Actually I used it for the first time over The weekend and loved it. Someone I work with asked as he always reduces his clears and I figured since I couldn't give him a straight answer I would ask someone here.
I don't reduce it when it's cold, but when it's hot I always reduce
it 10%, sometimes more when I'm doing a bumper and don't want to
buff it. I can get it real slick that way.
I can't tell a difference with less than 10% reduction.
It all depends on the gun and tip size too.
Once, by mistake, I reduced it 30%.
And it did fine, was slick and didn't die back or shrink.
I was impressed. imp:
I have. Somewhere between 10 and 15 percent seemed to be the sweet spot if I can remember right on the last thing I painted, where it would start laying down smooth as glass and orange peel free (Not that it layed down all that bad unreduced, but a little reduction really improved it and the ease for me), and not run all over the place if I can remember correctly. But everyones different, setups and conditions are different. So experiment and find out what works for you.
I see no real problem reducing paint or clear, even if not called for and the amount is done within reason. Use a good quality reducer and allow good flash times.
Still going to be as good of a clear. Those solvents will evaporate back out and are not a part of the paint film and your left with the same plastic as if you had not reduced it. Just your mil thickness per coat will likely be less. As long as you apply enough mil thickness, or leave enough after buffing, your just fine. Should be no problem if you put on two or more coats, and don't take too much off cutting and buffing afterwards. The ratio of hardener to clear on the other hand should not be messed with.
On my flowcoats I reduce SPI universal about 10% to get it really flat and slick. Helps a little with urethane wave too as it flows out real nice. Unreduced flows really good too. Make sure you're using a 1.4 tip. It can be donw with a 1.3 but not recommended by Barry at SPI.
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