How Long before Applying Clear Coat

[Khas Evets]

How long do you wait to apply the clear coat over a Hammerite finish? I'm experimenting with it and found that applying it in the same day causes the clear coat and Hammerite to combine. This could be a useful effect, but it loses the hammered effect.

[Outlaws]

Thanks for that tip.
I haven't used Hammerite, but I am planning on getting some.

[Paul Marossy]

Probably a couple of days.

[ryanscissorhands]

What kind of clear coat are you using, and can you post some pics of this "combining" effect?

[sir_modulus]

DAMN HAMMERITE!!!!

Ya man, I run into the same problem. I use Hammerite, and rust-oleum Painters choice clear coat. If you don't wait like a couple of days - a week, it starts combining with the paint, and making the paint crinkle....and come off.

Cheers,

Nish

[Khas Evets]

My clear coat is Rustoleum Crystal Clear Enamel. Fortunately, I tried this on an Altoids tin as an experiment.

I don't have a camera handy, sorry. It looks more like a typical metallic finish with a few bubbles.

What I have learned is that many light coats of Hammerite produce a more even finish. Fewer, heavier coats produce a more textured result. They both look good, but I prefer the first approach, as it's a little subtler and more consistent. Also, metal primer is highly recommended.

I'm going to try again and wait a week before applying the clear coat. Thanks for the advice.

[Paul Marossy]

The problem with some clear coats is that they seem to have a lot of solvents in them to keep them thin when they spray on or something. This in turn acts like paint thinner, and apparently, is not a good thing for a hammerite type paint!

[Gilles C]

I wasn't waiting longer to apply the clear than between coats, but I learned a few weeks ago that I should wait at least a week to make sure the paint is dry before applying the clear.

When the last box I painted gets older, I'll see if it was better to wait longer. I'll compare it with my older boxes.