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Kustom Kolor® C-1 and SC-1 Clear may be used to topcoat any of our acrylic lacquer finishes or any of our SHIMRIN® Base Coats. C-1 may also be used over the SHIMRIN® Base Coats to protect them from artwork tape outs, when the vehicle is to be top coated with acrylic lacquers.
Kustom Kolor® C-1 Clear was designed to live in the thick paint films common to custom painting. Only the best raw materials are used, with special ingredients to resist sun fade, cold-cracking, gas spills and bird droppings. C-1 Clear is one of the most chip-resistant acrylic lacquer clears on the market and is also a high-solids lacquer clear.
C-1 Clear has proven itself since 1965, both in the upper Midwest (with 40° below zero conditions) and in southern Florida (100° plus temperatures). C-1 features high gloss, even before rubbing, and UV protection.
C-1 will not turn yellow with age, which makes it the best lacquer clear for white pearl or light colors.
Kustom Kolor® SC-1 Sunscreen Clear features the same qualities as C-1 Clear, with additional sun fade protection. SC-1 Sunscreen Clear contains the maximum allowable amounts of UV absorber to protect your paint job from the most damaging rays of the sun. A must for acrylic lacquer finishes. We have seen lacquer Kandy finishes 12 to 14 years old and still looking great when SC-1 is used as a topcoat clear. SC-1 is excellent for colored pearls, too.
CAUTION: Do not use SC-1 over whites or very light colors as a slight yellowing is possible due to the ingredients used for UV protection.
Thin C-1 or SC-1 Clear 150% (1 part clear to 1 1/2 parts Kustom Thinner). THIN ONLY WITH OUR KUSTOM THINNERS (101 or 202). Use a thinner best suited to your shop temperature. 101 and 202 may be intermixed for varying drying times. See tech sheet for more information on thinners.
Apply 5 to 7 wet coats with 50 pattern overlap. Gun distance while spraying should be 6 to 8 inches. Air pressure at gun 35-45 psi (may vary with equipment used). Allow flash time between coats (see "LACQUER FLASH TEST" below).
LACQUER FLASH TEST - PAINT SHOULD BE DRY TO THE TOUCH AT THE WETTEST POINT BEFORE THE NEXT COAT IS APPLIED.
NOTE: Flash time is important for proper solvent release, as entrapment of solvents may result in a rubbery final finish.
NOTE: Acrylic lacquer has a critical re-coat time. Too long a dry time (over 48 hours) on re-coats may cause crazing. To extend the critical dry time an additional 48 hours, apply 1 to 2 additional coats of clear. When thoroughly dry, crazing is still possible if slow-dry thinners are used or if not enough dry time was allowed between coats.
After clear coats have cured overnight (12 to 24 hours), color sand with 500 grit wet sandpaper. Add a small amount of mild liquid detergent to the water and soak the sandpaper for 15 to 20 minutes. This prevents sandpaper loading. Sand the entire vehicle flat, leaving no glossy spots. Dry as you go, so soap residue does not bite the fresh paint. After sanding, wipe the vehicle with a clean rag and water. Wipe dry Use a tack cloth to remove lint before re-coating. (Chemical washes at this stage are not recommended.)
NOTE: Avoid touching the vehicle with your bare hands, as the oil from your skin may impair flow coats.
CAUTION: Do not sand through the clear and ruin all that you have done.
NOTE: Re-taping the vehicle after color sanding will give you a cleaner finish when flow coats are applied.
Apply two more coats of clear thinned 200 to 300%. (In hot, humid conditions, add 10 to 20% retarder to prevent blushing.)
-OR-
Apply one medium to light coat of clear thinned 200%, using a slow-dry thinner, then apply one wet coat.
The medium coat tacks the surface, giving the wet coat that follows something to adhere to A wet first coat may cause problems.
After the wet coat has flashed, thin the clear 200 to 300% and apply 1 wet coat. Check gun pattern as this much thinner usually means narrowing the gun pattern. A spray booth with good air movement is necessary for this method.
NOTE: If the shop temperature is below 75°F (or if you are not in a spray booth), DO NOT USE SLOW-DRY THINNER. Air movement is critical to remove the thinner during flow coats. Use a fast-dry thinner and allow plenty of time between coats to prevent crazing. (Use retarder only in a spray booth with shop temperatures over 75°F.)
Wait 10 to 14 days before polishing.