Favorite Applicator for Opti Coat?

[BTLew81]

Are all of you using the supplied applicator, or something else? Suggestions welcomed and appreciated!

[Dr Oldz]

Optimum Opti Dual Pro Applicator (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-dual-pro-applicator.html)

That's what I use and have been very happy with it!

[ski2]

Optimum Opti Dual Pro Applicator (http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-dual-pro-applicator.html)

That's what I use and have been very happy with it!

How does this applicator clean up after an OptiCoat application?? The reason I ask is that even Chris on the Optimum Forum said he likes to use the supplied applicator wrapped in a nitril glove then covered with a blue paper shop towel. Then if the product starts to dry in the blue towel in the middle of a car he can just put on a new towel. But from the videos I've seen the Dual Applicator seems to do a good job.

[BTLew81]

Hopefully Chris will chime in as well...:)

[Josh_RN]

Hopefully Chris will chime in as well...:)
+1 :xyxthumbs:

[Dr Oldz]

How does this applicator clean up after an OptiCoat application?? The reason I ask is that even Chris on the Optimum Forum said he likes to use the supplied applicator wrapped in a nitril glove then covered with a blue paper shop towel. Then if the product starts to dry in the blue towel in the middle of a car he can just put on a new towel. But from the videos I've seen the Dual Applicator seems to do a good job.

Cleans up great. I soak it in some OPC for a half hour or so then give it dawn wash by hand. After it dries, good as new. These things hold up rather well. It doesn't soak a lot of product in and spreads OC rather nicely keeping waste to a bare minimum. I never had product start drying on it as you described above with the blue shop towel.

[Old Tiger]

Are all of you using the supplied applicator, or something else? Suggestions welcomed and appreciated!
I agree with my buddy Jim! I prime a MF pad and use that to knock the high spots down.

[Old Tiger]

Cleans up great. I soak it in some OPC for a half hour or so then give it dawn wash by hand. After it dries, good as new. These things hold up rather well. It doesn't soak a lot of product in and spreads OC rather nicely keeping waste to a bare minimum. I never had product start drying on it as you described above with the blue shop towel.
Dang Jim! I just put it in a zip lock bag after and it seems to do fine.

[Dr Oldz]

Dang Jim! I just put it in a zip lock bag after and it seems to do fine.

I do that with some applicators but never tried it with OC or OG. :cheers: buddy

[Chris Thomas]

I have tried all types of applicators. They all have pros and cons. The best thing I have done to improve application is to start using compressed air to dry the solvent (make it flash faster).

Manually drying allows a thicker coat to be applied with less rubbing (evening out), it does a better job leveling the resin than by hand, and seems to seperate the solvent from the resin which keeps it from getting trapped in the resin as it dries (high spots). Even if there is a haze or blur after manually drying, it wipes off effortlessly, unlike waiting for it to air dry and using pressure to remove spots.

I also believe this process to improve full cure time dramatically. There's definitely a correlation between using air to level and solvent flash so it only makes sense that there's less residual solvent in the bonded resin to be dehydrated.

[TimmyG]

Not to thread jack or anything, but I have heard several people suggest a spray bottle for opti-coat. Can anyone pm me a link of such a bottle you are referring to?

Makes sense not to waste such expensive product!

[Chris Thomas]

It's a typical finger pump sprayer that can be found in the travel toiletries section of Walmart. The sprayer is the fine mist type and the bottle is about 2oz.

I don't recommend these if working outside. The wind can catch the mist and you'll find dots on the car later. They work well indoors and the pump keeps the amount you add to the applicator consistent.

[steamshooter]

I remember seeing a video (and for the life of me cannot remember where) of a foam pad inserted into a nitrile glove. The claim was less product usage. No product absorption whatsoever. Peel the glove off and throw it away. I have no personal experience with this medthod, just passing along something I saw that looked like it would work.

[garmz]

Doesn't the blue nitrate glove method tend to cause scratches since we don't know the quality of the blue shop towels being used?