Did anyone watch a episode of "Trucks" this last weekend where they where mixing urethane clear with urethane single stage paint?I should of paid more attention to this and I'm looking for more information.What I caught was,they first sprayed the single stage without clear.Second coat was sprayed by mixing 50/50 clear to paint,third coat was 75%clear to 25%paint mixed together,fourth coat was 90% clear to 25% paint.And the final coat was a 100% clear.I know from reading, is you could clear single stage as long as its a solid color.Thats if you want to cut and polish the clear.With metallic sigle stage you can't color sand.But mixing clear with single stage paint and clearing the whole works,you would think color sanding would be ok.

 

I have done something very close with single stage paint. I didn't go to the 100% clrear but I did do five coats and the last was about 20% color . It really helps the paint flow and gives it depth. Here is the car I just did about a year ago it my 1962 Studebaker lark . My niece used it for her wedding in September

 

I wouldn't go to thin with matalics while yes clear helps the distribution of the metalic too much clear could cause mottling. I have added up to 50% in metalic and then did two coats of clear to wet sand.

 

Thank you for the great information......Very nice Studebaker..

 

This is a pretty interesting idea. Had no idea you could mix clear with a single stage, that's why I've been buying base/clear. In fact I think the girl at our paint store said you couldn't do it...But then again I have a hard time paying attention to paint in there... Does it come out looking like a base/clear? And whats the advantage...cheaper, or a deeper color?

 

sorry I don't come here to often . As long as the paints are compatable then mixing clear in will be fine. I have found using the clear in the single stage gives the finish a much deeper and richer depth. I use PPG DCC this is from their product info sheet

Option 2* - Clear mixed with the last coat of DCC color

· Ready-to-spray (RTS) DCU2002, DCU2021, DCU2035 & DCU2042 with
DCX Hardeners can be mixed with RTS DCC Color with DCX Hardeners.
· RTS DCD35 can be mixed with RTS DCC Color with DU Hardeners.
· RTS DCU2002 & DCU2021 with DFX11 Hardeners can be mixed with RTS DCC
Color with DFX11 Hardeners.
* For best results allow 15 – 20 minutes flash before mixing clears in last coat.

so as you can see if you can mix it into the last coat it can be done in all just have to use the proper hardners for the paint and clear. I just did 2 extra coats to ensure coverage.

 

Thanks I just bought it on a Lark Actually it was my Uncles who passed a few years ago he started the resto but never finished the car .

 

i remember that episode of trucks. He was cutting the base color with clear to blend in the paint repairs. basicaly paint the bad panel, cut paint with clear spay a lil larger area cut again spay a lil larger continue cutting to blend in the repair and your eye will never see it.

 

I have done it before. Over time the clear will peal off and look like crap. Yes, I did everything correctly. Just do a 2 step job with base coat and clear coat. Give it time. You will see, as I did.

 

They were not doing a base and clear just a repair job showing how to blend in a panel. Say you put a white bed on a black truck. You could repaint the white bed black then blend in the rear half of the cab and not have to paint the front of the truck. They were using a single stage paint and cutting it down to blend the panels. kinda like repairing a rear corner panel after a lil hard 4 wheeling.

 

They do make blending clears for the new paints. It gives a little more bite to the blend.

Old days of painting we would just thin out the paint with slow thinner and each coat you would go two to three inches further than the prior. Then hope to hell you dont tear it when buff it.