How-to Apply 2K Clear Coats on Model Cars and Trucks

Ultra Gloss Clear Coat for Civilian Models: Part №.1

Skill Level: Advanced – Difficult – Time Sensitive Product
Read Time: 7 minutes

Introduction to 2K Clear Coats: Managing Expectations

2K Clear Coats offer a spectacular finish for your model, second to none. An advanced modeller proficient in applying lacquer or enamel clear coats will find this synthetic resin product challenging to work with. Not only does the product off-gas, but it also crosslinks by chemical reaction to form a tough transparent shell; there is no stopping it. The odds of a few failed first attempts are high, so be prepared. Once the hardener is introduced, it’s imperative to immediately clean out your airbrush after use; otherwise, you will have a chrome-plated, unusable brick. Ultimately, the juice is worth the squeeze.

Understanding 2K Clear Coats: Professional Auto Body Perspective

2K Clear Coat is a top-of-the-line brilliant shine coating comprising two components: a clear resin and an activator. These components are kept separate until they are ready to be applied; at this point, they are mixed. The result is a clear coat that offers amazing dazzling specularity and crisp, hard-edge reflectivity.

One of the most significant advantages of a 2K Clear Coat is its durability. It creates a long-lasting protective layer that can withstand a range of hazards, including UV rays, oxidation, and other environmental elements. This means your model’s finish will stay protected and maintain its pristine appearance for a long time.

In addition to its protective qualities, a 2K Clear Coat creates a high-gloss finish that gives your model a showroom shine. In the automotive finishing industry, it provides chemical resistance against substances like fuel, oil, and solvents that can harm the paint. This is especially important for those who use their vehicle for work or frequently encounter harsh environments.

2K Clear Coat is also known for its scratch resistance in the automotive world. It adds an extra layer of protection that significantly reduces the risk of scratches caused by everyday wear and tear. This is particularly useful for those who live in urban environments or park in tight spaces.

Lastly, a 2K Clear Coat offers excellent colour stability, ensuring the underlying paint maintains its vibrancy and brilliance. It prevents fading or yellowing over time, further emphasizing the longevity of this product.

Overall, a 2K Clear Coat is an investment in your model’s longevity and aesthetic appeal. Its durability and protective qualities make it a cost-effective solution for anyone looking to maintain their model’s appearance over time.

Incorporating a 2K Clear Coat into your automotive finishing process is a wise decision to result in satisfied custom-build customers and models that stand the test of time.

Understanding 2K Clear Coats: Hobby Use

2K Clear Gloss Two-Part System

To be crystal clear about using 2K Clear Gloss, it’s essential to manage expectations and complications that arise using an unforgiving two-part system: synthetic epoxy resin with an activating hardener.

1. SYNTHETIC EPOXY: Automotive Industry – Modelling. 2K Clear coats are polyurethane products that produce crystal clear, UV, scratch, and chemical resistance surfaces.
2. Activator: aliphatic isocyanates. Depending on the manufacturer, the hardening process is described as a crystalline-forming process as it cures. It can take as much as eight days to cure fully.
3. Solvent-Resistant: Unlike the paint we are familiar with in the hobby, curing 2K aliphatic isocyanates in your airbrush becomes increasingly solvent-resistant with each passing minute. Our solvents have minimal effect on the 2K hardener as it cures. The longer it sits in the airbrush, the harder it becomes to remove.
4. Off-Gas Five Minutes Between Coats: 2K must off-gas between coats for at least five (5) minutes to prevent surface dimpling; orange peel. Gas bubbles from evaporating trapped solvents between layers are the number one cause of coating failure.
5. Off-Gassing: 2K needs to be clarified because of the terminology of off-gassing. The clear epoxy is off-gassing, leaving behind the transparent epoxy solids, and the hardener is causing a chain reaction, crosslinking the molecules to form a transparent hard barrier. Think of Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) hardening, and you will get a picture of what’s happening with the 2K.
6. Airbrush Cleaning: Unlike the paint we are accustomed to, spraying thinner through the airbrush has diminishing returns on removing solvent-resistant 2K. 2K is hardened by a chemical reaction, not solvent evaporation and paint coalescence.

The time needed for surface or physical drying is comparable to conventional 1-component sprays. After just 20-30 minutes, the surface is “touch dry, “ and the coating is complete. The cross-linking reaction of the 2K system, however, takes longer, so the desired results of the applied coating are achieved in the following 1-3 days. The paint is fully scratch-resistant after 48-72 hours. Always consult the manufacturer’s directions.

Troubleshooting

1. The difficulty of removing 2K from an airbrush is proportionate to the curing time. The longer 2K cures by chemical reaction, the harder it becomes to remove it.
2. Successful cleaning and removal of 2K residue is best achieved by soaking immediately after use.

⚠️ You want to be on top of your game when it comes to applying 2K Clear Coat and immediately thoroughly cleaning your airbrush with solvents designed to dissolve the chemically hardening clear resin. If allowed to harden in your airbrush, further cleaning is virtually impossible. It’s time for a new airbrush.

Professional Automotive Product

1. It’s important to keep in mind that 2K is designed for HVLP spray guns, not delicate double-action modelling airbrushes.
2. Due to its simplistic design, the Iwata Revolution HP-M2 Gravity Feed Single Action Airbrush is an ideal single-action airbrush performing like an HVLP IWATA G6.
3. 2K aficionados may want to consider the IWATA REVOLUTION HP-M2 • 0.4 mm as a dedicated 2K applicator.
4. Furthermore, the experienced airbrush user applies 2K Clear Coat to create spectacular gloss coats without issue using a double-action airbrush with a large 0.5 mm needle, such as the IWATA HP-CS Eclipse.

Double-Action Airbrush Converted into a Single-Action

Managing the Double-Action Finger Dance: Air Flow, Not Air Pressure

Mastering the airbrush double-actioning finger skill is like learning to be a ballerina. For some, it’s an exercise of frustration, and others may have a medical condition impeding finger dexterity. The other factors affecting double-actioning proficiency are the quality and engineering of the airbrush. Let the world of physics and fluid dynamics be your playground, mastering it like a Dark Arts Wizard.

Set-Up

• Air Pressure: 1.5 Bar or 22 psi (set and forget it)
• MAC Valve: to regulate airflow, has nothing to do with controlling air pressure (Venturi Effect)
• Pre Set Handle: to regulate material flow

🚧 Using a MAC Valve is an advanced skill set requiring airbrush and material thinning discipline. If you are not using a MAC Valve material viscosity, regulator air pressure is needle size dependant.

How-To

1. Dial in the MAC Valve airflow required for fluid dilution ratio
2. Set the stop on the Pre-Set Handle to limit the fluid volume
3. Test, adjust, and enjoy a double-action airbrush that behaves like a single-action airbrush.

This technique is excellent for complex camouflage patterns on AFVs.

In Part №.2, we will examine how to troubleshoot 2K Clear Coat.

James Wooldridge is An enthusiastic scale modeller, researcher, amateur historian, and contributor to scale modelling sites, including Scalemates. He is an active and progressive Facebook Group Expert, Presenter, and Scale Modelling Club Video Host. James is also the Executive founding member and KSM Group Expert – Kawartha Lakes Scale Modellers