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Single-stage vs two-stage paint

To: 6 Pack <6pack@autox.team.net>
Subject: Single-stage vs two-stage paint
From: Shane Ingate <hottr6@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 13:03:15 -0500
All,

Maybe others have run into this.  It is the general wisdom of people that
two-stage ("two pack") is "better" than single-stage acrylic enamel.

However, I have been trying to find a true black paint.  I mean a really,
really, black.  Looking at two-stage black paint, I see brown, and grey,
sometimes blue, but never any true black such as can be achieved with a
single-stage acrylic enamel.

I've talked to a number of paint shops, and they tend to agree that
two-stage black is not as black as the older paint systems.

One of the characteristics of single-stage paint is that as the old outer
surface oxidizes, polishing can remove this and reveal fresh paint
underneath.  Of course, this cannot be continued indefinitely as one will
eventually reach primer, but does this mean that until primer is reached,
the single-stage paint has the potential of looking like it was just
painted, as against two-stage paint which cannot be polished because of the
clear coat?  With time UV light has to affect the base coat in some way.

Certainly I will continue to do some research on this, but I would be
intrigued to tap the wisdom of the list on this.  I may go with a
single-stage paint on Rags, and will have to be prepared for the extra work
that it entails.  Black is already a hard color to maintain, why not go the
extra 10%?

Cheers,

Shane Ingate in Maryland

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