Clear Over Decals

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:37 pm
Hi Guys,

Doing a bc/cc job on a bike tank. Owner wants new decals applied. Wondering if it is best to place the decal right on the base and then clear or give 2 coats of clear and then place the decal and then a final 1 or 2 more coats of clear. Thoughts?



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:49 pm
i've done a lot of them but have never applied them directly to the base. personally i don't think it will work. if you put the decal on when the base is sensitive or in the recoat time its still going to be gassing out and will have the tendency to develop bubbles. what i do is clear the base then let it set for 4-5 days (putting the decal on the clear to soon will do the same thing as the base.) then sand and apply your decals, then shoot 2-3 coats of clear. if you don't want to see any lines around the decals shoot two good wet coats of clear over the decals. then a couple days later sand smooth and shoot a good wet coat of clear. what did you do around the filler neck?
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:16 pm
badsix wrote:i've done a lot of them but have never applied them directly to the base. personally i don't think it will work. if you put the decal on when the base is sensitive or in the recoat time its still going to be gassing out and will have the tendency to develop bubbles. what i do is clear the base then let it set for 4-5 days (putting the decal on the clear to soon will do the same thing as the base.) then sand and apply your decals, then shoot 2-3 coats of clear. if you don't want to see any lines around the decals shoot two good wet coats of clear over the decals. then a couple days later sand smooth and shoot a good wet coat of clear. what did you do around the filler neck?
Jay D.
Thanks, I didn't think that it would go directly on base but was not positive. I haven't started the job yet. What are you suggesting for the tank neck?



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:20 pm
what i do on necks that have old style or other where the cap seats on the neck. is to mask the area that the cap seats to so its seating on bare metal. mask just below the raised seating area, then after painting pull that tape and take an artist brush and paint the edge with a couple coats of epoxy. this will seal any edge of the color coat so gas doesn't get under it and cause problems. this also lets the cap seal on the bare metal rather than the color coat eventually wearing the paint off and causing problems when gas get under the layer of paint.
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:47 pm
you better be catalyzing your base for the filler cap areas,

put your decals over sanded clear, yes it works over base but in the case that you screw up a decal and have to remove it, it is better done over clear.

follow the other advise you got about cutting out the lines
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:37 pm
Thanks for the excellent advice!!

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