Your order of finish paint work/bare metal/clear

[dmthamade]

Hello all!! Starting back into cars again, at the finish of the build. I have the color coat down, Tamiya spraybomb. At this point, do you guys apply clear gloss, sand and polish, then apply Bare Metal foil, or do you apply Bare Metal foil, clear gloss, sand and polish? I'm thinking the first method. The clear i'm using is Testors Extreme Lacquer Wet look.  Any hints on best way to apply? Light coat X2 then a wet coat?

Don

Edited March 6, 2021 by dmthamade

[Bills72sj]

I did two with Wet Look Clear.

Paint, BMF, Sharpie highlights for side marker lights, decals then mist coat of clear then wet coat clear.

No polish.

Add windows, bumpers and chassis.

 

[Spottedlaurel]

5 hours ago, dmthamade said:

At this point, do you guys apply clear gloss, sand and polish, then apply Bare Metal foil.................

This is my preference. For several reasons:

1. It makes the different texture and finish of the BMF be more apparent.

2. Possible risk of damage to the foil when sanding/polishing if it was applied before clear.

3. Until I get the clearcoat down and it's been polished I'm never confident in the quality of my paintwork. I'd have to apply a load of foil, then clear it and find there was a issue that meant it needed to all be redone.

For clear I use either Tamiya TS-13 (if it's over one of their aerosol paints) or an automotive acrylic, everything can-applied. A few light coats (I don't count, maybe 3-4?) then a heavier coat to finish off, but obviously not so thick as to get runs. I rarely have a good shine by that stage, I rely on letting it dry out for a few days somewhere warm, then Micromesh sheets 3600 down to 12000 finished with an automotive resin polish. I used to apply a cutting compound between the Micomesh and final polish stages, but on several occasions I found I'd gone through the topcoat and I get decent results without it now.

Take it slowly, build up with thin coats and experiment on scrap pieces or plastic spoons to find a technique that works for you.

[GeeBee]

Here's my method, 

Primer, light sanding, paint, wet sand and polish, once I'm happy with the results, only then will I start the BMF, if I'm using basecoat paint, the BMF is applied over the clear lacquer, not before. 

[slusher]

Paint, clear, Foil, and wax,..

when the body is finished then I build the rest of the model and put it all together.

Edited March 6, 2021 by slusher

[Plowboy]

Paint, clear, polish, foil. Always. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

Paint, clear, polish, foil. Always. 

Yup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[TransAmMike]

Ditto on the paint, clear, polish then foil.  Body complete before installing completed windows, completed interior and chassis.  Final polish. Any foil damage (hopefully none) can be touched up.

[dmthamade]

Thanks for the fast replies, guys!! I figured my first thought was good to go, but what i think is right often clashes with the real right way to do something. Did manage to get the color coat down and the clear coat. Looks OK, and i think a very light sand and polish it'll be good to go. I was under the impression the Testors clear is a lacquer, but i found the fumes had little smell compared to Tamiya spraybombs, actually reminded me of an Acrylic clear. 3 light coats followed by two wet, looks good with a slight peel on two areas and no sags. Thanks again all.

Don