2k Thinner or Basecoat Thinner
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- This topic has 11 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by Andy Taylor.
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- August 23, 2013 at 10:52 pm #44214
I’m looking to spray some 2k clear for the first time, doing a colour change on a friends wheels. The place I’m getting the basecoat and clear from says to use 2k thinner in the basecoat. Now, I’ve used basecoat before (from my usual supplier back near parents) and it had it’s own thinner.
What I’m asking really, is if 2k thinner (medium speed) is really good to use in basecoat or should I try and get basecoat thinner? What is the difference? Is basecoat thinner just really fast thinner?
First we should maybe change some terminology. “Thinner” usually refers to lacquer thinner. “Reducer” is the appropriate term when referring to modern paints (enamels/urethanes).
Reducers contain a mix of solvents to change its potantcy drying speed etc. some reducers may have a little resin in them, and some are reactive/ activated (contain the hardener). Substituting one for the other that is activated will result in complete failure at some point. Substituting one for another that is just a blend of solvents could affect the drying times ( even if both are medium) adhesion, durability, metallic control and may even cause a reaction with with paint or substrate.
With that said, it is always best to refer to the tech sheet for your product. In some paint lines the reducer for the base coat may be the same as the reducer for the clear cost and/or single stage topcoat. Everyone is different, so always be sure to check and use the right stuff… It DOES make a difference.
August 24, 2013 at 8:54 pm #44230[quote=”Ben” post=32914]First we should maybe change some terminology. “Thinner” usually refers to lacquer thinner. “Reducer” is the appropriate term when referring to modern paints (enamels/urethanes).
[/quote]It’s that language thing again 🙂
Richie is from the UK like me and we still use the term “thinners” almost universally over here. I try to remember to use the term “reducer” when on here though to avoid confusion. Even more confusing is that what you call lacquer, we call cellulose (in either clear or single stage variants)and we still almost always use the terms “lacquer” when we really mean clear coat 😆
Apart from that I agree with everything you said.
Rich – the long and the short is that your supplier could well be right. Some paint companies do use a range of universal thinners / reducers that can be used in everything from primers through to base and top coats. It isn’t always the case though, but if your supplier knows his products and says it will work then I’d be inclined to take his advice 🙂
[quote=”Andy T” post=32916][quote=”Ben” post=32914]First we should maybe change some terminology. “Thinner” usually refers to lacquer thinner. “Reducer” is the appropriate term when referring to modern paints (enamels/urethanes).
[/quote]It’s that language thing again 🙂
Richie is from the UK like me and we still use the term “thinners” almost universally over here. I try to remember to use the term “reducer” when on here though to avoid confusion. Even more confusing is that what you call lacquer, we call cellulose (in either clear or single stage variants)and we still almost always use the terms “lacquer” when we really mean clear coat 😆
Apart from that I agree with everything you said.
Rich – the long and the short is that your supplier could well be right. Some paint companies do use a range of universal thinners / reducers that can be used in everything from primers through to base and top coats. It isn’t always the case though, but if your supplier knows his products and says it will work then I’d be inclined to take his advice :)[/quote]
Why do people from Great Britian have to muddy up the English language? :lol
August 24, 2013 at 10:10 pm #44232[quote=”Ben” post=32917]
Why do people from Great Britian have to muddy up the English language? :lol[/quote]
Don’t even get me started on where you dreamt up some of the names for body panels :blink:
What’s wrong with bonnet, boot, sill, wing & bulkhead? 😆
August 26, 2013 at 12:29 am #44258Thanks for all the replies and hi paintguy.
It is Pro-spray basecoat and having found the datasheet for it I looked up the recommended thinners and then looked up a datasheet for a current Pro-spray clear and found the same thinners listed in both. Then as a final check I searched a few shops selling the thinners and they are advertised as 2k thinners.
One thing now though is that I saw in the datasheet that the basecoat can be activated for greater performance, now I’m wondering if I should do that. This is my first time spraying 2k. Would there be any downsides to adding hardener?
[quote=”Ben” post=32917][quote=”Andy T” post=32916][quote=”Ben” post=32914]First we should maybe change some terminology. “Thinner” usually refers to lacquer thinner. “Reducer” is the appropriate term when referring to modern paints (enamels/urethanes).
[/quote]It’s that language thing again 🙂
Richie is from the UK like me and we still use the term “thinners” almost universally over here. I try to remember to use the term “reducer” when on here though to avoid confusion. Even more confusing is that what you call lacquer, we call cellulose (in either clear or single stage variants)and we still almost always use the terms “lacquer” when we really mean clear coat 😆
Apart from that I agree with everything you said.
Rich – the long and the short is that your supplier could well be right. Some paint companies do use a range of universal thinners / reducers that can be used in everything from primers through to base and top coats. It isn’t always the case though, but if your supplier knows his products and says it will work then I’d be inclined to take his advice :)[/quote]
Why do people from Great Britian have to muddy up the English language? :lol[/quote]
thats rich since its our language hehe lol ,but yes we use the term thinners as the product thins the paint out ,to reduce would be to make smaller would it not ? ,in cooking reduction makes things thicker not thinner ,hopefully i have made this clear as mud for you now hehe ,actualy both terms are valid as reducers in the contextof paint “reduce” the viscosity anyone not familar with the reduction of viscosity ,this is to make a liquid THINNER LOL
[quote=”Andy T” post=32918][quote=”Ben” post=32917]
Why do people from Great Britian have to muddy up the English language? :lol[/quote]
Don’t even get me started on where you dreamt up some of the names for body panels :blink:
What’s wrong with bonnet, boot, sill, wing & bulkhead? :lol:[/quote]
Bonnet, boot, sill, [b]guard[/b] & bulkhead. Bulkhead? WTF is a bulkhead? 😆 😆 😆
Ships have bulkheads, planes have wings and basketball teams have (de)fenders. Cars have (mud)guards.
Just to muddy things up a bit more we use thinners almost universally too, but lacquer is something used in timber finishing and acrylic is the 1K paint used on cars (whether clear or base coat or solid).
No wonder confusion reigns here sometimes. :rofl
August 26, 2013 at 10:19 am #44269[quote=”NFT5″ post=32950]
Bonnet, boot, sill, [b]guard[/b] & bulkhead. Bulkhead? WTF is a bulkhead? 😆 😆 😆
[/quote]a.k.a. Firewall :whistle:
[quote=”richie00boy” post=32944]Thanks for all the replies and hi paintguy.
It is Pro-spray basecoat and having found the datasheet for it I looked up the recommended thinners and then looked up a datasheet for a current Pro-spray clear and found the same thinners listed in both. Then as a final check I searched a few shops selling the thinners and they are advertised as 2k thinners.
One thing now though is that I saw in the datasheet that the basecoat can be activated for greater performance, now I’m wondering if I should do that. This is my first time spraying 2k. Would there be any downsides to adding hardener?[/quote]
I use Pro Spray medium thinner / reducer for some of my “outside of work” stuff. It’s worked fine in whichever base I’ve tried it, and perfectly well in the DeBeer high solids or PPG medium solids clears that I’ve tried it in too, so I think you’ll be absolutely fine if you’re sticking within the Pro Spray range of products.
I’ve hardly ever activated my base coat. I know it is said to increase durability but I’ve never had a problem without so I leave it out. One less thing to go wrong!
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