[ColoRyan]

Got in a hurry today and when I mixed my primer I accidentally put reducer in it instead of hardener! Painted 3 coats on the bed of my pickup before I figured it out.

I'm wondering what will happen if I just sand it partially down, and recoat with correctly mixed primer. I realize the first layer will never cure without the hardener, so I'm wondering what will that do to my bc/cc? Could be interesting since I painted it over bare metal, oem primer, fiberglass, and body filler. (This is the first time I've done any autobody stuff)

This isn't a resto just a daily driver that isn't worth much.

Thanks for any input!

[Centerline]

Chances are that without the component that creates the chemical reaction that hardens the paint it will never properly dry. The best thing you can do is take it all off and start over. Painting a finished coat over uncured paint will almost always end in disaster.

Good luck.

[kenseth17]

Centerline is right, a product that is an 2k activated system that doesn't get activated will stay soft and never cure. I know you hate to hear it, and it will suck, but I would take it all back off. Its the best thing to do, paints are more expensive then primer, and when it fails your not only out the cost of all the materials, but all the time you've put in. You may be able to wipe most of it back off with reducer (wear gloves to protect yourself and have ventilation) and save on some sandpaper. But no matter what way you go about it, you got a mess on your hands, and you will go through a lot of sandpaper likely sanding it off, because its going to gum it up right away.

I've seen and heard of people not activating stuff and mixing wrong. Not gloating or anything, but I have never forgot to activate a 2k product or mixed incorrect ratio yet (i always make sure to check the ratio and make sure I have the right stuff before hand). I did once pour my excess activated primer back in with the unmixed stuff. I hit me right after I did it. I told my boss at the time about my mistake, and then I was shooting a lot of that primer to use up the gallon.

[MARTINSR]

Yep, I would highly recommend removing it. One problem is that application is not a "shell" covering the panel, it is soluable. What this could mean is that next application you apply over it will go thru it or under it and lift it leaving it "wrinkled".

If that happens, removing it will be a ROYAL pain, MUCH more work than it is now.

Brian

[shine]

has to come off period. there's a reason for activator .

[milo]

Originally Posted by ColoRyan

I'm wondering what will happen .

The good news is ... you'll never do it again

[deadbodyman]

Originally Posted by milo

The good news is ... you'll never do it again

Dont bet on it...when those 2k's came out I did it twice ........to the same car.I used a putty knife ,a razor scraper and laquer thinner.....IT HAS TO COME OFF !!!! And wear rubber gloves too,the headache you'll get you wont forget ether

[ColoRyan]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I accept the fact the only proper way to do it is take it off. I am curious though, has anyone actually seen what happens when you leave on or paint over an un-activated 2k product? It's not worth the risk to me but I'm wondering if there have been people that have forgotten to activate and didn't realize till they did their base or clear.

[deadbodyman]

It cant be sanded ,wet or dry so it cant be painted.....I waited two weeks,hoping and praying it would dry,not a chance.It was called feather fill,It just came out and everyone swore it was the sheet so I tried it,first time useing anything but laquer primer It was impressive when it finally worked ....the third time...LOL.....I have however forgot hardner in SS paint and tried to overharden the next coat ,thinking it would cure the first coat but all it did was wrinkle and waste material ,I imagine going over the uncured primer would do the same.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by ColoRyan

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I accept the fact the only proper way to do it is take it off. I am curious though, has anyone actually seen what happens when you leave on or paint over an un-activated 2k product? It's not worth the risk to me but I'm wondering if there have been people that have forgotten to activate and didn't realize till they did their base or clear.

It has happened thousands of times, hundreds of thousands of times.

I have seen it, I have done it. This is it in a nutshell, remove it.

If you were to apply a coat of product without hardener and then apply another coat over the top with hardener in it there is a "chance" that the solvents in the new coat will soak into the first coat that had no hardener and introduce some to the first coat.

This is in theory and a gamble anyway you look at it.

So, there is that option to "outsmart" the product after you make a mistake. It is the "bestest" you can do really. The BEST thing would be to remove it and apply it properly. But in the real world, applying another coat with the proper hardener may be an option. It all comes down to another factors in expectations.

The thing is, think about it, if your mixing ratio is 2:1 and you apply this second coat of product with the proper 2:1 ratio there isn't nearly enough hardener to activate the first coat. But it is better than nothing.

Once the first coat flashes off, you have a sheet of non barrier film that solvents can get thru or under. So applying another coat of something over it, be it the same stuff or something different you have a VERY good chance of it lifting or wrinkling.


It comes down to YOUR expectations. If this is "just a driver" and "not worth much" I personally would probably throw the dice and spray it again after a good scuff and see how it goes.

It isn't any worse than if you sprayed lacquer primer and now painted over it. that isn't the best thing to do but we shot a hell of a lot of cars years ago before the urethane primers came out like that, the paint didn't fall on the ground the first time we drove it.

Give it a shot IF your expectations are low as it sounds they are. You are learning, this is a lesson. If it fails, you will learn and if it doesn't you will learn.

Brian

[ColoRyan]

Thanks again for the tips. Even without the hardener it did seem very dry and hard. But I put some lacquer thinner in a spray bottle and shot some on the uncured primer as sort of a durability test, and after it sat for a bit the paint just started melting. So it's all coming off...

[mhalcomb]

I too forgot to add hardener to epoxy. Aircraft stripper worked quickly for the bulk of it. I found that lightly flushing with Acetone afterwards made the remaining residue coagulate and roll off when wiped with a shop towel. It seemed to dry the goo from the stripper. Anything that was left was easily removed with an abrasive disk on the drill.