i'm in the middle of painting a body panel on my car with Acrylic Enamel paint / reducer and hardner. How long do i let final coat dry before i clear coat it? Also how many clear coats does anybody recommend?

Bob

confused here. They havent made Acrylic Enamel clear for about 10 years. Are you puting urathane clear over acrylic enamel?
If so, put it on immediately after it tacks up, just like a coat of paint. If you wait too long, it will wrinkle up like paint stripper hit it. Good luck.

Otherwise, you have to let it dry a week or so, scuff it with scotchbrite and spray the clear. 2 or 3 coats of clear is plenty, depending on how much color sanding your going to do. Dont put the clear on real wet or it still will wrinkle up.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 08-03-2003).]

Generally, acrylic Enamel does not take a clear coat. Generally, you use a base coat thinned with reducer first. After the proper 'flash' time you add the clear.

However, for some one stage paints like DuPont Centari, you have to use a special hardener if you want to clear. Why put a clear over an already shiny paint? The base coat is a flat paint and clear is what adds the shine.

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it is an acrylic enamel clear.... it was recommended for a nice shine to the already shiny paint, so i did it. I waited about 20-30 mins after the last coat of paint (with reducer and hardner) and put 2 coats of clear on. Looks pretty good, but i still need to give it a day of drying.

Id like to know the brand. I do have a use for some occasional Acrylic enamel clear in spot jobs. None of the paint suppliers here make it anymore, because like he said above, normally you dont clear glossy, single stage colors anymore. Sherwin Williams last had it in about '92.

God, I hate acrylic enamel.....

got it off ebay. Its Hawthorne Rayflex brand. So far it doesnt look bad.... i'm just a beginner painter and wasnt looking for an expert job w/ high quality paint or anything.