TWINRAY

or right to Base/Clear. If yes, I'll be using PPG Base, their sealer or SPI EPOXY? Thanks.

DUB

If you read the tech bulletin of the SlickSand.....it should be possible to paint right on it....BUT

If you want to make sure that your paint bonds/links to the Slicksand....then apply sealer....and usually it is most common practices to use a sealer from the paint manufacturer (PPG)...BUT it is NOT mandatory that you do.

When dealing with SPI products...you need to get with 'porchdog'. He knows that product the best.

Also...for what it is worth. I have not shot Slicksand...but I know it must be very similar to what I shoot...and I have found that when prepping the polyester primer...I use 400 girt 'wet' and it works perfectly. I have painted directly on this 400 grit finish with metallic paints and have NO sand scratch tracking. And I have sealed over it and obviously it turned out perfect also.

DUB

TWINRAY

Thanks DUB, yea I know SS says you can do directly to color BUT, like you said, I think I will go with a PPG Sealer. I was looking for a confirmation from someone who did SS then base/clear with no sealer. Is there any negative to sanding the SS with finer than #400 before base? Can you have a preped finish too fine for base paint. Thanks and best regards, Fred.

DUB

Fred,
From what I have seen...and did not like....is that if I wet sand with 500 grit my polyester primer.. when I look down the side of the car...the primer SHINES...even though I KNOW it is sanded.

SO..just for 'fun' one day. I sanded it with 400 WET..and I liked the look which is bit more DULL...which makes me feel better...and as like I wrote...I have NOT had any problems doing it that way.

YES.(in my opinion) you CAN have a surface prepped in a grit to FINE. There are MANY VARIABLES...and so many it would take too long to list them. BUT..think of it like this. The Slicksand is catalyzed and cures hard....so it will not EASILY allow a solvent to soften it...UNLIKE your two coats of basecoat that you let DRY for two days ( or example) and go in and wetsand with 1000-1500 grit because you has trash issues or something else that required wetsanding. The basecoat will often times allow the next coat of basecoat to eat into the basecoat due to the solvents...so knowing that the basecoat will 'melt' into the previous fresh basecoat...1000-1500 grit can be used.......BUT....1000 -1500 grit on polyester primer is another thing all together.

DUB

porchdog

question is do you want a mechanical adhesion at 400 grit or a chemical adhesion . even though i use epoxy on most times i always shoot a reduced coat for adhesion .

TWINRAY

Hi Porchdog and thanks for the reply. I want to do whatever is best. Sounds like that would be a chemical adhesion. I assume you mean using a reduced coat of Epoxy as a sealer? SPI
Tech sheet sats a 5-50% reduction. That's quite a range variation. Ine wer coat, wait 2 hrs then paint. Help me with that range in reduction please. How much of a reduced mixture is needed for 1 coat? Thanks much, Fred

TWINRAY

Thanks DUB, I understand that. I see some areas on my blocked slicksand that look real shiny. I did this sanding last year and LIKE AN IDIOT, I don't know what I finished with. I thought #400 but it sure looks smooth. I'm awaiting Porchdog's answer about my question on SPI EPOXY. Thanks for your help, Fred

porchdog

reduce as needed. meaning temp - gun - reducer used. i reduce about 20-30 % with slow reducer . the reason to reduce is just to flow it out a little like base .

TWINRAY

Ok, thanks for the info. I am now better informed.
Regards, Fred

123vettman!

I just sprayed claret red over slicksand without a sealer with no problems. Shot house of color klear usc01 and cut and buffed it out on a 2012 cadillac srx and it came out very nice and shinny. No bleed through, sand scratches, nothing. Block sanded it with 500 grit and sprayed over that. Cut with 1000, 2000, 3000 and trizact buffed by 3m.

123vettman!

This is the 2012 srx painted directly over slicksand.

csherman

Looks good but paint manufacturers still recommend a sealer.