So I shot my Tamco Intercoat with HOK candy green and Shimrin 2 pearl base, 3 coats, then followed 15 minutes later with Tamco clear, three coats. Had a bad result from the black base and had to repaint. Anyway, after almost completely sanding the car I discovered the clear coat peeling off on a ground effect at the bottom of the door. I peeled it off and then tested the bottom half of the door and same thing, came off pretty easily with a razor blade. It had cured about a week. Haven't had a chance to test other panels yet but I'm not looking forward to it. Why would the base coat stick but not the clear coat? It was mid seventies when I shot in my garage, used slow reducer and hardener ALL Tamco products including the primers. I think I only spot wiped lightly in a few spots to remove a bug or two, no sanding (obviously) or cleaning, just straight to clear.
I've thought about it and the best I can come up with is I waited too long to start the clear. I do recall putting my finger in the base to test in a taped off area and it didn't string but it was still wet so my print left a mark. It is very dry in Colorado and things tend to dry quickly. There wasn't much overspray and it didn't linger because I had the garage door cracked and fan pulling air out a side door. This really sucks because I don't want it to happen again!

im in Colorado as well,

first off you did NOT use ALL Tamco products, and ill tell you from experience HoK does not mix well with any other paint line,

PainterDave wrote:im in Colorado as well,

first off you did NOT use ALL Tamco products, and ill tell you from experience HoK does not mix well with any other paint line,

HI Dave, I think you said this same thing on the Facebook page. You're right, as I mentioned I used HOK colors in Tamco Intercoat. So why does Tammy say lots of people use HOK with no problems? Some say they have issues and others do not. Last Fiero I painted was HOK base and clear, turned out beautiful. Not trying to dis anyone or their products, just looking not to have it happen again as this is the second time I'm painting this car. Do you think adding hardener to the base would help? It may also just be contained to this one panel and be a fluke. I haven't had a chance to test other panels very much yet. Truth told I don't really want to.
Since I have purchased enough Tamco products for the recoat I may have to have them mix up a similar color and return the HOK products. Either that or if the rest of the paint fails I may just sell the **** car, I think it's jinxed!

countach711 wrote: I do recall putting my finger in the base to test in a taped off area and it didn't string but it was still wet so my print left a mark.

Herein lies your problem. Base needs to flash off completely before overcoating with clear. It's not like clear where you can go with the next coat while it's still semi-wet.

Early on, I worked with almost all PPG stuff. As I got more confident I began experimenting with more "custom" colors. HOK always seemed to me to be more "sensitive" to being worked in any other production systems. I checked, haven't used HOK products in about 12 years....no problems......hmmmmmm.....

countach711 wrote:

PainterDave wrote:im in Colorado as well,

first off you did NOT use ALL Tamco products, and ill tell you from experience HoK does not mix well with any other paint line,

HI Dave, I think you said this same thing on the Facebook page. You're right, as I mentioned I used HOK colors in Tamco Intercoat. So why does Tammy say lots of people use HOK with no problems? Some say they have issues and others do not. Last Fiero I painted was HOK base and clear, turned out beautiful. Not trying to dis anyone or their products, just looking not to have it happen again as this is the second time I'm painting this car. Do you think adding hardener to the base would help? It may also just be contained to this one panel and be a fluke. I haven't had a chance to test other panels very much yet. Truth told I don't really want to.
Since I have purchased enough Tamco products for the recoat I may have to have them mix up a similar color and return the HOK products. Either that or if the rest of the paint fails I may just sell the car, I think it's jinxed!

Dave not my name on facebook so not sure what post you are referring to ?
Bert Beargeon is my facebook.

if you used Tamco intercoat i am not sure why you got decontamination.

yes using 5% hardener in all layers wouldve probably prevented this.

NFT5 wrote:

countach711 wrote: I do recall putting my finger in the base to test in a taped off area and it didn't string but it was still wet so my print left a mark.

Herein lies your problem. Base needs to flash off completely before overcoating with clear. It's not like clear where you can go with the next coat while it's still semi-wet.

Awesome info, thank you very much. I only paint cars every few years so I did not remember this (if I ever knew it).

PainterDave wrote:

countach711 wrote:[quote="PainterDave"

Dave not my name on facebook so not sure what post you are referring to ?
Bert Beargeon is my facebook.

if you used Tamco intercoat i am not sure why you got decontamination.

yes using 5% hardener in all layers wouldve probably prevented this.

Hi Bert,
There was a guy on the Tamco411 page that said almost the same thing you did but his name is Thomas, and Dave is so similar, (sucks getting old). Here's where I'd insert a
the rolling eyes emogi hitting himself on the head except I don't know how.
Anyway, I checked out your Facebook page, you're a sic painter! Thanks for the advice, I will use some hardener in this next go around. Is there a difference in timing to go to clear? Wait until it's dry before proceeding but stay within the one hour window (I believe it's one hour, but I will check to be sure)? No need to scuff or sand I assume.

countach711 wrote:

PainterDave wrote:

countach711 wrote:[quote="PainterDave"

Dave not my name on facebook so not sure what post you are referring to ?
Bert Beargeon is my facebook.

if you used Tamco intercoat i am not sure why you got decontamination.

yes using 5% hardener in all layers wouldve probably prevented this.

Hi Bert,
There was a guy on the Tamco411 page that said almost the same thing you did but his name is Thomas, and Dave is so similar, (sucks getting old). Here's where I'd insert a
the rolling eyes emogi hitting himself on the head except I don't know how.
Anyway, I checked out your Facebook page, you're a sic painter! Thanks for the advice, I will use some hardener in this next go around. Is there a difference in timing to go to clear? Wait until it's dry before proceeding but stay within the one hour window (I believe it's one hour, but I will check to be sure)? No need to scuff or sand I assume.

Feel free to send a friend invite. yes that sounds like a good plan. just make sure hardener goes into every layer

countach711 wrote:So I shot my Tamco Intercoat with HOK candy green and Shimrin 2 pearl base, 3 coats, then followed 15 minutes later with Tamco clear, three coats. Had a bad result from the black base and had to repaint...

Not sure if I read your post incorrectly, but did you put your clear on after letting your base coat flash for 15 minutes? I wait a minimum of an hour and lately I let I try to let the base coat flash overnight.

Water based PPG Envirobase base coat can be top coated after 15 minutes, but I still give it at least an hour.

...I've thought about it and the best I can come up with is I waited too long to start the clear. I do recall putting my finger in the base to test in a taped off area and it didn't string but it was still wet so my print left a mark. It is very dry in Colorado and things tend to dry quickly.

I am in Northern California (generally low humidity) and paint in a total opposite of a paint booth leaky old pig barn. I doubt that you let it set too long even with hardener added to your base coat.

I use HOK Kandy Concentrates with Tamco's clears all the time. I have gotten some pretty good results considering that I am a weekender rookie hack shooting in an old pig barn. I also use HOK primers and sealers with different base coats (PPG, Tamco, The Coatings Store). I have not used any HOK base coats though.

When I have problems it is almost always my fault for getting in a rush and putting on too much material. Did it again today with some waterborne PPG, my fault, not the material.