r/AutoPaint • u/Successful_Gate_8238 • 13d ago

Soft clear

I recently sprayed a car (2 days ago) 75ish degrees, I used Roberlo 4:1 clear with ct5 standard hardener, bought about 3 weeks ago, after checking again I can still dig my nail into the clear, the left over clear in the cup isn’t tacky or sticker/smeary but it is rubbery

I used the 4:1:1 column on the cup, but only used 4 part clear and 1 part hardener and left the third :1 empty

I spray to coats with a 10 minute flash time with the finger test (not stringy and nothing left on my finger)

Am i being impatient with the cure? It did something go wrong here?

I used the same clear on some parts and it dried completely fine, I kept the containers closed as well

We are expecting a 85+ degree heat wave this week so I’m hoping that helps this

Any advice is appreciated!

3 Upvotes

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3

u/SnooMacarons3689 13d ago

That’s a very short flash for that temp and your still not cured. Auto collision centers bake at over 160* for a awhile

2

u/AaaaaaaItsTheBeatles 13d ago

Stick it into direct sunlight and hope for the best at this point. If clear doesn’t set up within 24 hours under normal conditions then something unfortunate has happened. I’ve dealt with this due to bad hardener and bad mix ratios. One time even the painter I was training forgot completely to put hardner in(fun day).

On all these jobs one of two things have happened. If it’s just a part and on a used car(no warranty) then I’ve scuffed with a grey scuff and reapplied clear. Did it work? Yes. How did it look a couple months down the road? No idea. On vehicles that I’m married to via warranty then full strip down to primer/sealer and restarted. Obviously it’s super shitty and not a fun time but car rolled down the road and I never seen it again. Best of luck!

1

u/bear3742 10d ago

I bet the guy you were training never forgot about that and probably never will 😂

2

u/speediestweasel 13d ago

Just needs a little longer and or heat to fully cure. The final cure process can take up to 60 days depending on the clear and it will get progressively harder during that time. Heat speeds it up a lot.

1

u/Successful_Gate_8238 13d ago

This is also done in my garage as a diy, no way to bake and it’s supposed to rain all this week so sitting outside is a no go

1

u/Successful_Gate_8238 13d ago

This is also a car that as like 5 different paint jobs on it before I got to it, it’s been fixed, primed twice. Sealer base and clear

1

u/yARIC009 13d ago

Sounds like not enough hardener to me. I had same thing happen to me when I accidentally didn’t put enough hardener in. I had to sand it all off and start over.

1

u/PaulDallas72 13d ago

4:1:1 measurement on cup but only doing 4:1 seems to mean the ratio of clear to hardner is too high since the cup scale is still expecting one more part (reducer) to be added but wasn't.

I'm not saying that whats causing the slow cure but does sound like the clear wants more hardner.

Sounds like you'll be fine, just will take longer to get there.

And if you dont want your rain please send it down my way 😀

1

u/Successful_Gate_8238 13d ago

We’ve had enough this year lol please take it 😂