How Long Before The Clear Dries?

[dex_rodriguez]

hi i just refinished my Ibanez GSA60 using rattlecans, Duplicolor Metal Speck and the trusck suv clear coat, now i know (from reading here) that those clears take forever to cure...like right now i could use it but can't place it down where the paint would touch anything coz it would leave impressions, right now when i'm not using it i put it on a platform where only the neck and the tremolo cavity cover are the ones touching it. Is there anyway of speeding the curing time? btw here's a pic of the guitar.

[erikbojerik]

Looks nice!

When curing clear I use two tests:

The Sniff Test - if you can still smell the finish, it's not done.

The Fingernail Test - if you can dent the finish with your fingernail, it's not done.

The clear has to pass both tests before I'll strap it on. Trying to accellerate the curing process is asking for trouble IMO.

[AlGeeEater]

There was a thread on infared lamps speeding the curing time. Use the search function.

[unclej]

i've got nothing to add except nice job!

[Gemleggat]

yeah if you can smell it, it needs more time. put it somewhere airy and it will dry quickly.

[dex_rodriguez]

yeah if you can smell it, it needs more time. put it somewhere airy and it will dry quickly.

←

actually there's no more smell, i haven't tried the fingernail test though....but as of now i could use it and stuff, i guess most of the guitar is dry already except for the lower horn (at the back) where i had some few runs...i guess the paint is thicker there therefore hasn't cured yet.

i think it may be also the inside that is still not fully cured since i was able to wetsand and buff everything already...

Edited June 21, 2005 by dex_rodriguez

[Gemleggat]

if it doesnt smell then its probably dry enough, my guitar stank for a week or so before i guess it was fully dry. I actually like the smell now!

[westhemann]

where i had some few runs...i guess the paint is thicker there therefore hasn't cured yet.

do not sand until the runs are fully cured...otherwise it will tear holes in your finish

[Maiden69]

sorry to tell you that if you lay the paint thick, it will take forever to dry, like I and others here have found out. On mine took about 6 months before I could push the paint and have no marks left in it. Next time use some other brand, I have seen guys and I did try it myself with no problems so far, to use Deft clear over the duplicolor mirage system, maybe that flake is the same base as the mirage. When you paint and it is dry, is it flat looking, so you HAVE to clear it,..if so you might be able to use the DEFT over it.

[Mickguard]

You don't have another guitar?

Take the hardware off and hang it up to dry in a closet...no point in rushing things. It's summer, it won't take that long...I waited a month and a week on mine, but that was in the winter.

[Sethmetal]

I have similar issues. I like thick coats of clear. I recently built a guitar for a friend. He wanted it sooner than I was ready for it to be played. I told him just to be careful. It was ok if you just played it. Well, he left it in a gig bag in his hot car all day (So Cal right now is pretty hot). Now it has impressions all over it. So I guess I'll be doing some more wet sanding and buffing. errrrrrrr

Here' what I learned:

When spraying poly, keep it to one light coat per day. I used to try to double coat. I think that is easier with nitro.

Wait a whole day for each coat to dry. I would coat twice a day when doing double coats before. Bad idea. Then I tried twice a day with single coats....still bad. Now I just do a single coat each day. It takes longer to paint, but it takes less time to dry. I would still wait a month to be safe.

Deft is Nito if I remember correctly...right?

What brand clear were you using?