How long do I wait before clear coating?

[jetmech727]

Just as the post reads. Metalic paint, how long do I need to wait before clear coating?

 

[Burnt]

You have up to 24 hrs @ 75 deg. You should at least wait about 30 min. If you go past 24hrs you can shoot another coat of base and then clear. The best thing that I have found is to shoot a coat or two of intercoat clear after the base coat. That way if I go past my time frame I can scuff the intercoat with a red pad then shoot clear. The intercoat clear will also protect the base coat before you clear. You can not sand Metalic, Kandy or Pearl base paints or you will scratch it and it will show.

 

[jetmech727]

Thanks for your help. I just cleared the saddle bags an hour ago. So the colour coat was 5 hours old. How long do I need to wait before I can wetsand the clear?

 

[JohnPSW]

You have up to 24 hrs @ 75 deg. You should at least wait about 30 min. If you go past 24hrs you can shoot another coat of base and then clear. The best thing that I have found is to shoot a coat or two of intercoat clear after the base coat. That way if I go past my time frame I can scuff the intercoat with a red pad then shoot clear. The intercoat clear will also protect the base coat before you clear. You can not sand Metalic, Kandy or Pearl base paints or you will scratch it and it will show.

Why do you shoot an intercoat rather than just shooting your clear coat?

 

[Burnt]

You can just shoot your clear coat. I very rarely shot just one color so I am always way past my 24 hr limit. My jobs are mostly flames or some type of graphic so I like to shoot intercoat just in case I have to stop for some reason or I scrape up against it somehow. It's just a layer of protection I can fix without to much trouble. Your paint should have a recommended time frame for sanding but I wait until the next day.