Smoking or Redding BRZ/FR-S Tail Lights

[AintTrying2Race]

I want to smoke my tails and tackle this mod for a while now and have a few questions that you guys might be able to answer and help me out with.

I'm planning to use Dupli-Color MC206 Smoke Metal Cast Anodized Color but not sure which clear gloss to use. Any suggestions on what gloss to use and experience with Dupli-color smoke?

Also I'm not trying to smoke my tails too dark but if I spray on too much can I wetsand it down with 2000 grit to lighten up the tint? That is before I spray on the clear coat right?

[Tt3Sheppard]

[QUOTE=Kiske;1208808]2k (aka 2 part -has a mixed in hardner-) urethane clear will always look better than any single part out of a rattle can. I spray lights all day and they look perfect with zero polishing. With a rattle can your going to have to spend a lot of time polishing the tailights to get the clear to shine.

Another benefit of doing automotive paint vs rattle can is by mixing the candy into the clear you can create more seamless finishes. If you do say one pass of VHT on a lense you will notice it is spotty until you have enough passes to make it solid. This is due to the way the rattle can dispenses the paint. You can do very light smoke no problem by just adding a few drops of black into your 2k automotive clearcoat.

To whomever posted about the clearcoat cracking the lens... that is simply because you are applying it too wet and the solvents in the car and soaking into the etched (sanded or scuffed) plastic eating away at them before it can dry. Counter it by making your first coats light!

As far as the question on prepping them. I find the best result it to FIRST clean them with dish soap/water followed by an automotive wax & grease remover. Normally we'd use the wax & grease remover after sanding them but some plastics used in tail-lights are really sensitive and will react to the cleaners. I then follow with a a through scuffing with a fine (gray) 3m scotch-brite pad. No need to use sand paper, can easily be done by hand. The scotch-brite is easy to hold and has some thickness making it easy to do contours and curves. After I scuff it I blow it off with an air gun and give it a final wipe with a tack cloth to remove any loose particles just before the first coat of paint.


I'm going to attempt this with the metalcast red (2 cans) and 2x Clear Rustoleum. You stated above that a 3m (grey) scotch brite pad works. Does this take the place of the sanding? Did you sand inbetween any coats?

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by Tt3Sheppard

I'm going to attempt this with the metalcast red (2 cans) and 2x Clear Rustoleum. You stated above that a 3m (grey) scotch brite pad works. Does this take the place of the sanding? Did you sand inbetween any coats?

Correct, a grey #M Scotchbrite page can be used to prep the surface to paint. I don't sand in between coats, unless you have a defect just wait for the appropriate flash time (usually 5-15min) and then move onto the next coat.

You can easily do a set of the twins tails with 1 can of metal cast red/black.

If you can let your rattle cans sit out in the sun for a while prior to shooting. Warm cans dispense the paint much better.

[Tt3Sheppard]

Originally Posted by Kiske

Correct, a grey #M Scotchbrite page can be used to prep the surface to paint. I don't sand in between coats, unless you have a defect just wait for the appropriate flash time (usually 5-15min) and then move onto the next coat.

You can easily do a set of the twins tails with 1 can of metal cast red/black.

If you can let your rattle cans sit out in the sun for a while prior to shooting. Warm cans dispense the paint much better.

Sweet! Any recommendations on a clear if I dont have access to 2k since I'm doing it this weekend? Unless you know of a local store that would carry. I was looking at rustoleum 2x Clear (matte or glossy not sure)

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by AintTrying2Race

Also I'm not trying to smoke my tails too dark but if I spray on too much can I wetsand it down with 2000 grit to lighten up the tint? That is before I spray on the clear coat right?

You can but, if you sand it uneven it is very, very easy to make the tail's color uneven. Especially around the edges as they are higher.

Also you won't really know truly how dark they are until you get them clear coated and polished up. As you spray the paint you will only be able to tell what they will look like for a brief second until the paint dries. After a few seconds it will be hazy. When you clear them up your adding shine which will make them physically look more translucent. It's easier to go darker than it is to go backwards and make them lighter. I always find that even ones I think I painted to dark look better once cleared and done.

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by Tt3Sheppard

Sweet! Any recommendations on a clear if I dont have access to 2k since I'm doing it this weekend? Unless you know of a local store that would carry. I was looking at rustoleum 2x Clear (matte or glossy not sure)

Well most 2k clears will require you to have a paint gun ect... If you must go rattle can go with SEM'S (the brand) 40903 (the part #) 1K HS CLEAR call O'Reily/Autozone/Advance and give them the part number it will take the 1-2days to get instock if they don't have it in the back. That is about the closest you can easily get.

Always go gloss on tail lights. Matte clear=dull/hazy. When the lights light up they will not shine through the lens correctly.

[Tt3Sheppard]

Originally Posted by Kiske

Well most 2k clears will require you to have a paint gun ect... If you must go rattle can go with SEM'S (the brand) 40903 (the part #) 1K HS CLEAR call O'Reily/Autozone/Advance and give them the part number it will take the 1-2days to get instock if they don't have it in the back. That is about the closest you can easily get.

Always go gloss on tail lights. Matte clear=dull/hazy. When the lights light up they will not shine through the lens correctly.

So I noticed you sanded before you painted which seems different from most in this thread. I wasn't able to find the scotch pads but I did pick up 800 and 2000 grit sand paper. Should I sand the lights down before I paint?

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by Tt3Sheppard

So I noticed you sanded before you painted which seems different from most in this thread. I wasn't able to find the scotch pads but I did pick up 800 and 2000 grit sand paper. Should I sand the lights down before I paint?

Anything to be painted must first be prepped. By sanding the part before painting you are creating a surface for the paint to bite to. We've all seen flaking paint. Guess what wasn't done.

[Tt3Sheppard]

Sweet definitely have more confidence going into this tomorrow morning. Will post results.

[B-R-Z]

Originally Posted by Kiske

Well most 2k clears will require you to have a paint gun ect... If you must go rattle can go with SEM'S (the brand) 40903 (the part #) 1K HS CLEAR call O'Reily/Autozone/Advance and give them the part number it will take the 1-2days to get instock if they don't have it in the back. That is about the closest you can easily get.

Always go gloss on tail lights. Matte clear=dull/hazy. When the lights light up they will not shine through the lens correctly.

You think the sems is better than the USC 2k clear?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/SEM-40903-Clear-Performance-Clearcoat/dp/B002CRYTCE"]SEM 40903 - 1K HS Clear - High Performance Clearcoat : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/USC-Spray-Gloss-Clearcoat-Aerosol/dp/B0043B7UQY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_1"]USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol: Automotive[/ame]


I'm planning on doing mine next weekend. I had already bought Duplicolor high gloss clear acrylic enamel but I want to get a better clear to use that will last longer.

[charged86]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

You think the sems is better than the USC 2k clear?

SEM 40903 - 1K HS Clear - High Performance Clearcoat : Amazon.com : Automotive

USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol: Automotive


I'm planning on doing mine next weekend. I had already bought Duplicolor high gloss clear acrylic enamel but I want to get a better clear to use that will last longer.

I use this max 2k high gloss clear about once a month it is the real deal and highly awesome. Clearing you tails after tint Is the best way to make them glossy I cleared and tinted my first set of tails in 2005

[B-R-Z]

Can someone correct me on the process if I have something wrong (using metalcast and spraymax 2k clear):

1. Clean tail lights with dawn dish soap and dry
2. Mask and sand tail lights entirely and evenly (clear part) with 2000 grit paper
3. Wash again with dish soap (?) and allow to dry
4. Light coat of Metalcast followed by 2 medium coats of metalcast, 30 mins inbetween
5. Light coat of clear followed by 2 medium coats, allowing dry time inbetween

Things I'm not sure about:
1. Should I sand anytime between paint coats or just initially to prep the plastic surface?
2. Should I wet sand? The 2000 grit I bought is wet\dry paper.
3. What is a good\safe dry time for both metalcast and the clear? Should I paint with red then allow to fully dry for a week or so then go back to do clear?

[retrosmiths]

I painted my lights red last week and in the middle of clearing them right now.

When I did the redding part, I sanded the lens with 2000 grit beforehand, and I was left with a rough matte texture after about 5 coats with 30 min in between coats.

Today, I noticed when I sprayed the 2K Clear (now on my 3rd coat) after cleaning the lights again with soap and water, it's not making the surface that much glossy like how others did it. The matte is still there.

Anyway, I plan on spraying 3 more coats and then sanding/polishing them tomorrow, I hope that works because I wasn't aiming for the matte look.

UPDATE:

I went through the whole can and made the 4th and 5th clear coats medium-heavy. My lights now have a glossy, wet look. The only problem is there are dusts and small fiber things in between the layers, but I can live with that. I did some research and found out that I need to let the clear coat cure for at least a week before I wet-sand and polish it so, that will happen next week. Otherwise, I am very happy with Metalcast and Spraymax 2K rattle cans.

Here's a list of what I did, btw:

0. Taped the surrounding part of the taillight lens to prevent overspray.

1. Clean lens with dishwashing soap and water, allow to dry.

2. Sand with 2000 grit until surface is hazy.

3. Clean again with running water, let it dry.

4. (Optional) I used this prep solvent from Automotive Touchup to make sure there's no oil left on the surface lens. I also have disposable microfiber sheets that I used to wipe.

5. Once dried, I sprayed Metalcast Red in this method:

3x Light coat+30 min in between
2x Medium coat+30 min in between

6. Tail lights looked matte and ugly, but I didn't have the Spraymax then, so I installed them back to the car and ordered the clear coat and waited for a week.

7. Today, I cleaned the lights again with soap and water, then the prep solvent. Due to the matte texture, the microfiber sheets left some tiny strands of fiber stuck to the lens. Removing them is a huge pain, so I just decided to live with it since they are not that much visible.

8. I followed the same method as #5 when spraying the clear coat. The lights didn't achieve the gloss I wanted until the end, which is why I was a bit worried before, but now it looks really glossy.

9. Next week, I will proceed with sanding and polishing them, using 1000 then 2000 grit, followed by Novus 1 polish from Tap Plastics.

[retrosmiths]

Here's a pic..