help with clear over an old finish..

[big bob]

:glasses9:  Hey guys, I have an old body that is in black lacquer, it had quite a bit of lacquer checking, bad , so I wet sanded with 2000 grit and got it where I like it , but am worried the finish is real thin now. so the question is
what do I need to do to shoot a couple of clear coats over it. I was thinking wipe it down with turpentine, clean the surface, then shoot. or do I need to rough up the surface because the last sanding was with 2000.
hope this  makes sense
thanks Bob  

 

[-CB-]

if its black lacquer, then all you need do is reshoot it with lacquer and it will melt in

if its black poly-razz-ma-tazz then the 2000 sanding should be ok as long as you didn't buff it

test a pickup or control cavity with acetone - acetone wont touch poly, but will soften and melt the lacquer - just let the test dry and it will re-harden

there is a lacquer at Lowes I've been trying - CABOT clear gloss, it seems to outperform even DEFT, which is pretty good.

All lacquers should go on fairly thin - in successive coats, or you'll get a soft finish that will take forever (like months or years) to dry.

Another good lacquer is the Duplicolor clear, found at Auto Parts places.  Its compatable with nitro lacquers, dries very hard, flows well, good anti-blush.  It does take a little bit longer to really harden up, but keep it thin and there should be no problems.  Really... for a good clear job, you should wait a solid two to three weeks for that lacquer to gas out before doing level and buff.  If you're down to 2000 it should go on nice, and only need knock down of the orange peel and buff out.

Whatever ya go with - two cans should do it

also, use naphtha to clean the body, not turpentine

 

[big bob]

napththa thank you.
yes nitro not polly, I did buff it so I want to be sure all the buffing compound is gone.

 

[-CB-]

yes, and fingerprints and skin oils too, or you risk fisheye and craters

 

[big bob]

thanks, I'll post before and after picts later..

 

[big bob]

before

 

[big bob]

after, I decided not to shoot the clear. I think it buffed out fine and want to keep the finish original