Clearcoat on Lexan

[bholio]

I've used clearcoat to add a nice shiny layer to the paint on my Blackfoot. I also used clearcoat over the paint (actually primer) and decals of my Sonic fighter. In both cases the clearcoat made a big (positive) difference. I used automotive clearcoat, from a spray can, purchased at an auto parts store.

Now, I would like to clearcoat my lexan Madcap to seal the decals in place. The original owner of my Madcap did a pretty good job applying the decals and I would like to seal them on using the clearcoat.

The question is, if the Lexan bends, what happens to the clearcoat? Will it break off like non-lexan paint? Is there a better product to use to seal the decals?

[miramar]

I strictly recommend you don't use a clearcoat on lexan. Because I have painted thousands of bodies for customers, friends and myself during 21 years, I have of course always been on the outlook for products that could enhance the quality and ease the work. I have never seen a clearcoat product suitable for lexan, and if you use an automotive clearcoat, it will either etch the plastic, thereby ruining, or more likely, flake off, and most likely leave "scars". On a dark colour you could of course try PS31 Smoke, but the chance that dust would get caught in the paint is very large. Dust and particles is of course also a problem when using a clearcoat on opaque (hard plastic bodies), but will be much more visible on lexan bodies, and much harder to remove.

If anybody out there has any tips for a suitable clearcoat, I too would be delighted to know about it.

[grusomkis]

I painted a lexanbody once with clearcoat on the outside.

I used Glasurit automotive clear paint, and added much softener

in it. The softener is an additive we use when we paint plastic fenders and rubber spoilers om real cars. It worked great for me.

BUT I CANNOT GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK TO OTHER PEPOLE!. So now my back is free, and i can sleep at night[^]

Stian

[WillyChang]

Do not use clearcoat on the outside of lexan. Yes it will protect the stickers from lifting at the corners, but there's more likelihood that it will flake off when the lexan is bent or impacted (eg when you take it on/off). Very unsightly.

PS31 is a lexan paint, it dries matte and very rough. If you spray it on wet enough to leave a semigloss coat it will start running. It is also tinted so your stickers and underlying color will become darker.

If you are so scared of your stickers lifting, you could try to glue them down with superglue. Dab some under the corners with a pin.

[miramar]

Unlike most of the Tamiya PS lexan paint range, PS31 Smoke dries gloss, unless air humidity is exceptionally high. As I wrote in my first comment, being smoke coloured it would only be suitable as a "clearcoat" for dark colours.

[omsbade]

Anyone found a way to make it!?
Going to paint outside of a lexan body (it is fckup inside) and want to give it a shiny end.

[GTodd]

Ok, does this get the award for the oldest necro post? 22 years!!!!!!! Wow.

[Ferruz]

I've used clearcoat a couple times on the hood of my old battered up Hornet shell, just because I had nothing to lose 😅. It made it look much nicer for a while, then of course it started chipping off and disintegrating as more tumbles and battle scars happened. So while I would never use it on a good body, I could  recommend it to revive and old shell that still has some life in it.

[JimBear]

Related: if clearcoat for the outside isn't recommended, is then the PS-55 (matt clearcoat) used on the inside too? To keep the shiny lexan less shiny, so to speak? Used first, and then the other layers?

[GermanTA03Guy]

52 minutes ago, JimBear said:

Related: if clearcoat for the outside isn't recommended, is then the PS-55 (matt clearcoat) used on the inside too? To keep the shiny lexan less shiny, so to speak? Used first, and then the other layers?

No that is for the outside. Works nicely but not Glossy obviously. Would try what happens with decals over time first on a scrap Piece. 

[Verskis]

I use PS-55 on the outside, over the decals to both reduce the shininess of the shell, and to seal the edges of the stickers. Works nice when the decals are properly attached to the lexan, but if there are any parts of the stickers that are not sticking, spraying clear coat makes it stick even less..

[middleagedgrup]

11 hours ago, GTodd said:

Ok, does this get the award for the oldest necro post? 22 years!!!!!!! Wow.

[middleagedgrup]

3 hours ago, Verskis said:

I use PS-55 on the outside, over the decals to both reduce the shininess of the shell, and to seal the edges of the stickers. Works nice when the decals are properly attached to the lexan, but if there are any parts of the stickers that are not sticking, spraying clear coat makes it stick even less..

Agree with what @Verskis says. And the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP body comes with external window masks so that the outside can be given a matt finish using PS-55 per Tamiya's instructions.