Basecoat and lacquer

[neil_1821]

I'm currently under going my first ever painting plan from a compressor and a gun at a place I do voluntary work. Most of my previous painting has been carried out from a rattle can at home.

My project is a full respray on my Kawasaki ZXR 750 L2 model, when I purchased it there was some fairing damage and a horrible 90's re-spray, so it's being put back to the standard colours of white, blue and green.

The trouble I'm having is time periods for basecoat and order of painting.

I've painted all fairings in white, allowed to dry for masking, masked out for green, which was painted yesterday and now I've got to allow to dry for back masking in order to shoot the pearl over the white.

Once the pearl has been painted I've then got to apply the transfers and lacquer everything.

On a different forum someone has said that basecoat only has a 24 hour life in which time it must be lacquered over, as any lacquering after the 24 hours could lead to flaky or peeling lacquer a couple of months down the line.

Obviously I don't want that to happen after all my hard work, but the question is, is there anything I can do? Will the lacquer be o.k on the basecoat if it's been on for a while without lacquer? The finish of the basecoat is fairly rough as far as paints go giving a good surface area for keying, but thought i'd ask for some more opinions.

If it makes any difference the basecoat i've used is by a company called Helios.

Many thanks

 

[norsa]

It depends really if the base is solid or metalic. Yes, in the ideal world you need the base to flash off only before clearing. Custom painters will allow extra drying time pre clear but if its solid, could flat back with maybe grey scotchbrite then tack off thoroughly. If you were to flat a metalic, it would still work but you would lose some of the depth. Langy may be your man but i would probably get a good coat of clear on asap, flat back and re coat to sink the colours.
Nick

 

[steveo3002]

id say get onto the manf and ask them ...some brands are better than others

the rep when we used sikens said try not leave more than an hour or so

 

[neil_1821]

They are all flat colours except for the white which will be having a pearl coating laid on top very soon

Contemplating if i should clear them straight after I lay the pearl, then flat back, apply transfers and give a final coat of clear all over

Think I'll research the paint brand, or I'll have to wait until next Tuesday to ask the guy his opinion..

Maybe a light scotching would be suitable, panel wipe, tack rag etc

 

[norsa]

No question then. De grease (anti static being plastic). Grey scotchbrite. Tack Tack Tack then Tack again. Mask off and lay on the pearl. Demask and clear. when cured. flat back 600 wet apply decals (be sure they are compatible with your chosen clear) Final sinking coat(s).Take photos. Post. Throughout, wear latex gloves to stop the oil in your hands contaminating the surface and causing fisheyes. Finally dont be scared of it.
Nick

 

[steveo3002]

be carefull

id expect panel wipe to take the basecoat straight off ..but hey ho

 

[norsa]

fair point Steveo. I use Deltron Base and have had to do the above with the base dry and a quick once over was no problem. looks like Neils base is stable/dry. My concern would be the grease and silicon on the surface if it has been sitting about for a while.
Split the difference with you mate. real quick wipe in one test area but dont rub it.

 

[langy]

They are all flat colours except for the white which will be having a pearl coating laid on top very soon

Contemplating if i should clear them straight after I lay the pearl, then flat back, apply transfers and give a final coat of clear all over

Think I'll research the paint brand, or I'll have to wait until next Tuesday to ask the guy his opinion..

Maybe a light scotching would be suitable, panel wipe, tack rag etc

You answered your own question You can flat the straight colour but not the metalics, I usually just blow a light coat of clear over metalics tp seal off.

 

[Weldinator]

Ive keyed back metallic to gain a flatter surface and that turned out well.

 

[the snooper]

Ive keyed back metallic to gain a flatter surface and that turned out well.

not as well as if you had not flatted it, flatting would have ruined some of the metallic effect

 

[the snooper]

i dont understand why people say give primer a couple of days to dry there is just no need its usually touch dry in 5 to 10 mins and can be overcoated in 30 to 60 minutes depending on temperature

but dont just take my word for it look for a data sheet on line

 

[neil_1821]

thanks for the replies guys, i've been giving myself mini heart attacks for a few days thinking it's all gonna fall to pot

So is it safe enough to just lightly key with grey scotch? Use it dry or wet and would you scotch just the green basecoat or the white as well for the pearl to stick?

As for degreaser, it doesn't wipe off my base coat, as i'd been handling the panels before painting the green I degreased them before spraying.

All the panels have sat either in the garage on the bike but the one's i've painted green are sitting in the spray booth, not going to be touched or moved

 

[the snooper]

use scotch dry or they will clog up

 

[neil_1821]

ok

Should i grey scotch the entire panel, green for clear to adhere and white for the pearl to adhere?

Panel wipe, tack rag, mask up green, shoot pearl, clear coat over everything

Allow to dry

flat 600, apply transfers, clear coat again

Flat and polish

Stand back and smile?

 

[norsa]

i dont understand why people say give primer a couple of days to dry there is just no need its usually touch dry in 5 to 10 mins and can be overcoated in 30 to 60 minutes depending on temperature

I say it because ive been there and done it. Spray a panel with 1k primer, guide coat it and flat it back after your 60 minutes without it clogging your paper.

 

[the snooper]

i dont understand why people say give primer a couple of days to dry there is just no need its usually touch dry in 5 to 10 mins and can be overcoated in 30 to 60 minutes depending on temperature

I say it because ive been there and done it. Spray a panel with 1k primer, guide coat it and flat it back after your 60 minutes without it clogging your paper.

you have now added a guide coat it didnt mention a guide coat nor did the original post, and a guide coat can be very thin after all its only there to show high / low spots so the guide coat will dry very quickly aswell if it doesnt you have put too much on

 

[langy]

Ive keyed back metallic to gain a flatter surface and that turned out well.

If you rekey metallic basecoat you sand the particles, therefore it needs recoating mate

 

[steveo3002]

If you rekey metallic basecoat you sand the particles, therefore it needs recoating mate

nearly every newbie asking questions seems to think you sand basecoat , i dont know where they get the idea from

 

[norsa]

Painting to a high quality takes experience and understanding of the complexities as you and Langy clearly know. Unfortunately there are lots of cowboys who punt out below standard jobs, thinking they are good, tharefore they think they know what they are talking about and it all just serves to confuse the begginers.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah folk that arent sure shouldnt chirp up and confuse folk even more