Stock clear coat question

[OIF/OEF]

I sanded my stock down got all the imperfections out and finished it up with 600 grit. Took it to an automotive shop for clear coat...charged 25.00 not bad really and 48 hour turn around. I am in the process of sanding it back down for the next session of clear coat...free for second trip cant complain....before the second coat can be applied do I have to buff it out to a perfect shine.... I am going to wet sand with 600 grit until the imperfections are gone and then go to 1000, 1500 and 2000.

This is what I am trying to get to. It will have a dull look after wet sanding even with 2000 grit so do I have to buff it to a perfect shine before taking it in for the second coats. The stock is Dark grey/Light grey Lee Six Thumbhole really love the colors

Also is all the wet sanding in stages as stated above needed...Thanks for any advice and sorry for dragging the question out



Very Respectfully

 

[joshb]

Take with a grain of salt ,as i'm a wood guy. When i clear coat with urethanes I might go down to 400 on a special project. You want a "rough" surface so the final coats can get a grip on the previous coat. Then, the final clear coat can be polished with rotten stone and another , but I'm having a senior moment on that one, but it's, like 4000 grit. That's why they say "sand between coats". I go down to 1000 when using an oil finish on really special projects.. Like the stock I just built. The hang up with my advice, is that I don't know what product is being used for the clear coat. I'd call them and ask what they suggest. Josh.

 

[dragman]

I have a paint and clear guy that does miracles! I send everything to him!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

No finer than 600 if youre gonna keep on clearing. 400 would be better for em

 

[bobinpa]

I'm with josh and dusty on this.... you don't need or want to make it too smooth in between coats. You want the surface to have some roughness to it to allow the next coat to grip it. 600 is almost too smooth depending on the product. Between coats I only sand enough to get 90 percent of the texture look out. I let the coats build and do my final sand down to 2000 or so then polish to a shine.
Good luck

 

[DennisH]

I was a Collision Technician most of my career.

First to let you know, the automotive clear I use cost $400.00 per gallon. You can "maybe" clear coat 3 stocks with a gallon.

You have to use a good sealer to start with.

You don't "buff" between coats. Usually towards the last coats, sanding with 600 or 1,000 is fine as the surface has to be rough to retain the new clear coats. The last stock I cleared, it took 10 stages to complete it. You put 3 coats of clear on, and sand 2 off, then reclear with 3 and repeat the process until you get the look you want. Then at that time you start buffing and polishing (after sanding with 4,000 or so sandpaper) and you should have a great looking stock.

The only problem, the clearing cost more than the stock! Especially if your paying someone to do it! It's all in what you want.

If I didn't answer a question, just let me know. And by the way, you will always have a dull look after sanding. After the first coat of clear is applied, it shines like it should when finished.

Dennis

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I use 400 between coats. Use a good clear or the gun will always be slightly sticky in the bags.

 

[joshb]

First to let you know, the automotive clear I use cost $400.

The only problem, the clearing cost more than the stock! Especially if your paying someone to do it! It's all in what you want.



Dennis
[/quote]


This is why I like an oil finish. All the things I made for clients, that were clear coated, were just waiting for that first ding or scratch. It usually happened during transport. What a pita to fix. Maybe it's me. I can't wear white pants. Dirty before I get out of the house. New shoes are scuffed in 10 minutes. Dings and dirt follow me. An oil finish takes a hit, just wipe a little on and wipe it off. Maybe a little sanding. A quart of the good stuff costs less than $20. Josh

 

[DennisH]

The clear I am using is the hardest clear made, epoxy. I only use it on my competition rifles. It is very hard to damage this clear. Others will damage by just rubbing something one it.

So far, I have been lucky and have not had any damage to any of mine. Plus, when this clear soaks in the laminate wood, it strengthens it tremendously. I don't know how much, but it does.

My other rifles are oil finished. I guess I am use to working with the automotive clears.

Dennis

Below, one of the few closeups I have of a stock with the epoxy clear. I don't wax them as they get too slippery. I just wipe them down, but if they were waxed, it would definitely be a difference.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

JMHO, but I don't think there's a better, more durable, or practical finish for a rifle, than automotive clear.


I wet sand to 320-400 between coats and 3000 grit for the top coat..then buff and wax. Looks like a mirror. It can be cut back or flattening agent added, to knock the sheen back for hunting rifles, or where less shine is desired.

 

[joshb]

Hey Dennis: mind if I ask what product that epoxy is? Years ago I worked with west systems epoxies, when I built a couple boats. I found them a little soft for a final finish. A little pressure with a thumbnail left a dent. How hard is the epoxy in you use?

 

[DennisH]

PPG, my rep recommended the product. I would have to find the container and let you know. It's one of the top two clear's they have, which is many.

Dennis

 

[DJSBRS]

I was a Collision Technician most of my career.

First to let you know, the automotive clear I use cost $400.00 per gallon. You can "maybe" clear coat 3 stocks with a gallon.

You have to use a good sealer to start with.

You don't "buff" between coats. Usually towards the last coats, sanding with 600 or 1,000 is fine as the surface has to be rough to retain the new clear coats. The last stock I cleared, it took 10 stages to complete it. You put 3 coats of clear on, and sand 2 off, then reclear with 3 and repeat the process until you get the look you want. Then at that time you start buffing and polishing (after sanding with 4,000 or so sandpaper) and you should have a great looking stock.

The only problem, the clearing cost more than the stock! Especially if your paying someone to do it! It's all in what you want.

If I didn't answer a question, just let me know. And by the way, you will always have a dull look after sanding. After the first coat of clear is applied, it shines like it should when finished.

Dennis

Wonder how much weight would the three stocks would gain with a gallon of clear on them? A gallon will cover 610 sq ft per coat. http//www.bapspaint.com/docs/psheets/ Must be some be big *** stocks!

DJ

 

[Dusty Stevens]

A benchrest stock has 4oz of paint on em- primer, sealer, color and clear.

 

[OIF/OEF]

I was thinking the same thing about 1 gallon for three stocks. If I were spraying it I could see that though. I could clear coat my floors

 

[DennisH]

DJ, you can clear about 3 laminate stocks with a gallon. I should have sealed the stocks before clearing, but I was going to use the first coat as my sealer coat.

THAT was a mistake. It kept soaking up the clear. And as I have stated somewhere, I put 3 coats on, sanded about 2 off, then recleared with 3 more coats, I repeated this process until I had the look and finish I wanted.

In the future, I probably will go another route to clear coat the stocks just because of the cost. The paint materials were costing about $150 per stock with about 10 labor hours in each one. Their beautiful, but I will go a different route on my next set whenever that will be.

Dennis

PS: I bet you I could use them as a baseball bat as this clear did nothing but strengthen the laminate wood.