Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

At first when I tinted my tails they came out amazingly smooth but I touched them a little too early and i had a few finger prints on them so of course I had to redo them. I wet sanded them down to get most of the clear coat off, vhted them some more and clear coated them some more. And now those once shiny smooth tails are now blotchy and rough...

1) What caused this to happen? Was it the clearcoat I used or the process I did?

2) What can I do to fix them? (List steps)

thanks,
Jam

hlaalu

iTrader: (3)

you have too many layers, too thick of coats and you probably didn't let the clear cure before you sanded it? let everything dry for a few days, and then wetsand it until it's smooth and don't put clear on it this time.

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

wrong, I waited a week before I sanded it and redid it. but wetsanding it again and only using VHT sounds good.

Scira

iTrader: (4)

You don't have to go through all of that. Just wait a couple of days, wet sand using 1500 and 2000 progressively. Just make sure that you take your time and do it really well. After that, use a PC if you have it and apply either maguiars ultimate compound or a compound made for plastics. It'll come out as shiny as the stock ones.

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

hmm that sounds like a good plan.. probably gonna have to throw out whatever polishing pad I use on the porter cable afterwards but that sounds like a good plan. i'll try it today and post up results

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

No need to use a compound just for plastics. Its car paint that you are buffing......not bare clear plastic. Treat it just like you would the paint on your car, essentially thats what it is, you are working with a clearcoat.

crimson_bird

iTrader: (4)

^what they said.
wet sand/buff/polish and you'll be set

what clear did you use?

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

in that case maybe I'lll just use my m205 polishing compound, which is comparable to 2000 grit and then use plastic polish afterwards.
i used the best clear coat I could possibly use, I ordered it from online a while back ago so i don't remember the name, but it was special cause it could spray the clear coat in the same volume per second as a standard HVLP spray gun.

black_sheep454

iTrader: (9)

Your problem is probably caused from the sanding inbetween, the spot that got sanded more have less material over them causeing them to be brighter in those spots

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

^^ but i can still correct it with sanding and polishing right?

kyles2000z

iTrader: (8)

Not if it is underneath the clearcoat. Sanding VHT is like sanding a a candy clear coat. The more material that is on it (VHT, the darker it is). If you don't sand PERFECTLY level, it will be splotchy bc some areas have more VHT than others.

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

so what would you advise me to do? I'm gonna try this porter cable plastic polish method and if that doesn't work.....should I just sand it all down and start all over?

crimson_bird

iTrader: (4)

if its already uneven, i would just sand it all off now- ~400grit to take it off, and then ^600 to smooth it out. then do your VHT coats, then your clear coat. i'd recommend Dupli-color clear, i've never had any problems with it, and neither have the other people who i know of that have used it. some clear coats dont seem to work to well with the nightshade.

then once its all done, dried, and fully cured. a light wetsanding, buffing, and polishing. should look/feel like glass

Trans Am Jam

iTrader: (7)

I just wetsanded it w/ 1500 grit .. used m105 then m205 on the porter cable. and then used meguiars plastic polish. and it definitely did the trick. It corrected the clear coat and is a lot smoother. too bad I have no time to do the other one until next week.. i'll post up a before and after soon. Glad this is resolved.. cause I really diddn't wanna sand it all down and start all over. This can now be used as reference for those who will encounter the same VHT problems as I did.