Coating Prep: IPA vs CarPro vs Paint Cleaner

[AustrianOak82]

I know there are basically three ways to clean and prep the paint prior to the coating application (post-claying). I know that some of the coatings on the market come with their own product to strip polish oils and what not off the paint. There is also the Carpro Eraser and then your standard IPA diluted accordingly.

Has anyone had better success with one option over the other? I was looking into getting a bottle of CarPro but I couldn't justify spending the money when I have diluted IPA on hand. Wouldn't the cleaners (that come with the product) just be glorified IPA? How does the CarPro fare in comparison to IPA?

[FUNX650]

When complaints arise regarding Coatings'
characteristics...One of the first things I notice
their "manufacturers" ask about is:
How/What Kind of prep was performed/used.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that's heard what
the answer usually is...That is, if the Coatings'
manufacturers' recommended Coating-specific prep
products, (for their specific Coatings), are not used.


So...I suppose you gotta ask yourself:
Is taking a chance to do otherwise, worth the
"risk(s)"...whether they be real, or perceived?


Bob

[silverfox]

I'd stick with whatever the manufacturer recommends. Too many coatings prematurely fail because people are winging it with all the crazy prep options.

[Lustrous Detail]

Klean strip Prep All?

[Paul A.]

I have used both IPA and CarPro Eraser and i prefer Eraser over IPA by a huge margin. I remember Mike P talking about IPA not having any lubrication to it and i have noticed that as well with even my best MF towels. Almost gets grabby sometimes. Not so with Eraser. It is so much easier to use and wipes on and off smoothly. I can't speak to whether one over the other is better at leaving paint any cleaner and ready for a sealant/coating etc. but I just like Eraser's behavior better.

I also wrestle with cost per use questions and IPA is dirt cheap compared to Eraser but for me this is just one of those products i like so much better i spring for it.

[Rsurfer]

Klean strip Prep All?

:iagree:If it's good enough for Painters, it's good enough for me. Your towel will guide over your paint with no grabby feel and your paint will be squeaky clean. :props:

[Driven Auto Detail]

Klean strip Prep All?

I'll second this one (edit, I'll third it). I picked up a gallon of it at my local Napa. I'll never go back to Iso, Eraser, etc.

[FUNX650]

I wonder which of the Coatings' manufacturers
recommend "Klean Strip Prep All" as one of
their Coating's prep-product?


Bob

[Rsurfer]

I wonder which of the Coatings' manufacturers
recommend "Klean Strip Prep All" as one of
their Coating's prep-product?


Bob

Probably none Bob, since they don't sell it.

[Ebg18t]

I use CarPro Eraser for CQuartz products.

I just ordered the BlackFire Coating and going to use the BF Paint cleaner.

Not worth my time to not use the products 'preferred/recommended' product.

[AustrianOak82]

I'd stick with whatever the manufacturer recommends. Too many coatings prematurely fail because people are winging it with all the crazy prep options.

I wouldn't necessarily say that IPA instead of CarPro was a "crazy" prep option.


I have used both IPA and CarPro Eraser and i prefer Eraser over IPA by a huge margin. I remember Mike P talking about IPA not having any lubrication to it and i have noticed that as well with even my best MF towels. Almost gets grabby sometimes. Not so with Eraser. It is so much easier to use and wipes on and off smoothly. I can't speak to whether one over the other is better at leaving paint any cleaner and ready for a sealant/coating etc. but I just like Eraser's behavior better.

I also wrestle with cost per use questions and IPA is dirt cheap compared to Eraser but for me this is just one of those products i like so much better i spring for it.

Fair enough.


I wonder which of the Coatings' manufacturers
recommend "Klean Strip Prep All" as one of
their Coating's prep-product?


Bob

A bit condescending, no?

You ever taken your car somewhere besides the dealer for work? Probably, although this isn't what the manufacturer recommends. You don't always have to use products of the same name for the product to work correctly. I can think of about 1,000 examples where this isn't true.

[FUNX650]

A bit condescending, no?

No...I don't think so.
Why would you?

Regardless...and in order to not have you
falsely accusing me of any condescension
(after my following suggestion)...
I will say:

Go ahead and use whatever Coating
"prep-product" you want.


Bob

[Mike Phillips]

I use CarPro Eraser for CQuartz products.

I just ordered the BlackFire Coating and going to use the BF Paint cleaner.

Not worth my time to not use the products 'preferred/recommended' product.




The manufacturer tends to know their product best. This relates to the chemistry which leads to the official recommendations. There is something to be said about

Synergistic Chemical Compatibility


I for one try to stay inside a system. I've worked this way all my life. I coined the term synergistic chemical compatibility in the online detailing world. I can locate the first use of the term if any would like to see the original thread.


Yesterday I was asked to recommend a paint coating for a guy prepping a car for competition at SEMA. I'll be competing against him.

I still made a professional recommendation and that included two options,

A finishing wax or show car wax
his would be a wax with no cleaning ability or abrasives. (the opposite of a cleaner/wax). I recommended Pinnacle Liquid Souveran. As long as the prep work is done right the results from this product are always show car results.


A paint coating
Not knowing this guys experience with paint coatings I recommended to him the easiest paint coating to use on the market today and that's the DP Paint Coating. I explained the paint would need to be chemically stripped before he could apply the coating but when done correctly the paint would have a slick, glassy appearance. That's what you want in a show car finish.

I recommended he use the DP Polish Prep if he's going to use the DP Paint Coating because that's the recommended product for this coating and keeping with my personal practice of staying inside a single line of products or synergistic chemical compatibility.


Sent that e-mail yesterday, might not ever know what he ends up doing.


As for Prep-Sol? It's a solvent used for removing wax and grease as well as other contaminants off the surface of body panels in body shops as well as other industries.

I wrote about it back in 2010 in the below article years before paint coatings were introduced to the car detailing world and thus paint strippers.

Damp-Sanding Tools, Tips and Techniques by Mike Phillips (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/wet-sanding-cutting-buffing/25915-damp-sanding-tools-tips-techniques-mike-phillips.html)






Chemically Strip Paint
Chemically stripping the paint will remove waxes, paint sealants, silicones, polymers and any other substance off the finish that washing will not remove and was not removed by the claying process. Detailing clay will actually remove a lot of any substances bonded to the upper surface of the paint, including waxes and paint sealants, but under a microscope paint is not completely flat, it's made up of hills and valleys, pockets and pores, surface imperfections and interstices.

Interstices = Microscopic cracks and fissures.


Remember, a lot of modern car wax and paint sealant products are detergent resistant so washing won't alway remove 100% of any previously applied wax or paint sealant coating.


Important: You don’t want any chemical substance bonded onto the surface to come off while sanding as it can interfere with the cutting process, load up on the face of our sanding disc and cause your disc to wear-out prematurely.

Common products for chemically stripping the finish include Prep-All, Orderless Mineral Spirits, Automotive All Purpose Cleaners, Isopropyl Alcohol.

You can dampen a microfiber towel and wipe the surface clean or use a spray bottle with a chemical resistant spray head to spray directly onto the surface and then wipe the paint dry using clean microfiber towels.


Prep-All
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/834/DampSanding31.jpg





I also showed it in this more recent thread,

Little Deuce Coupe - Hotrod Detailing (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/84006-little-deuce-coupe-hotrod-detailing.html)


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80419

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80420

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80421

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80422

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80424




Here's the final results after a lot of work went into the old Ford....

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=80546




Here's the deal for those who have never used it.....


It stinks HORRIBLY!


On the other hand,... BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Prep does the same job, does it better and smells great.


Here's a recent car project showcasing BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Prep and BLACKFIRE Crystal Paint Coating.


BEFORE
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=94885



AFTER
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=95554



The BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Prep can be used to chemically strip both paint and gel-coat before applying coatings. The fact that it doesn't smell like a foul solvent is a testimony to the chemist.

When you smell a solvent and it smells horrible what you're smelling are the V.O.C.s or volatile organic compounds as they evaporate into the air to go into your lungs.

A good chemist making a great product uses products that cost more because they've been refined more to remove the nasty stuff. Thus they don't smell bad and at some level are safer to use.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=95612


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=95565



On Autogeek.com

BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Prep (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-paint-prep-spray.html)

BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Coating (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-crystal-coat-paint-coating.html)

:)