Shell Protection?
 

Hey Guys,

Just a quick one, What do you all use on the indie of your shells after you have finished the paint? I have just put a few extra coast of white in. But it could do with something better.

Suggestions?

When I'm done I back with a black / PVA mix, let this dry out and just use Nitro Block but Plasti-Kote is fine. Available from art shops and hobby craft type places.

You need to make sure the water based paints are FULLY cured though, leave for 24 hours if poss before you get a solvent on them.

I use the plasticote clear although it is available in others colours :rolleyes: (although clear isn't a colour lol), I usually wait at least 24hrs before applying or you run the risk of damaging the paint underneath.

I like to apply it starting a few light coats to build it up, you will probably find you need to recut the window masks after to pull it off nice and clean.

Before I do the solvent based stuff I usually take the window masks off and remask them with film, much easier to remove, nice clean edge to the job then.

why has nobody suggested clear nail polish? applied with care its the best thing out there.

I don't think any of the painters on here have got time to sit here and apply it with the little brush Phil. Also I wouldn't recommend it as it's solvent based over waterbased and because you're applying it with a brush you could easily get it too thick and cause a reaction messing up your nice paint work. I'll stick with aerosols myself.

1mm wide cricket bat repair tape,

+1

Anything other than spraying onto the shell after the paint has gone on is asking for problems.

If you really want to protect the body then after the clear coat (protective layer, whatever you choose to use) has dried thoroughy apply fender mender/shu goo to the impact areas of the body. It leaves a rubbery feel but is super tough and will help the bodies last much much longer (sorta like duracell for your car body :lol:)

downside: it adds alot of weight to the body.

Personally I dont protect anymore than the clear because once youve hit enough corners and rubbed the body that much that the paint wears away its usually time for a new body anyway. From the guys Ive seen racing my bodies, I've seen crushed front ends, huge rips and allsorts and the paint is still on so no need to add anything further.

Never had a problem applying it, and you dont use the tiny nail brush :lol: that take hours! It has no effect on the paint so long as applied gently and thinly and creates a superb protection for the paint.

so is it flexible? the stuff rcs use works 100%

never had a crack in the paint or shell, had a number of other bumps with other drivers and shell was never affected. for £1 a pot cant argue and provides great protection.

I reckon you probably drive a buggy of some sort which in my opinion is much less likely to get cracked as you have alot more protection from the wheels etc.

Believe me when I say touring car bodies crack at some point (usually above the wheel arch) from continuous bumps lol :D (just something I've seen I dont do it myself lol :lol:)

I have a b4 and a touring car, the touring car body takes more abuse.

Any how I personally feel its much easier, more convenient and less time consuming to spray on a protective coating than to brush it on carefully. but each to there own and all that :lol:.

I use halfords car lacquer then abit of cricket bat tape on bits that mite rub

I've never had nail varnish broken down into molecular structures or anything but I'd say it's similar to the clear laquer you can buy in an aerosol and essentially I'd say they're quite similar things. However when it comes in an aerosol you can use instantly or in a little pot that you either have to thin and put through an airbrush and then clean out or put on with a tiny little brush I'll stick with the aerosol I think.

I agree with you, for likes of touring car shells I would apply something thinner and flexible, but for buggies it works a treat and offers brilliant protection

+1 for plasti-cote clear, I give the shell about an hour to dry and apply thin layers drying Each 1 with the heat gun , B&Q stock it too :)

I'm not saying nail varnish wouldn't work just saying its a little more time consuming brushing it on after all I'm sure its just enamel paint and you can use rostoleum (aerosol) enamel to back the bodies with no ill effect but it wouldn't cost you £1 :lol: more like £10 but you would get quite a few bodies out of it.

use a 3/4" fine brush and its done in 5 minutes.

attempt to use the nailbrush and you'll be there all night. :lol:

halfords clear lacquer or plasti coat clear and use before you take of the window masks allow 12-24 hours to cure,