How long to fully cure and harden ??

My question is how long until the paint is fully hard? I can still indent it with a thumb nail pretty easily. I used Dupont's Corlar 2.1 PR primer and Imron 3.5 HG on some backhoe parts. (They were suggested by Frank S. and the spec's look good.)

It's been 12 days since the first coat of primer, 11 days since the 2nd and 10 days since the color coat. The days have been about 1/2 75F and over with the others being under 75 for the high. We did have one day that was almost 100F, then the next day was 64 for a high. After 3 days of drying, the parts were brought outside to dry more hanging from a chain between trees. [IMG]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/john_bud/723%20backhoe/partshanging.jpg[/IMG]

Any ideas on when the paint will be fully hard, cured, dry and the parts able to be assembled?

jb

Color coat was also in color and activator 3:1 ratio.

The data sheets are saying 7 days at 70F. I guess it's not been that warm....

jb

I think you are right. Parts were in unheated building that gets morning shade and afternoon shade. Stays pretty cool in there even around noon time. Oh, it wasn't 50 at night, more like 40's and a couple nights even down to the high 30's. brrrr. I'm seriously hoping for some warmth!

I sprayed color coat (3.5 HG) on other parts today. Tack coat around 10am and full coat around 3pm. At 8pm it was still tacky in the thick areas. Thin coated parts that were by the doors and got some sun were dry to the touch, but not "dry". Temps were pretty steady at 80F from 10am till 6pm. And windy as a bear.

Temps are falling and it will probably be 70 for the high tomorrow and 60's for the next 1/2 week or more.

By the way, I bought both the corlar primer and the imron from a place in Illinois. It may be your area doesn't stock it? I use a full external supplied air hood when painting. It's a spendy deal, but much cheaper than getting all cobbled up from fumes!

jb

Sounds like change is comming. I only hope that the water based paints are better than the sh--t used on my '89 ford that flaked off like snow!

What happens with bare metal using water based paints? Does it rust up under the paint?? Just feels wrong, know what I mean>?

If you want to bake my parts with that mondo-jumbo heater - feel free! The sun isn't getting the job done.

I was hoping that the paint would harden up quick - the 2 part paints I used in the past did. Painting in a barn with dirt floor, even one covered with a tarp still has a lot of dirt flying around. Having the paint be sticky tacky for 4-8 hrs isn't giving a show room finish. Especially when it starts to blow with gusts up to 30 mph after you start to spray. Oh well, hopefully it will be chip and scratch resistant as advertized. I'll live with the gunk in the paint then. Heck, it will be covered with dirt most of the time anyway.

jb