Cowboy

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
408
Location
Houston Texas
Corvette
1968 Convertible - Candy Apple - 427/475+
I have a private paint/body shop paint my 68. I'm questioning if he properly allowed for wait times for the primer and paints to cure between coats. I paid to have a fairly expensive epoxy primer to be used (I don't have proof that he used it though), but I've been told that you have to let this type of primer cure for one - two weeks before applying any base coats. Well... He didn't. As a matter of fact I don't even think he waited even 12 hours until he wet sanded and started applying the first base coat.

Those of you with a lot of experience with painting, I would appreciate your input as to what is the proper procedure. I also assumed you waited for cure time (unless some type of hardening agent is used) between each base coats. He claims he primed, wet sanded, based, and cleared in less than a 24 hour period.

I'm not a pro by far, but I watch enough auto rebuild shows on tv to know what is a normal process. I just don't see how its possible to do what he did in that amount of time.

Oh... by the way... this is a candy apple application too!

Thanks all.
 
It depends on what brand of paint was used. Some epoxy primers will cure in 12 hrs. some wont!!!! What type of problems are you having? (if any?). I would also question why you would have someone that you dont trust, paint your car?:confused
 
More info please!

If you get me a bit more tech info per your application, I'll take it to the on-site Dupont Paint Team here @ the Corvette Plant.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter
 
He told me he was using nothing but DuPont products. There is no "current" issue right now, but if in fact you have to let the paint properly cure, I would assume there is going to be some shrinkage of the primer as the temps to raising in Texas which would start causing the base coats to crack.

What type of information do you need 6 shooter?
 
Also... just a side question. Is there any way of knowing at all if he really did use this type of primer at all? I just have a gutt feeling he didn't use the product I paid for.
 
Epoxy primer isnt supposed to be sanded it is used as a sealer before applying topcoat or urethane primer surfacers.You only need to let them dry for an hour to 3 days before putting anything over it.If it drys over three days it will need to be sanded or scuffed then reapplied.It all depends on manufacturer but this is the norm usually.here is a list of dupont products,find the primer and look at the drying times ,click on products,tech manuals then chose the system hes using. http://www.performancecoatings.dupont.com/bowstreet5/webengine/dpc/common/Controller/Action!_pageDispatcher/InnerModel!dpc/modules/Login/OuterModel!dpc/common/Controller/InnerAction!visitorAction
 
Thanks for the information paintdaddy. One other question about sanding... is it standard practice to wet sand the base coats prior to laying the clear coats to get rid of the orange peel affect? Also, don't you also then wet sand the clear coats for the same reason?

Thanks again!
 
dnewton said:
He told me he was using nothing but DuPont products. There is no "current" issue right now, but if in fact you have to let the paint properly cure, I would assume there is going to be some shrinkage of the primer as the temps to raising in Texas which would start causing the base coats to crack.

What type of information do you need 6 shooter?
Paint Brand Name & Part Numbers . . . stuff like that.
 
dnewton said:
Thanks for the information paintdaddy. One other question about sanding... is it standard practice to wet sand the base coats prior to laying the clear coats to get rid of the orange peel affect? Also, don't you also then wet sand the clear coats for the same reason?

Thanks again!
It isnt usually a standard practice to sand in between base and clear.Some painters will sand the clear with a fine grit and reclear to get an ultra smooth finish but this is rare .Usually if you are doing that its a 10000 paint job.
 
paintdaddy. I'm feeling a little more confident of the painter. I've seen some photo's after the #2 base coat. There is some orange peel, but over all, the finish is very nice. He is wet sanding the #2 coat before the last base. Once it's cured, he's going to wet sand once again, before the clears go on. He's doing about 10 clears, then he's going to wet sand with about a 1500 grit, then buff. I think it's going to look great once completed.
 

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