Painting embossing

[dprat1]

Greeting to all,
I picked up my C-51 from the painter last week. WOW..they did an excellent job. I think the extra time I spent on the prep really paid off. I called the guy that I wanted to paint the embossing. He is an experienced sign and custom painter that has done past work for the local coca-cola bottler here. He informed me that I will need to let the acrylic enamel (hardener was used) cure for at least 30 days before painting the embossing. He said that if it was done too soon the lettering paint could crack or bubble. He also said if decals were applied too soon that bubbles could form under them. I believe he knows what he is talking about but I have never read anything here reguarding that. Just want to see if the "wise ones" here concur?
Thanks,
Doug

[sodaworks]

I can't see more than a few days of cure time. 30 days is a long cure time. Is the paint still soft? check it my applying pressure in a spot on the rear of the machine, tap it with a the leading edge of your finger nail, apply pressure and see if it leaves a indentation. If there is a mark then it's not cured yet. This is how I test a fresh paint job for cure time. '>

[Jim]

Doug,

If your machine was painted with a two part acrylic enamel, you should be able to apply decals and have the embossing lettered around a week to ten days later. I usually let the door sit for a least a week before handing it over to a sign painter. The decals I apply last, usually after final assembly...

[dprat1]

Thanks Terry and Jim for the reply's. The machine was painted with the Centari single stage with hardener. My letter painter was saying that the acrylic enamal would give off "vapors" long after initial curring that could cause the top paint to crack over long term and possibly cause bubbles under any applied decals. Does not sound like there has been much problem or bad experience's with that here? Thinking I will wait a few weeks and have him proceed unless I learn otherwise.
Thanks,
Doug

[dprat1]

Hummm... just happen to think of something. My C-51 is a white top and the painter first painted the machine all red, then a week or so later, painted white top. If what my lettering painter says is true,,,I'm going to have a white top with more cracks than my ****. You figure that one out '>  Anyway, think I will stick with the two week wait.

doug

[zadd]

I paint professionally at a high end shop. And the paint still breaths for 30 days until the solvents escape completely. If you apply certain types of decals,not all .They may bubble or look ruff. I apply factory decals like a day later if the car has been fully baked in the booth. '>

[BrianB]

Thanks for the insight, Zadd! That's very helpfull to know since a lot of us use decals.

[dprat1]

Thanks Zadd for the professional advice here. It has now been over 60 days since the machine was painted. I'm taking it to my sign painter to have the lettering air brushed this weekend. Should be in good shape now and for decals. Guess he knows a thing or two also.
Thanks,
doug

[MoonDawg]

Quote (zadd @ Jan. 11 2006,4:02)

I apply factory decals like a day later if the car has been fully baked in the booth. '>

Thanks Zadd.  Now, how long would a person hold a heat gun on the planned decal areas, to simulate baking or how long does a car bake in a booth?

[zadd]

I bake a car at 160 degrees for about a half hour or more. I like to paint the machine red first in base coat/clear and then the next day sand it down with 800 grit ,tape off the area I need white,and have some cheap vinyl stickers made that say have a coke and put them in place to cover the red area,spray it white and then remove the stickers and then just clear the whole machine again. Then the next day sand down the two tone line with 1500 grit and where it says have a coke until I can't feel it any more and then buff and polish the whole machine.You won't be able to feel the lines like decals. I don't like to use enamel or single stage products. base coat /clear coat shines better and last forever ,and if you scratch the machine you can polish it out in the clear coat layer if its not to deep. '>