? What cloth do you use to prep surface?

B

big stinkie

Guest
Here's the deal. Since I've been doing the paint thing, I've had an intermittant problem with clear not sticking to the basecoat. Just once in a while I'd squirt clear and it would ball up as if I was squirting water on oil. Maddening! Sand, sand, sand...squirt again and it might stick, might not. Could never find the common denominator.

Had it happen last month, but this time I used the scientific method to deduce the cause. To make a long story short, it was the cloth I was using to wipe the surface down with the fast evaporating cleaner. I have a big box of cotton diapers that I've been using. Most of them are simply soft, single layer cloth, but a few have two layers with another layer of cotton stuffing down the middle to absorb the...the...well, you know...they're diapers. Found out that when I use the diaper with the stuffing, I get the afore mentioned problem. Using the single layer diaper works fine.

I always wash them together (washing machine and laundry detergent) and dry them in the dryer. (No...I don't use a fabric softener sheet.) All I can figure is that the thicker diapers don't rinse as clean as the single ply ones, and soap must still be in the fibers. The soap is obviously transferred to the surface when wiped down, even using a liberal amount of cleaner.

So, what kind of cloths do you guys use to prep your surface? How do you wash them when you're done? I've resorted to paper towels until I get a better answer.

Thanks.
 
S

Stretch

New member
I've been using the basic towels you can get at any hardware store. They're Scot brand I believe. They have blue ones that are in rolls and then white ones in a box. I like the white ones as they seem to be a little thicker and absorb better.

-Stretch
 
J

Jim

Member
Hi Stinkie,I was wondering if you were still around.I use an industrial white paper towel or my old t-shirts and white sox.I also use a prep called "Painters Pride" It's cheap and never had any problems.I've used it for everything,before and after sanding,sometimes as a tack rag between coats, for removing adhesives,undercoating overspray,whatever.Maybe it's not just your rags,try another prep.Even the windex trick works.Take it easy,Jim
 
A

alienboy

Guest
I agree with Jim. I think its your methods/material. Buy some SontaraSPS prep cloths (about 15.00 bucks a box of 100) and some decent pre-cleaner and you should be fine.
 
R

rex

New member
Aah,the problem finally solved-this is the same one as before isnt it?I don't think it's the prep if it only does it with the thick ones,they must be holding something like you said.I've been using the Tork 606 rags at work but they're not great,about 6 months ago they started getting linty.A wad of paper towels are the cheapest still I think.
 
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