Why does my clear on top of glossy black look crappy?

[Heavykote]

Hey guys! I just signed up and I love your forum. I've been coating for a minute and am having serious clearcoat problems over my base glossy black . I'm getting this look like a spec of water dropped on a smooth surface. I think I may be holding the gun too close to the aluminum rims I'm coating. I fully stripped and prepped the rims with a glass bead sandblast. Then I wipedown with acetone for outgassing. I then let it cool to 150 for the basecoat. Then wait again to 150 for the clearcoat.
The part comes out nice for the basecoat, but after the clearcoat it's fine in some spots and then orange peely in others.
Can you help?
Is it also okay for clear over glossy?
It just seems a little redundant.

[tinbender722]

Sounds like a poor ground on your clearcoat step. You may have to scrape a small spot back to metal and use a clean hook to get a good ground. High gloss finish shouldn't need a clear coat. Rock chips in clear coat usually show up as small white marks, so will probably look bad on black rims after a while.

Leo

[Heavykote]

Thanks! I was gonna tell my customer that, but what he doesn't know is hurting the hell outta me. I basically fubared a perfectly good glossy black rim. I'm tired of stripping too. I think I'm gonna find a local machine shop and just pay to play. Then go back and coat all the rims and be done with this job. BTW it's my first professional rim job!
I will try what you said because I'm really bothered by this. I ususally don't run into problems I can't figure, but I'm gratefull you guys are here and am much appreciative...

[Sk33t3r]

I did not think it was wise to do aluminum rims, i thought the heat changed or weakend the aluminum. What process are you guys using to do these rims? My neighbor wants me to do his bike rims as payment for a bad ass sand blasting cabinet.

RIM JOB!!!! hehehheheheh

[Heavykote]

Aluminum rims can be done and has been discussed on here before. I recently learned about outgassing at 450 degrees! you know what? It works and if you look at the post called: AGREE, you'll see just how nice those aluminum rims came out.
My most recent problem is trying to get a good CLEARCOAT on the rims after the Glossy Black.
Should I let the glossy black cool to 150 derees and shoot a thin 1 mil coat of clearcoat, then throw it in for 20-25 minutes at my previous temp of 385 or less?
Suggestions would be really appreciated...

[hvac36]

The Glossy black does not need a Clear coat.. Only the ones that say Top Coat needed must you apply a clear..

So its a waste of time and powder..

Jim S...

[Heavykote]

Thank you for the 2nd reply on not needing a clearcoat on glossy. I feel much better knowing that and now I can tell my customers with certainty that it's not needed.
Now, my question is: Is that the reason that the clear came out so dullish looking, because the clearcoat on top of the glossy cancelled each other out?

[hvac36]

The clear coat dulls the finish, what we need is a nice true clear coat ( Top Coat) I have my eyes on another product will be testing this week and will see if Caswell can get it. If not I'll pass the word along as to where to purchase it...

Jim S...