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Application Tips |
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Paint procedure and Clear Coating Graphics.
This only pertains to steel or aluminum fuel tanks.
Do not Clear Coat Paint decals on Plastic Fuel Tanks.
The Clear Coat will fail, crack, peel and flake.
Our decals do not need to be clear coated, but the life span will be increased significantly if you choose to clear coat. Only use high quality PPG or BASF automotive type clear coat paint. We have not tested all clear coat type paints and we use a professional paint shop to get perfect results. We've had great success with urethane base type clear coats. We recommend clear coating our decals if you want to preserve the look for several years. We cannot guarantee how long several years will be, but on a Motorcycle that is stored indoor, there is no reason the cosmetic finish can't last for 20 to 30 years if painted and clear coated properly and not abused. Consider that all motorcycle OEM's clear coat their decals on fuel tanks (not plastic fuel tanks) to prevent fuel spillage from attacking the graphics. (it is not the decal material itself but the adhesive and inks that can be vulnerable). So we recommend you to clear coat your fuel tank decals to prevent damage from fuel. (not plastic fuel tanks) Abrasive and harsh conditions during washing etc. will always do some damage to your cosmetic finish. Use your own judgment to decide how much time, effort & money you wish to spend for final results. The following steps are a guideline to follow. Some steps might be skipped if you are in a rush, but we cannot guarentee product if you skip steps. Consult a local professional paint shop for more information. Or for complete paint service, we recommend this top quality paint shop dedicated to motorcycles. www.cyclefinish.net Buy our decals & send your bodywork to Bobby Keith who is one of the best in the business.
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1. Paint base coat color(s). Some base coats are more than one color to achieve a certain look.
2. Apply one layer of clear coat to bond to base coat color. This is to be done while the base coat is still tacky. (a bonding issue).
3. Let paint and clear coat fully cure. Cure times depend on air moisture content, temperature and paint chemical composition. (Professional painters use more or less hardener in the paint to speed or slow the cure time.)
4. Wet sand the entire painted surface to create the proper smooth surface. An 800 grit wet paper will provide a good smooth surface, but not too smooth, thus allowing clear coat paint to bond properly. Keep in mind clear coat paint is designed to be wet sanded to prepare for more coats of clear. You can't apply decals to paint that is still curing, also you can't wet sand until the clear coat has cured. It is not good procedure to wet sand the base coat colors, you don't want to remove color. Thus decals are applied between coats of clear.
5. Clean surface and apply decals/graphics.
6. Clean surface after decal application. (no water spots, oil or fingerprint residue)
7. Spray on your final clear coat multiple layers to completely cover entire bodywork surface and decals. Take care when laying down multiple coats of clear. It is ideal to spray one overall thin layer for your first coat. The first coat is an important step, consider this a sealer coat. Pause for a break after the first coat and allow a little extra time for this sealer coat to cure to the limit, (do not not allow to fully cure). This allows the clear to seal and bond properly to the decals. Then continue with further layers of clear. Laying down multiple layers of clear after the sealer coat can go more quickly. Pausing between each layer, with each coat never fully cured. Each coat must remain tacky to provide proper bonding. Too much paint at one time is almost always a disaster and especially during the first sealer coat stage. Again consult a professional painter if needed.
8. Let fully cure and enjoy your efforts.
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