PainfullySlow

I did some searching but couldn't find exactly what I am looking for.

I am looking to have a two stage pearl urethane gloss base and would like satin accent stripes.

The question is how do I go about it?

I am guessing that I would apply the pearl base and clear to the entire car then mask off and paint the satin stripes.

Some questions that arise are:

1) When do you cut and buff the gloss?
2) Do you apply a clear over the satin?

There are probably more questions that I am not even aware enough to ask at this point so I appreciate any insight.

DUB

I am having to guess you actually asking when to 'cut and buff' the 'clear'.

That depends on the type of clear you use and what the manufacturer says about when it is good to be able to go in and cut and buff it. Keep in mind the time they give is when you are dealing with ambient air temperature. SO if it is cold...it will take longer.

No..because it will no loner be satin if you use regular clear.

There are flattening agents/additives that can be added to paint/clear to make it flat or satin. But you can not buff on clear that has this additive in it because it will gloss back up.

DUB

PainfullySlow

Thanks Dub, I figured you would chime in. I appreciate the answers.

Just to be perfectly clear, my order of doing things is:

Pearl basecoat
Clear topcoat
cut and buff when appropriate
mask and apply satin stripes

I am going to guess that since I will have to wait to buff the clear that I cannot just lay down the satin after that. I assume I will need to scuff beforehand. Is this right?

If so, any tips on scuffing just the area where the stripes will go?

DUB

Lets day you have the car buffed and polished and the area where you are going to be painting on the satin stripe is perfect.

Mask off for your stripes and then you need to...as best you can...and I know it is a BEOTCH...is to prep the area so the new satin paint will adhere. But the trick is getting your scuffed clear as close to the edge of the tape you are using for your stripes.

You have to be careful not to tear or fray the edge of the blue vinyl tape from 3M you should be using for masking off your stripes.

And just be be clearly understood so you do not possibly mess up. When I prep a surface like what you are planning on doing. When I am done prepping it. I do not want to see ANY shine at all of the clear coat. 100% dull. The only shine I might see is that 1/1000th of an inch of shine that is right up against the inside edge of the blue vinyl tape that I can not get to with the sandpaper I am using. Because I have the belief that if a surface that is going to be painted on has shine...then it is NOT prepped and paint can lift. especially in this scenario. Because the paint you are using does not melt back into each other like a lacquer paint would....so...it being sanded and dull is PARAMOUNT!!!!!

This is going to be tricky to prep...but I have used gray scotch-brite pads along with Comet cleanser and water to get it dull BUT I am fully aware about my inner edge of the blue vinyl tape and sometimes I will take masking tape and go over the inner edge so I do not damage it...and when I get the vast majority of the area prepped correctly. I remove the masking tape CAREFULLY and then carefully go in and use sand paper and slide it along that edge to get it prepped.

When you get the paint applied...depending on how fast it will flash off. I normally pull the blue vinyl tape back onto itself and get it off while the paint is still somewhat soft and had NOT yet begun to set-up and become stringy. DO NOT lift straight up when removing the blue vinyl tape...like I wrote...you pull it back onto itself so it 'cuts' the edge cleanly and keeps it sharp....and obviously...when pulling it back onto itself you can pull it to the outside of your stripe so it is at an angle but the tape is still being pull back onto itself.

DUB

DUB

And this is obvious....if you have not done this..then TAKE THE TIME to shoot a test panel so you can see how things come out.

Paint the test panel JUST LIKE what you plan on doing to your car and stripe it.

DUB

PainfullySlow

Awesome advice, and thank you again for putting all this down for me.

I have an old hood that I am planning on using as a test for this so I will be able to do the exact process that I will do on the rest of the car.

Again, thank you for your help!

DUB

Hope it all goes well for you.

DUB