New Test for Identifying Single-Stage vs Clear Coat in Less than 2 Seconds!

[Jbirk]

Many of you have probably seen Mike Phillips article from way back at Meguiar's probably a decade and a half ago where he takes something like a white terry towel or a yellow foam applicator and puts some compound on it such as ScratchX (back in the day) and rubs a spot. If the towel turns the color of the car, you have single-stage paint... if not you have clear coated paint.

Well, I came up with an entirely new test accidentally... thanks to some children. This was an accident like the discovery of gun powder, but here it goes.

Background

This happened way back in 2014...

For detailing practice I have a test panel that I repaint time and again for practice. Normally, I paint it black, but I wanted to practice spraying silver in case I ever had to do a repair on my own car, so I painted it silver. When I went to clear it, my air compressor had died, so I never got to spray my 2K or 2-Pack clear. That said, I had several random 1K cans of U-POL clear, so I figured I would clear it with many coats of that then practice my wet sanding to remove orange-peal etc.

I finished, and the panel looked like liquid glass only silver.


Then the kids happened to take some dry erase markers and draw all over the test panel and the car, too. The car had completely factory 2-stage PPG paint.


Long story short, if dry erase marker wipes off, you have 2-stage, chemically hardened paint, so here is the test:

65841



It wipes off at least 20 times better than most dry erase boards. Don't know why dry erase board manufacturers don't just clear coat them with automotive paint!
65842




Here is the rub... on Single-Stage or really any 1K type paint, the dry erase mark will not wipe off. It takes the same effort to remove as a water mark that has etched itself into the paint!

[Eldorado2k]

Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

[FUNX650]

IMO:
-Experimenting/testing can often be a
valuable tool for detailing operations.


As to the SS vs. BC/CC Test in the OP:
-Instead of adding any type of contaminates
to vehicles that have been entrusted to my
care (including my very own)...
-For this type of paint-identification-testing I
would much rather use the time immemorial
method that’s so eloquently described in this
Mike Phillip’ article:

How to Test for Single Stage or Clear Coat Paint (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-and-techniques/34829-how-test-single-stage-clear-coat-paint.html)



Bob

[Mike Phillips]

Many of you have probably seen Mike Phillips article from way back at Meguiar's probably a decade and a half ago where he takes something like a white terry towel or a yellow foam applicator and puts some compound on it such as ScratchX (back in the day) and rubs a spot. If the towel turns the color of the car, you have single-stage paint... if not you have clear coated paint.



Thanks for the reference, here's that original article that dates back to 2008, so as of the year I'm typing this, that would be 11 years ago.


How To Test for a Clearcoat or Single Stage Paint Finish (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22872)


Even back then I was sharing the term, Special Interest Vehicle, of S.I.V. - A term I share and explain in all my detailing classes as it pertains to the type of detailing a person can do when detailing cars for money.

How To Test for a Clearcoat or Single Stage Paint Finish (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22872)


And back then I was also regularly bringing in cool special interest cars for the general public to work on. Not sure if anyone at Meguiar's has continued that tradition? Pictures?


Here's the car I worked to bring to Meguiar's to showcase Meguiar's products and of course, proper techniques for using Meguiar's products. No fake or mock-up detailing here. :laughing:

1956 Cadillac Eldorado Show Car Makeover (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22875)







-For this type of paint-identification-testing I would much rather use the time immemorial method that’s so eloquently described in this Mike Phillip’ article:

How to Test for Single Stage or Clear Coat Paint (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/34829-how-test-single-stage-clear-coat-paint.html)

Bob



Thanks Bob!

I practice giving due credit where credit is due and always appreciate it when others practice the same. So many Youtube expert detailers in the world now days.


:dblthumb2:

[Mike Phillips]

For anyone interested, great pictures documenting how we tackled the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado at Meguiar's in Irvine. Pictures still there after 11 years. No Photobucket for me.

Me testing the paint on the Caddy....

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/714/ClearCoatTest2.jpg




My Showcar Makeover Team hard at work - note all the Porter Cable Polishers and the HUGE or THICK foam pads? We've come a long way!

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/715/56CaddyMachineAttack002.jpg


Ahh.... the good old days....

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/forums/photopost/data/715/1956CadillacAfter004.jpg



Will be doing some Roadshow Classes in SoCal this year, not at Meguiar's but in that area. :xyxthumbs:



:)

[Eldorado2k]

IMO:
-Experimenting/testing can often be a
valuable tool for detailing operations.


As to the SS vs. BC/CC Test in the OP:
-Instead of adding any type of contaminates
to vehicles that have been entrusted to my
care (including my very own)...
-For this type of paint-identification-testing I
would much rather use the time immemorial
method that’s so eloquently described in this
Mike Phillip’ article:

How to Test for Single Stage or Clear Coat Paint (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-and-techniques/34829-how-test-single-stage-clear-coat-paint.html)



Bob

That’s not always easy to do on white vehicles... That’s the 1st thing that came to mind with this new method.

@Mike Phillips. That’s a real nice car! Hey didn’t you sort of hate how that strip of wall got in the way at the garage? Lol.

[FUNX650]

That’s not always easy to do on white vehicles...

IMO:
It really should be.

TO WIT:


How to Test for Single Stage or Clear Coat Paint (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/34829-how-test-single-stage-clear-coat-paint.html)


If you're testing white paint then
try to use a polish with a color to it and a dark
colored cloth. The reason for this is so you can
confirm that you're removing white paint and
not just seeing the color of the polish or the cloth.



Bob

[Eldorado2k]

IMO:
It really should be.

TO WIT:




Bob

It’s Still not easy. I tried using M100 [blue compound] with a dark blue microfiber applicator on my fathers white Toyota Tacoma and I still couldn’t definitively tell whether it was single stage or not. Stop being stubborn, I’ve been through the hassle and this new trick is a good idea.

@Bob. If you still disagree, go outside and test it out for yourself. And POST THE PICS.

[Mike Phillips]

That’s not always easy to do on white vehicles... That’s the 1st thing that came to mind with this new method.



I'm all for anything that works...






@Mike Phillips. That’s a real nice car!



Yeah it was cool. We didn't have the Scangrip lights back then to reveal swirls.





Hey didn’t you sort of hate how that strip of wall got in the way at the garage? Lol.




Yeah it's always in the way. That was a nice garage though for detailing classes. After they remodeled the training room it really helped with classes.


:)

[FUNX650]

It’s Still not easy.
I tried using M100 [blue compound] with
a dark blue microfiber applicator on my
fathers white Toyota Tacoma and I still
couldn’t definitively tell whether it was
single stage or not.

@Bob. If you still disagree, go outside
and test it out for yourself.
And POST THE PICS.
Oh I don’t disagree that you couldn’t definitely
tell whether your Father’s white Toyota Tacoma
was SS, or not.

•Outside?
-In this rainy/freezing rain/snowy weather? :laughing:
-Anyway...No need to:

According to the paint codes that are found
on their Service Parts Identification Stickers...
all of my vehicles have BC/CC paint systems. :dblthumb2:



Bob