If clear and/or activator went bad, what happens when sprayed?
- Thread starter EddieF
- Start date
Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Been years, but I remember old clear activator getting "seedy". Meaning when you sprayed it, there would be little seed like pieces in the clear. Looked like trash. Never had the fisheye/moisture issue. Haven't sprayed anything really old in a long time.
I do almost everyday on small projects and not something of great Value either in Time or Money spent.
I don't recommend using anything if you have even the hint of concern unless Failure IS an 'option'.
Now,
I have a gal.cf of UC Clear which is10 yrs old I use out of today and Activator,that's been stored for as long, unopened except when I'm using it currently doing airbrush and odd small projects in a minimum 70 degree shop.
The Activator will eventually get thick and become unusable and I've not seen any of the seeding occur personally, but I reseal the can immediately each use and store inside a slide lock type freezer bag to keep as much Air as possible from It.
Still works "as advertised" spraying fine,no issues with anything other than what outside elements get into it,buffs fine,cures out as usual for Universal clear,still a soft clear,and I'll continue to use it till it doesn't.
Would I paint My truck with it ?
NO !!!
But I will use it for Anything I need to that I might want to.
Yeah,It still works.
Just my Personal actual experiences with It.
I don't recommend using anything if you have even the hint of concern unless Failure IS an 'option'.
Now,
I have a gal.cf of UC Clear which is10 yrs old I use out of today and Activator,that's been stored for as long, unopened except when I'm using it currently doing airbrush and odd small projects in a minimum 70 degree shop.
The Activator will eventually get thick and become unusable and I've not seen any of the seeding occur personally, but I reseal the can immediately each use and store inside a slide lock type freezer bag to keep as much Air as possible from It.
Still works "as advertised" spraying fine,no issues with anything other than what outside elements get into it,buffs fine,cures out as usual for Universal clear,still a soft clear,and I'll continue to use it till it doesn't.
Would I paint My truck with it ?
NO !!!
But I will use it for Anything I need to that I might want to.
Yeah,It still works.
Just my Personal actual experiences with It.
Whitesnake
Newbie
My experience has also been it will get seedy as said above.
'68 Coronet R/T
Oldtimer
Here's a link to some Harley fenders I shot with old clear and activator.
I opened the activator and didn't see any seediness and the clear looked fine as well.
The picture taken with the Flash on the camera, shows tiny white specks which, according to Barry, are areas of ISO clumping.
Couldn't see it with the naked eye and extremely happy with the results.
I opened the activator and didn't see any seediness and the clear looked fine as well.
The picture taken with the Flash on the camera, shows tiny white specks which, according to Barry, are areas of ISO clumping.
UV and Activator 7 years old
I have been saving this Universal Clear for a special project that never came along. Decided to use it today on some motorcycle fenders. These fenders are off a '59 Harley Pan Head and have been sandblasted and then sanded with 80 grit on a DA. Two coats of epoxy primer. 3 coats of SPI 2k...
www.spiuserforum.com
Couldn't see it with the naked eye and extremely happy with the results.
EddieF
Top Banana
Thanks guys. None of those things happened, good to know though. It was me, clearing lexan in the FL sun. Leaned them against pool cover reel with black backing of a carpet runner between to protect reel & deck. Was 80's in the shade.
1st coat went ok, 2nd alligated, wrinkled, will sand & move to other side of deck so they face north
Storing clear, activators, reducer, all in a rubbermaid cooler works great. Pretty much airtight, no smell if unopened for months. Universal & extra slow was what i used.
1st coat went ok, 2nd alligated, wrinkled, will sand & move to other side of deck so they face north
Storing clear, activators, reducer, all in a rubbermaid cooler works great. Pretty much airtight, no smell if unopened for months. Universal & extra slow was what i used.
Last edited:
I remember years back Barry talking about Activator cans having pinholes allowing air in causing some seeding problems which I apparently didn't get any but the actual UC Can did as it was literally sitting in a small pool of semi hard goo in my cabinet for 10 years or more. Was last gallon I had left and 1/2 full when I quit.
The Activator was nos from the same time frame, still had the packing tape over the cap, and lasted like 8 months before it got too thick to pour out and the last qt is getting to the same point now.
For what I'm doing currently, I only mix very small amounts at a time and I wish SPI would carry pints of UC Activator but not exactly profitable understandably.
I notice no discoloration in either product and absolutely no issues from start to finish. Only possible difference is I Reduce it for the airbrush work to spray thru a .5 set. I took this recently and since I started using clear glass mixing beakers for the small scale,noticed this which I never saw,or paid attention to with the semi clear Dupont cups I had been using and was surprised by the Activator floating on top.
I have some unopened Epoxy,Turbo 2k,SS paint as well and we'll see what happens next.
The Activator was nos from the same time frame, still had the packing tape over the cap, and lasted like 8 months before it got too thick to pour out and the last qt is getting to the same point now.
For what I'm doing currently, I only mix very small amounts at a time and I wish SPI would carry pints of UC Activator but not exactly profitable understandably.
I notice no discoloration in either product and absolutely no issues from start to finish. Only possible difference is I Reduce it for the airbrush work to spray thru a .5 set. I took this recently and since I started using clear glass mixing beakers for the small scale,noticed this which I never saw,or paid attention to with the semi clear Dupont cups I had been using and was surprised by the Activator floating on top.
I have some unopened Epoxy,Turbo 2k,SS paint as well and we'll see what happens next.
Attachments
Bob Heine
Oldtimer
I inadvertently did a test on the longevity of Universal Clear and activators. Instead of polishing or clear coating the original headlights on my '04 PT Cruiser I bought a pair of Rock Auto specials in 2017. Six years later they have developed cracks deep in the plastic.
I had a premonition when I bought these so I retrieved the OEM units from the attic. Sanded the yellow out of them with some 800-grit Wet or Dry, scrubbed them clean and thoroughly rinsed them in the garage sink. Sunday was a beautiful calm and warm day so I set the headlights out in the yard. Took the rubber trim ring off so I wouldn't have to mask.
Dragged out a half-full gallon of Universal Clear dated 3 31 10 and a half-full quart of Very Slow Activator dated 8 25 18 and mixed them up. Looks good to me...
My penny-pinching then bit me in the ass. Rather than pulling a brand new DeKups liner and cap, I used the ones I've used several times before. The old cap leaked as soon as I turned the Iwata LPH 80 right side up. Of course, the drops fell right onto the headlight and started running down. I panicked and just shot the clear as hard and fast as I could, laying it on thicker than the blobs that fell. By the time I had both headlights finished, there were bumps and waves on both headlights. Let them cure in the garage for a day and today I set them in the sun to cook and harden up. Had it not been for the DeKups fiasco, this would have turned out perfect. On the bright side this gives me a chance to use up a bunch of sandpaper.
To be fair, every time I open a can of SPI anything, I squirt some Bloxygen in the can before I put the lid back on. Not sure if that's the secret but I'm still impressed with how long this UC and activator has lasted.
I had a premonition when I bought these so I retrieved the OEM units from the attic. Sanded the yellow out of them with some 800-grit Wet or Dry, scrubbed them clean and thoroughly rinsed them in the garage sink. Sunday was a beautiful calm and warm day so I set the headlights out in the yard. Took the rubber trim ring off so I wouldn't have to mask.
Dragged out a half-full gallon of Universal Clear dated 3 31 10 and a half-full quart of Very Slow Activator dated 8 25 18 and mixed them up. Looks good to me...
My penny-pinching then bit me in the ass. Rather than pulling a brand new DeKups liner and cap, I used the ones I've used several times before. The old cap leaked as soon as I turned the Iwata LPH 80 right side up. Of course, the drops fell right onto the headlight and started running down. I panicked and just shot the clear as hard and fast as I could, laying it on thicker than the blobs that fell. By the time I had both headlights finished, there were bumps and waves on both headlights. Let them cure in the garage for a day and today I set them in the sun to cook and harden up. Had it not been for the DeKups fiasco, this would have turned out perfect. On the bright side this gives me a chance to use up a bunch of sandpaper.
To be fair, every time I open a can of SPI anything, I squirt some Bloxygen in the can before I put the lid back on. Not sure if that's the secret but I'm still impressed with how long this UC and activator has lasted.
MJM
Promoted Users
If activator absorbs moisture you will have fisheyes out the wazoo. DAMHIK….
Don
I absolutely love your experienced replies. Seriously, very helpful.