Panel prep…?

[The Z'eer]

I just wanted to be clear about a few things before I buy the necessaries for painting.

would I be right in thinking I’m to use a panel wipe and then tack rag before laying down primer and then repeating that process for base and clear?

I have a fair amount of IPA in the garage, can I use microfibre cloths to apply it?

Thanks

 

[MetalMonkey]

I'd suggest use panel wipe with disposable cloths. Most paint places should sell dedicated panel wipe clothes, but frankly never had a problem with workshop towel.
You want to wipe towards the edge of the panel, working in one direction only so it drags anything off the panel and you aren't smearing any contaminants around over the surface.
Personally, I would not re-use a cloth and binning microfibre clothes would get expensive quickly.

Tac rags you need to be a little careful with - you just lightly stroke them over the surface to pick up any dust and lint - if you start rubbing away you will end up getting the adhesive from the cloth on to the panel.

Wipe and tac your panels as the final prep before spraying, any time a panel has been left for a while or if you have done any work on it.
Panel wipe before your primer, but I wouldn't worry about tac rag at primer stage, you are going to sand any dust out anyway.

 

[The Z'eer]

I'd suggest use panel wipe with disposable cloths. Most paint places should sell dedicated panel wipe clothes, but frankly never had a problem with workshop towel.
You want to wipe towards the edge of the panel, working in one direction only so it drags anything off the panel and you aren't smearing any contaminants around over the surface.
Personally, I would not re-use a cloth and binning microfibre clothes would get expensive quickly.

Tac rags you need to be a little careful with - you just lightly stroke them over the surface to pick up any dust and lint - if you start rubbing away you will end up getting the adhesive from the cloth on to the panel.

Wipe and tac your panels as the final prep before spraying, any time a panel has been left for a while or if you have done any work on it.
Panel wipe before your primer, but I wouldn't worry about tac rag at primer stage, you are going to sand any dust out anyway.

Many thanks for sharing some invaluable info there I'm guessing the microfibres may leave fibres on the surface, a disposable cloth would probably work much better. Thanks for the heads up on how to use the tack rags, certainly don't want adhesive all over the panel.

 

[steveo3002]

blue work shop towel ....wipe it on with a soaking wet cloth and wipe dry with another , never reuse the cloth /towel

you should panel wipe the primer before you paint , dont do it between basecoat and clear

some people will tack rag the base coat , sometimes you can get smeary patterns from it , i would lean towars saying no unless theres lots of bits in it

 

[bert]

Fast degreaser, then tack rag for me but only tack rag for top coating as I'm going to sand primer so no real need for itm

I don't normally do it between base coat and clear but have a few times needed to sand a bit of dust so used it to ensure it's clean before the next layer of base.

 

[steveo3002]

dont remember what flooring you have ...its a common thing to wet the floor to keep the dust stuck down , and wear a paper suit for painting and dust it off with an airline after getting it on

 

[keithski122]

Oh dear. I used cut up old t shirts and panel wipe.

 

[MG David]

Oh dear. I used cut up old t shirts and panel wipe.

I use old t shirts as well.

 

[optima21]

hope you guys arn't still wearing the old t shirts

 

[charlysays]

I just wanted to be clear about a few things before I buy the necessaries for painting.

would I be right in thinking I’m to use a panel wipe and then tack rag before laying down primer and then repeating that process for base and clear?

I have a fair amount of IPA in the garage, can I use microfibre cloths to apply it?

Thanks

Yes. IPA will work OK but I found the generation 20 fast panel wipe from marlow paints was decent and cheap... however, it smells exactly like brake cleaner (cheaper again) and I have used brake cleaner without issue too. I would be worried that pure IPA might not be too effective on silicones or oils, it will do it though. Panel wipe is usually a mix of IPA and some petrochemical solvents such as hydrotreated light. Get yourself a pump up solvent sprayer.
Personally I use microfibre cloths, they work well and leave less fibres than paper towels and you just wash them with some detergent in a washing machine and reuse endlessly. Wet the surface with the pump spray (screw nozzle in to get a wide fine spray pattern) then wipe off side to side in one pass. I try to fold the cloth back regularly to ensure it's always clean. I've never had any fisheyes doing this.
Tack rag wise, don't buy the cheap ones as they can transfer onto the panel. 3M Aqua are really good, they're blue and come in a plastic bag sachet bag and won't contaminate your surface.