Im sorry I missed this thread.. Ive taken a new position at my employer and changed shifts.. That along with the need to work in the garage has cut into my surf time..
Now on to the products at hand..
Universal Clear ( 4000).. I have used more of this clear than any clear in the last 6-7 years now.. By far the easiest clear to use that is in the SPI line up.. Pretty much bullet proof in my opinion.. Anyone can abuse a clear and create issues, however I have abused the crap out of the Universal and never had it fail once,.. Never.. That is a bold statement.. I know JimC has done the same..
Euro Clear ( 5100 ).. Same core resins as the Universal, but I personally reduce the 2.1 VOC (5100) version of this clear with 1 part reducer.. Without it, the clear does not spray as I like it.. I prefer this clear for bikes and dark colors.. You cant beat how hard it gets and how fast it gets away from scratching when you wipe it off once it has been cut and buffed..
You also have to remember that your environment also plays a roll in what clears you can and cant use.. Home hobbyist tend to fare better with Universal.. It is more forgiving.. It does not require reduction of any sort, although you can taylor the clear with a quality reducer if you so choose.. and you can buff it whenever you get around to doing it.. That could be a year from now and the universal would still buff like butter..
The Euro while also fine for a home hobbyist will have more limitations on buffing window,coats you can spray per session, and I would think you should build less film with it to keep good chip resistance, where the universal can have allot of excessive film build and maintain flexibility..
The reason i began reducing the 5100 Euro was because if I did not spray it hard enough it would get the tiny air bubbles in it.. First time I shot it, this was the case.. I hammered on a second coat and it all layed out slick and smooth.. So after a phone call to Barry, I started playing with reducer until I came up with the easy 4:1:1.. You can use a half instead of a full 1 part reducer and it still seems to lay out great, but for ease of mixing etc.. I just use the full 1 part reducer..
I think mixed like that, it will run easier than the universal that has not been reduced, but it lays out sooo damn smooth, I just cant help but push it to the max.. If it aint got a run or sag, you did not spray it wet enough in my opinion
Both are great clears..
I intend on keeping both of them in stock.. I will never quit using the Universal..
Funny this thread has come along. A week ago, I found an opened quart of universal that had been poured off from a gallon that I did not know I had.. ( happy birthday to me
).. I still had some opened activator also..
So I mixed up some and shot a small part with it.. Ahhh just like old times
Laid out slick.. Had a small sag.. and I remembered just how much I still love that clear
