Kirker Paint ?

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:48 pm
There's no tech sheet for clearing Kirker AE, because Kirker says they're not designed to be cleared. It would be best to use a test panel and see if it holds up. I haven't tried a urethane clear over Kirker AE, but the AE clear from paintforcars.com doesn't lift, and the shine holds up better with the AE clear. The only problem is the yellow tint.
Something else to consider, the AE from paintforcars.com can be clearcoated, and I had no problems with clearing Omni AE.
If single stage is preferred, wouldn't it be better to go with SS urethane? It's not much more in cost, and it can be cleared with urethane without worrying about mixing technologies.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:44 pm
edpol wrote:There's no tech sheet for clearing Kirker AE, because Kirker says they're not designed to be cleared. It would be best to use a test panel and see if it holds up. I haven't tried a urethane clear over Kirker AE, but the AE clear from paintforcars.com doesn't lift, and the shine holds up better with the AE clear. The only problem is the yellow tint.
Something else to consider, the AE from paintforcars.com can be clearcoated, and I had no problems with clearing Omni AE.
If single stage is preferred, wouldn't it be better to go with SS urethane? It's not much more in cost, and it can be cleared with urethane without worrying about mixing technologies.


I'm a newbie so bare with me please. SS urethane mean Single stage? If so what Kirker or Omni paint lines do you recommend?

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:11 pm
I'm a newbie with the new paint myself. Yes, SS is single stage.
I don't know offhand what the Omni single stage urethane is called, but Kirker's is called Ultra-Glo. Omni basecoat is called MAE if I'm not mistaken. Kirker has an additive to make their SS urethane into a basecoat. Kirker also sells a low VOC basecoat. It's their Black Diamond line.
I've been using a lot of SS enamel metallics to practice with. I also shot some Omni and Kirker metallic basecoat. What the guys on these forums say is true. It's a lot easier to get metallics to lay right using basecoat, rather than single stage metallics. Doesn't matter if it's SS urethane, or SS acrylic enamel, basecoat is easier. The difference is night and day.
Personally, I liked the Kirker b/c better than the Omni, but you can get OEM colors with Omni if you have the PPG codes.
The last car I painted was in the '70's, using a Binks #7 siphon gun spraying lacquer. So this is like starting all over for me. Primers are better, the paint is better, the equipment is better. All other painting I've done since has been with rattlecans, lacquer and acrylic enamel, all small projects that are difficult to screw up. I can say this with confidence:
Don't go crazy with the guns, either cheap or expensive. A good mid range like Devilbiss Finish Line is fine. Cheap guns are inconsistent, and that includes the DeVilbiss Starting line guns, and Harbor freight guns. They either work fine every time at the same settings, or they don't. I also bought two used higher end guns, a SATA 2000 and a DeVilbiss Plus. The plus seems to lay clear down a little smoother, but you have to work fast. Otherwise, there was no difference between the Finish Line quality and the higher end quality, it's the level of the painter that makes the difference.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:41 pm
I've used Kirker SS urethane and enamel.
I love their urethane, it's a really durable paint.
As much as I like their urethane, I dislike their enamel.
I'll never use it again, it didn't hold up for me at all.
Night and day difference between enamel (that stays soft forever)
and urethane that gets rock hard overnight.
No contest. :D
JC.

(It's not custom painting-it's custom sanding)



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:47 pm
As much as I like their urethane, I dislike their enamel.
I'll never use it again, it didn't hold up for me at all.


I forgot to mention that. In fact, the only times any of the enamels held a shine after being exposed to the elements, is when I sprayed the clear enamel over them. The purpose of clearing with AE, was to practice cutting and buffing clearcoat the cheapest way possible.
The clear enamel was rock hard after a day, and after two days, was really hard to sand. So to practice cutting and buffing with this stuff turned out to be a bad idea. It also became apparent that by the time you get done putting clearcoat over single stage, it's not much more expensive to just go with bc/cc, or stay with an SS urethane, both of which will last longer than Kirker enamels.
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