A Spray Can Game Changer! (2K clear with unlimited shelf life?) 

WARNING: I did this wrong. The gloss color is not designed to have clear over it. A 1k color coat would have been correct. This creates a risk of cracking!

One more thing on safety: Brad is right to caution everyone on the safety and the PU Clear does contain isocyanates. They are known lung irritants so wear a respirator, that is completely adequate. Professional users who have repeat exposure need to take more cautions due to the volumes, this is not the same for DIY users. 2K epoxies do not contain isocyanates and same safety protections as any spray paint apply: well-ventilated area and a respirator, wear gloves and eye protection in case of spills.

Just a side note, my wife walked in and asked what that was you were painting, was it a piece of sheet metal, because it looked so good, and when I told her it was wood, she smacked me and called me a liar until I backed the video up and showed her. Now I have a longer honey do list and car-rep's little system here is going to be the primary part of it. Maybe if I'm lucky there will be some left for the car parts I wanted to do. *painful smile*

I want to say THANK YOU for informing us about the importance of PPE with this particular product. I've seen other videos, and while some mentions masks so forth, your video convinced me that investing a bit of money was worth it when considering your health could be impacted in the long run.

Looks like good stuff to work with! And the drying time to polish hardness is outstanding. Great job.

Love the results with 2k clearcoat. Gonna have to give this new product a try.

I'm impressed with the technique of keeping some orange peel in the color coat so as to not knock down the tops of the peaks, thereby leaving too thin of a color layer. Then, when you go back over it and fill in the orange peel with clear, there is still an abundant color layer. Thank you for the tips.

What a great find Brad. I have been happy with the auto enamel, but this stuff I will try, thanks.

Hot damn, a catalysed clear coat that has unlimited shelf life AND is Zombie-Proof in 12 hours? Well done, scientists!

As a guitar repairman (luthier is the technical term, but most people have never heard that, so, repairman/tech/builder/etc.) I've sprayed a lot of paint on wood. I've worked with the 2K type of finish before, and it definitely has the desirable qualities that Brad mentions, and it produces a very durable, attractive finish that's great...for furniture. Or a motorcycle gas tank. I myself (and I admit that I might be a little persnickety about this) generally only finish musical instruments with nitro lacquer, maybe with a poly filler/primer, or sometimes a hand-rubbed 'french polish' with shellac, or, requested more frequently of late, a catalyzed oil finish, especially on necks, but bodies too. I use tung oil cut with shellac and a bit of thinner, although I play around with the recipe now and then for different woods, or desired end results. I tell people only to use an opaque color paint if the wood isn't very nice to look at, but usually when people are shelling out the kinda simoleons necessary for a custom-built guitar, they choose very high quality, and pretty pieces of lumber... Certainly there are many good ways to finish a guitar, no definitive right or wrong way, this is just my subjective squinty-eyed two-cents-worth on the subject..! I Dug the video, and I will definitely watch more of Brad's uploads, because he's skilled and smart, and there's ALWAYS more to learn! That's the greatest thing about yt, I learn something new every day! Anyway, sorry for the ridiculously long-winded comment for those who actually made it to the end...! Peace, and take care!

WOW! Great find. An apparent auto body shop grade rattle can for the same price as the single use Spray Max. Good work as usual.

Thanks Brad!

Just added this to my Amazon cart along with a mask, using your affiliate link. Thanks for sharing, this is very timely!

"Don't go dying on me" when you said this I was breathiing next to the guitar that I just sprayed checking how its drying 😂😂🤣🤣

Thanks for the reply. Greatly appreciated. PPF is paint protection film.

the can looks freakin siiiiiiiick

Fantastic finish,

really hyped for this video looks really good stuff, can hopfully find a way to get some in uk

Good to know. I've got a guitar body I want to finish off with a tough gloss . This looks promising

Interesting stuff Brad.

This could be seriously amazing

it looks great And you do have a life.. Have a Great Day

Awesome Brad! Game changer!!! Thank you much for the demo bro 🎸🎸👍

Ya I've been holding off on using 2k untill I have enough projects to use a while can at once cuz it's not cheap and goes off in the can after first use

I’ve been using spray max for years. when I’m done I put it in the refrigerator . I’ve done this over and over for months with the same can , never had a problem. Everything came out perfect every time.

Just got a can of the Car-Rep clear coat , can’t wait to get it on my guitar

Great info about PPE. And awesome results! Would you be willing to do a video on a basic or minimal PPE setup / suggestion for DIY’ers who value the importance of all that is involved.

a big game changer. No more wasting a can for a small job.

BAD ASS HOMIE! 😷🇲🇽👏🏼💪🏽👍🏼🙏🏼

I've had about a 1/4 can of spraymax 2k clear left over intentionally,after a month of sitting on a shelf outside in texas...its still sprays and cures as intended.

Thank You Sir!!! Just bought 2 from Amazon. #GameChanger

I use both. Car Rep isn’t as hard or as durable as actual 2K and it’s not as thick but much better than lacquer. Whichever I use depends on the job. And on both of them they spray much better if you warm up the cans in the sun or under hot water. They will spray much better.

Hey Brad your video are great and have helped me tremendously! Thanks for that! Quick question, do you have a video on how to paint a headstock? I am doing green black crackle finish on the body and headstock but not the neck. I am just worried that the transition from the headstock to the backside of the neck will look awkward since they will have different finishes.

It's possibly a moisture-cured chemistry, similar to polyurethane sealants. Good stuff.

I just got through using the 2K and I don’t see a problem with not using a maaaaaaaaaaaaa 💥

Great info Brad. TIP: Did you know that if you haven't used up all your SprayMax 2K (or Normfest 2K which I think shoots better) aerosol that you can put the unused portion (can) in your refrigerator! When you refrigerate the can (after you've popped the red cap) it stops/pauses the catalyst from curing the clear inside the can. Perhaps there's an industrial chemist that can tell me why, but I've managed to shoot perfect results about 2 weeks after activation. Just take it out of the fridge, heat it up with scolding water for 10mins and you're good to go again. I'm not guaranteeing it will work for everyone, and I haven't tested how long exactly it will last (perhaps you could). Got this tip from a 30-year auto veteran who told me the catalyst in aerosol products only reacts above 10C.

I definitely gotta check this out sometime. Just not sure if it’s compatible with rustoleum. I used spray max recently on my headlights and I’m pretty happy with it. Minus having to toss due to pot life.

Hi brad, i did a project months ago using dupli color and spray max 2k. I just noticed for some reason the paint on the bridge got soft and rolled a bit even after weeks of drying. Do you know if this is uncommon?

Ps the latest brand I got off them was mipa but previously I got this pro xl stuff and it had an adjustable nozzle which was cool. Made it a lot easier for me to get runs with my lack of knowledge lol

This is why I switched to crystalac. Give you a beautiful finish. Try it out.

I don't remember one time where I went "hmmm, I have some leftover". I always use the whole can. Good for smaller projects I guess, it wasn't a problem for me though.

I'm totally resto-modding my 'Strat' (Starcaster) .with new electronics and hardware and coating the cloth covering on the body and head stock (nebula print/star pattern) with fiberglass resin ( silver micro glitter on each wet coat )..will the 2-K clear react with the resin or will Is simply cover it and be nonreactive for a good clear finish after all the sanding and buffing gets done to a glassy shine. I got some cheap pick ups- quad rail humbuckers and wired similar to a Les Paul (500k vol and 500k tone for each pickup) with coil split in push/pull volume pots. I also made a custom pick guard also cloth covered with the same cloth with resin coating and the pattern matching the body as closely as possible so as to nearly be invisible. I got the resin applied and need to sand it flat and smooth to 800 grit still. I really wanted to know if the 2-k is ok to cover it well without reacting with it. I'm calling it and labeling it the "Stellarcaster" when finished. going to be awesome to look at and I hope it plays and sounds as good as it looks when I get it all done....lol doing a 'Tele' for my next project next;. I got a 'Tele' pick up from Dylan of 'Dylan talks tone' a while back as a sort of random prize give away. It's the one he wound with that other pick up maker with the all same parts on the same winder and they sound different too. I would guess it comes down to their different technique and feel while winding the coils. So please let me know you opinion on the use of the 2-k clear over he resin. sorry ban't help myself I'm a little proud that my very first rebuild is going so well so far. can't wait to see it all done and shiny new looking. It started out as a supper cheap ( under $100) Chinese craptastic "Starcaster" 'Strat' being turned into a work of art I can actually play. all my own workmanship on it too...I got a good deal on a practice amp too ..It's a 'Blackstar ID Core 40 watt stereo combo amp with some built in effects in the amp. sounds good and is pretty loud too. new cable and strap to complete the rig for now till I get some pedals too.. se ya and I'll send pics of the finished instrument soon as it;s all done.

Hi Brad , great show & a true tradesmen. I used PRE CATALYZED LACQUER for years ( in Australia) I’m a French polisher had my own business , I’m afraid pre CATALYZED has nowhere near the hardness of TWO PACK . As you said. Two pack has a limited shelf life , yet the pre CATALYZED is unlimited shelf life . But the durability, compared to two pack is chalk & cheese . The chemical resistant is nowhere near a true TWO PACK . I used top of the line pre cat, & top of the line , two pack . I can’t mansion the products name , for personal reasons. Great information in your show. Keep up the great work.

I have a CPAP machine and figure that it puts about 12 pounds (?) of pressure in the mask I wear at night. I plan to try to get a full face mask and a much longer hose and use it. Just have to make sure it isn't taking in the contaminated air I'm trying to avoid.

Spray max says the pot life is 48 hrs at 68 deg. I recently activated a can and did a small job with plenty left over. The clear coat was still good, and sprayed well 1 week after activating it. It was in my garage where the temp was 65-70 degrees. I actually tested it on a painted can before using it on my car. It dried to touch in about 15 minutes, and fully dried after an hour. So I don't know why the manufacturer says it has a 2 day pot life. I could see it if it was a 2 part version intended to be used with a spray gun, in which case the mix would be exposed to air.

Very very very cool man. Very cool. Thanks Brad. Good stuff man. Oh. I would like to see how to get a stone finish. I would also like to know how to use bondo to use to smooth out wood before you paint and prune on a guitar body for instance that has dents, or is very porous versus using wood sealer, etc. I talked to a guy that used to work at Kramer and they used bondo to make a smooth finish sometimes. .Isn't that cool. Hope you're well man.

That's great news. 2 questions (at least). Do you have to use the Car-rep 2K color under the clear or are there other paints we can use? I know you don't like the micro-fiber towels, so what kind of towel do you recommend to rub off the compound during the polishing process? A few weeks ago I bought some micro-fiber towels from an auto-body paint and supply company. They were softer and seemed to do a better job than the junk that Wal-Mart and Lowe's sell.

Hi brad, do you need to wet sand it? And what grit would you recommend? Also what compound and polish do you recommend? Thanks!

Hey Brad. Have you ever used this 2K clear coat over a vinyl sticker or decal? If so, how did it come out? I want to try this out on a project, but wondering if you had experience with it yet.

Hi great video, did you test the finish after with solvents etc to see what it would be like on a car wing (fender to you guys over the pond lol) as here in the UK we have a lot of hand car washed who use a lot of TFR cleaners and I'm lazy so use them

Hi Brad, would this work with dupli color primer, dupli color black metallic? I am refinishing my guitar right now and bought the spray max 2k for clear coat but if this is worth getting, i would order and use it and save the spraymax 2k instead

I'm trying to move away from spray cans to a paint system. I'm still learning. I was looking at Createx and now I'm looking at House of Kolor. Is there a paint system that you can recommend. I want to spray pearls, flake, and other intercoats. I'm new to spray guns too but I'm really committed to getting this right. Suggestions, advice? Maybe a few videos. :)

So can the 2k clear go over pretty much anything? Assuming you don't want the white black or red that they have.

Hey Brad. If I want to use the Rustoleum paint and primer spray can for application, would this Car Repair 2K clear coat go over it with no cracking issues? If yes, would I have to lightly sand before applying clear coat or not?

Ok so I have a bass guitar with a lot of signatures from a lot of different bands I want to protect them and play the bass what would you say is the best way to do thi

Great video and very informational. I would love to use a Stuff on my next guitar build. But, I have a question about the preparation prior to shooting the 2K. Is it OK to use this 2K over a nitrocellulose lacquer, sanding sealer? If not, what should you use in preparation for a 2K topcoat?

Great video!! Can you use spraymax 2k directly over varithane wood stain?

So the paint hits the air for a nano second before being buried under more paint. What's on top would seem to harden and leave a film and what's underneath wouldn't fully cure. Looks like the modified urethane clear that Duplicolor just came out with, the way it sands and polishes. Would be very interesting to see a bunch sprayed into a clear container. If it comes out yellowish, you will know it's the snakeoil they put into it.

Who knew Christian Bales stunt double was a paint expert! 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

i'll never rattlecan again..lol Takes forever for it to "gasout" and dry. Used 10 cans of clear on a bass project, and its just not solid enough where it wont pickup a pattern of wherever it's laying..Nitro from now on baby! :D

Hey Brad, I just painted a guitar with the rustoleum color shift paint that you demoed in another video. I also ordered the car rep 2k clear from this video for clearing said guitar. My question is, would you wet sand the color shift paint before clearing, or clear straight over it?

I would have been interesting to see you flex that board, just a little bit, to see if the the coating cracked or delaminated at all. -Still, I'm very impressed.

Is this new 2k need the same protection as the spray max or is it more DIY friendly?

I'm sure my wallet dislikes this channel. But the clear and epoxy primer should work perfectly for my current project. A custom 10cf sub for a friends retirement shop.

Hey Brad.. With respect to the SprayMax, do you have any experience using an unopened can after its expiry date? I have a can that's 6 months over the expiry date. Is it garbage?

I'm not a 100% but I think my local paint shop does the 2k base like that, doesn't go off in the can. Regarding the clear though, I can't not use a whole can on one guitar, that's just how not good I am lol

After letting it cure for several weeks indoors, my impression is that it is not as hard as Spray Max. It does not go on as smooth, so after sanding is a must.

How long between last color coat and sanding? Looks shiny

Hola buenas, una pregunta, me gusta leer e informarme bien antes de hacer nada y mas en cuestion de salud. He comprado la mascarilla 3M, 4255FFA2P3, pero mi sorpresa cuando veo que el barniz transparente en spray de automocion 2k pone que tiene isocianatos y esta mascara dice que uso de pinturas sin isocianatos, sujeto a condiciones de uso, pero ahora no se que hacer, aun no la he abierto y puedo cambiarla, para mi la salud es lo primero. Que mascarilla de proteccion frente a isocianatos recomendarias?.Gracias

Man, I think this could have easily been a 4 minute video. But I appreciate the info 🙂

Is that a DA OR Rotary pneumatic sander/polisher you are using? I am looking to work on my vehicle doing some paint and repair and not sure if I want to use a pneumatic or electrical unit. I would like a unit that does both. Any recommendations?

Looks like good stuff... question on 2k in general: I used it on two projects now but can not get it to a gloss after sanding/polishing. I worked through grids 1000-1500-2000-3000 and it is still very matt. Polished with a scratch remover and a fine polish/wax still leaves a matt sheen. What am I doing wrong? Tried the same process with nitocellulose and that leads to high gloss results.

Brad, you have the gloss clear listed on your Amazon page. How about the primer and gloss black? Looks like good products to me.

LOL.... "I'm slowly learning that I don't need to paint a guitar, every time I want to demo something." You should have learned that lesson rather - quickly; otherwise, it could quickly prove to be a time-consuming modus operandi. Kidding aside - I like your channel. I'm a car guy/mechanic/artist/musician/luthier/DIYer. I was on here looking for some good information on getting a great finish on guitars, and I think I found a one-stop-shop for a multitude of informational aspects. (Two-thumbs-up)

Thank you, Brad... this is good info. I have a question. I get why Car Rep is functionally easier than the 2K that you have to mix and has a short shelf life, but isn't that what KBS clear coat has been for a long time? Why is Car Rep (or the Max 2K or whatever) better than KBS?

So how long before you can polish or wet sand spraymax2k? How about placing PPF? Thanks for any info

Nice video...Does this stuff also contain Isocyanates? Is it gasoline resistant?

I was wondering if you have ever done a guitar neck with this or the spraymax 2k? I know it dries a bit harder/faster than regular polyurethane . Do you think that it would be less gummier than regular polyurethane . I haven't seen anyone using this on necks, just bodies. Much love !

How many cans of the 2 part clear coat from like stewmac does it take for a strat style body?

Brad, so does the Car Rep has cyanide like the the Spray Max since it catalyze when it hits the air? In other words, would you still need that special mask that you mentioned for Spray Max?

Question for you . I clear coated my guitar with the Car rep 2k clear . Looks good but the clear still scratches easy, Is this normal . Been 5 days , drying at room temp. I am hoping it still gets harder

Hello Brad! do you have any suggestions for a great clear coat that isnt as dangerous as the 2k max but with just as good of a result?

Great vid.. Do they have this in a matte clear coat? It says Matte on the can and high gloss in the description...

Not sure if you still remember, but did it give it a nice glossy finish? before you added the clear coat. As I seen you did the mistake to add the clear coat.

I just used SprayMax 2K clear coat the other day for the first time and I thought I was making this up in my head, but I smelled a little little tiny bit of this paint even with my proper mask on. It probably wasn't actually filtered out properly...

Not sure if this has already been asked.. scanned and did not see it... if using this 2k top coat over Createx paints on a motorcycle tank.. you mentioned chip resistance etc.. but will it provide the same resistance to gas drips as the Spray Max?

Great videos man. Have you ever experimented with chrome paint? I've been looking at tons of videos. there are some amazing chrome paints out there but most of them are hard to clear coat since the chrome turns dull and hazy, looses its reflectivity. Unless you do it with professional equipment and higher products.

I spray painted my car rear spoiler with krylon metallic silver , I was considering a clear coat. can I use this 2k clear over it?

Do a side my side both clear coats .. tape down the middle... For better gloss

Is this the best stuff to get? And what I'd someone sprays outside with a respirator mask will they be good? I been working on my carbon fiber hood and I'm trying to get the clear coat off to respray.

I tried the Eastwood Duraspray, which is based on the same concept of unlimited pot life. On two separate projects, the clear developed numerous cracks about halfway through the curing process. I haven't tried the Car-Rep product, I wonder if it's made exclusively by Car-Rep or if it's just a rebadged version of the same product sold as Eastwood Duraspray?

Hey Brad. Greetings from Toronto. Tried this clearcoat over a guitar that had been painted with duplicolor, and had been curing for month. Shook the can far about 5 minutes, warm dry day, paint degreased. After about an hour, the paint started to 'spiderweb' (if thats the right word) Let that dry for about 3 days, sanded it back the best I could, and the effect kept coming back. I just left it that way, and said I did it on purpose to give it an 'aged' look. Have you come across any similar problems?

Once you activate the can do you have to use it all or does it stay for a period of time? Any help thanks

Would you recommend using the epoxy primer to harden up basswood instead of using normal 2 part epoxy?

Hate to bother, but is there any issue with spraying a catalyzed aerosol over an alcohol based dye, say like Angelus Leather dye?

Have you heard of Samurai 2k paint? They have 2k paint that's Isocyanate free, have you tried it? Could it be the solution to spraymax poison, I love spraymax but holding my breathe feels sketchy, lmao.

Got a question i just sprayed a rim with 2X clear coat for a friend and it was opened a little over 24hrs it was the final coat and it came out with a milky white haze to it do you know what could've made that happen and how can i fix it will heat from a heat gun work to clear it up

I've used the clear and it goes on nice but in weeks it started to spider crack. I'll never use it again.

Wet sand between clear coats, should help prevent that orange peel

Hey Brad, so I used this car rep clear coat and after 3 coats/3-4 days I can still scratch it with my nails with little pressure. I followed all the instructions and the heat/humidity specifications but it doesn't seem to be hardening. Any advice on that? Thank you sir!