Single stage stupid questions

Dan Trimbach

Promoted Users
Just out of curiosity more than anything. I have a few (stupid) questions about SPI single stage

I read that Barry based it off of Universal clear. However it uses the production clear activator and mixes 4:1 instead of 1:1

Does it have the same infinite buffing window that the Universal clear has? I sprayed a bunch of parts and was planning on color sanding and buffing over the winter. It will probably take me several months to get er done. Should that be a concern ? So far things seem to be buffing out ok.

I somehow ended up a little short on production activator and just realized that I forgot to spray the sport mirrors. I have some universal clear activator, can I just use a little of that?

Also, got me to wondering how I still have SS paint but no activator. I must have mixed some heavy on the activator side. Leading to the question, what happens if you over activator the Single stage?
 
Better to over than under activating if major over activated could effect buffing but unlikely.
Remember, the mixing cups can be 2 to 8 % off, and how you look at the mark can also add a percent.
Oh/nco was changed and effects nothing but ratio, and no, you can not use the universal activator.

Also as asked a 100 time why its 4.1 instead of the old 1.1, is because it was constant complaining I don't need 2 gallons.
 
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Thanks Barry.
Makes sense.

It’s really color-sanding/ buffing out nicely. Good to know I have a long buffing window.
 
back when activator was called hardener more often, you would always hear that more hardener does not make it harder, it makes it take longer to dry. I would think over activating single stage would maybe increase buffing windows. Seems like its pretty common, 4:1 small buffing window, 2:1 longer buffing window, 1:1 longest window.
 
back when activator was called hardener more often, you would always hear that more hardener does not make it harder; it makes it take longer to dry. I would think over activating single stage would maybe increase buffing windows. Seems like its pretty common, 4:1 small buffing window, 2:1 longer buffing window, 1:1 longest window.
Activator or hardener, I don't know the difference and play on words
Some products a hardener sounds better than activator.

Buffing has to do with polyol type and how isos are mixed and, nothing to do with ratio.
Excess hardener causes different things with different material.
Our speed clear is way over activated at 3.1 more than any mistake you could make and will buff in 60 mins not baked./
 
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Activator or hardener, I don't know the difference and play on words
Some products a hardener sounds better than activator.

Buffing has to do with polyol type and how isos are mixed and, nothing to do with ratio.
Excess hardener causes different things with different material.
Our speed clear is way over activated at 3.1 more than any mistake you could make and will buff in 60 mins not baked./
Maybe it goes back to the earlier days of acrylic enamels. We had acrylic and "synthol" enamels that were supplied for years with no hardner, it was strictly air dry enamels. Later they came up with "hardner" that you could add to these paints to provide a harder finish, still you could spray the same paints with or without adding a hardner. Now I think activators are a necessary component to provide a chemical reaction to cure. I don't think you could spray anything urethane without an activator and have it air dry. God that old MS acrylic and synthol enamel were crap paints compared to today... They would make a used car look good though!
 
I hated synthetic enamel with a passion. If you didn't have a baking booth and it wasn't activated, it was horrible stuff. Stick to everything in the Shop. Think the brand we used to get was Martin-Senour Synthol. Awful stuff.
 
I hated synthetic enamel with a passion. If you didn't have a baking booth and it wasn't activated, it was horrible stuff. Stick to everything in the Shop. Think the brand we used to get was Martin-Senour Synthol. Awful stuff.
Here it was Dupont Dulux. Left a sticky film on everything. There were no Nitrile gloves, Tyvec suits or head socks either. I did use a cartridge mask, better than the little white paper things.;)
 
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