Auto clear coating a stock

[Biggabe]

Just had a body shop clear a stock for me. He does great work on autos but I sure would have liked a little more attention to detail on the stock though. A little less orange peel and dust would have been great. To be fair to him he didn't charge me for it and I told him I would polish it out myself. Shows the stock after starting the wet sanding process then after I got it done. My hats are off to the body shop guys. I appreciate what it takes for them to get a slick finish.

 

[waterfwlr]

I've done a few. Finished product looks good. How many coats?

 

[vanwhyjr]

Do a search for cigarcop's posts. Then you will have an example of a finished stock!
vanwhy

 

[joshb]

Don't! It'll just make you feel inferior! Your stock looks good to me!

 

[Geno C]

Laying it on too heavy or it not being thinned right lead to orange peel. Not really fair to judge a guys work if you don't let them finish though. If you want something to look like glass under close inspection; buffing is a minimum and wet sanding is preferred.

 

[Sundown]

What was the finish on the stock when you took it to be coated? Was it varnished or stained. May not be compatible with the clear coat used on your stock. Oil base stain and acrylic base clear coat. Worth checking! May have to sand and refinish.

 

[bobinpa]

Just had a body shop clear a stock for me. He does great work on autos but I sure would have liked a little more attention to detail on the stock though. A little less orange peel and dust would have been great. To be fair to him he didn't charge me for it and I told him I would polish it out myself. Shows the stock after starting the wet sanding process then after I got it done. My hats are off to the body shop guys. I appreciate what it takes for them to get a slick finish.
View attachment 996248 View attachment 996249

Looks good! What did you use to polish it out?

 

[NorCalMikie]

To be fair to him he didn't charge me for it and I told him I would polish it out myself.

For the price, you got a deal!!

 

[gotcha]

Looks good to me also ! I've had real good results using Brownell's 5F compound for final finish as well as, touch up when you get that inevitable light scratch. It gives a really crisp surface light reflection.

 

[John from MN]

It's gonna look a little rough until the 1000/1500 grit have been used and the buffing has been done. That's not unusual at all.

Looks like it worked out in the end.

 

[Biggabe]

I've done a few. Finished product looks good. How many coats?

3 coats

It's gonna look a little rough until the 1000/1500 grit have been used and the buffing has been done. That's not unusual at all.

Looks like it worked out in the end.

Never having had a stock cleared I wasn't sure what the finish would look like before sanding and buffing. I guess I was expecting something a little smoother. Next time I have it done I'll have a better handle on what to expect. Thanks.

What was the finish on the stock when you took it to be coated? Was it varnished or stained. May not be compatible with the clear coat used on your stock. Oil base stain and acrylic base clear coat. Worth checking! May have to sand and refinish.

I used a urethane spray, no stain, that had cured out for probably a year, wet sanded the finish with some 600 wet dry before I took it in. I guess the clear could have reacted with the previous finish, I wouldn't have thought so though after curing up for a year.

Looks good! What did you use to polish it out?

Polished it with some 3M Perfect It II rubbing compound then went to some 3M Machine Polish, that was after wet sanding.

For the price, you got a deal!!

I tend to agree.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

[timeout]

I feel a whole bunch better after seeing that auto painters can have difficulty with clear coating. I have dabbled in the painting and clear coating of stocks. The painting ha not been as difficult as clear coating. The stock prep can be decreased a bit when painting by the use of primers and putties. When clear coating laminates, flawless stock prep is a must. Imperfections almost never "iron out" with clear coat. Also, there is a problem with the process when the clear coat dries to an orange peel consistency. In my limited experience, wet sanding and buffing are always key though. If I had to charge by the hour for my finished product I'd be hard pressed to find a buyer! Below are a few examples of my amateur work. The paint jobs are Candy colors with auto clear coat topping. Cigarcop need not worry that I will take over his business!

 

[NorCalMikie]

Lots of good products that will finish a stock. From what I've seen, only Automotive Clear will make the colors JUMP OUT. Colors will show that you never knew were in there. And besides, Auto Clear is as tough as nails. Tough to work with but well worth the effort on the finished product. Your time and effort will be rewarded.

 

[Shaggy357]

Clear coat paint properties will also play a role in your finished product. Newer cars use enamel paints that almost always orange peel. Secret with this is to build up a base before the paint has a chance to dry....painter will paint a coat, let it get tacky, then paint another, wait until tacky, then paint another, and another, etc. After 3 or 4 coats they let it dry well (lots of paint booths are heated to bake the finish) then they color sand and rub to get the gloss. The older lacquer paints you color sand and rubbed between coats...at least the guys with lots of time and want of superior finish did. This works, but results take a few weeks, not a few hours.

I have been using Min-Wax clear polyurethane finish on some of my laminate stocks. Airbrush or just brush it on, let it dry. Wet sand with 600 -1000 grit paper, repeat until desired finish is complete, then coat with good Carnuba automotive wax. Johnson's paste floor wax is good too. It was made for wood floors and comes out really nice.

I like the looks of the stock above. Biggabe obviously took his time, took the orange peel down, and did not get the base clear too thin. Came out looking really well. A little carnuba will make the colors really POP.

Its all fun. Enjoy the hobby.

Steve

 

[JRS]

The orange peel look is due primarily to human error. Evaporation of thinner, incorrect spray gun setup, low air pressure or incorrect nozzle, laying it on too thick, and spraying at an angle other than perpendicularly. Properly sprayed, buffing out the finish with the right types of polish is the only thing necessary to achieve a beautiful finish.

 

[Wjesswheel]

The orange peel look is due primarily to human error. Evaporation of thinner, incorrect spray gun setup, low air pressure or incorrect nozzle, laying it on too thick, and spraying at an angle other than perpendicularly. Properly sprayed, buffing out the finish with the right types of polish is the only thing necessary to achieve a beautiful finish.

Correct, a decent painter today should be able to lay an extremely flat and smooth layer of clear (especially on something small like a stock) that should require almost no wet sanding or buffing other then maybe a spot or 2 of dirt that needs nibbled off. I would imagine in most cases at an automotive paint shop guys are mixing up their clear coat, painting what they are getting paid to paint. And finishing what's left in the paint gun to do the stock. (You defiantly don't want to run short 7/8 of the way thru an overall) the activator in the clear is kicking in, reducers have evaporated, and doesn't spray as nice, wet sanding and buffing is a profit killer.

 

[ngb1787]

Try eastwood 2k clear, it is a two part aerosol, yes in a spray can. Read up on it, anyone can do it and it looks great for anyone except an absolut perfectionist. Prep ur stock accordingly, I do mean sand and buff to as perfect as u like, 2 coats of spray, each coat dries in 7 minutes, let stand over night and 600 grit buff again, u will remove most of what u applied except what has filled crevices , then apply 5 coats, it is awesome!

 

[GrocMax]

Waaaaay back when my shop teacher got ahold of a gallon of the finish Connelly (water skis) used to use on their laminated with inlay top layer (exotics and Marwood) wood skis. It was dipped in a single coat, and finished from there, never seen anything since so deep or shiny. Extremely tough and flexible finish. Supposedly came from Hungary, this was in the 70's.