Thread: flattening the clear for that "suede" look.

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How do I know how much flattening agent to mix in my clear for a nostalgia "primer" paint job??

The flattening says "up to 50% when mixed with clearcoat", but I don't want a pure flat color. I only want that smooth "suede" look.

You cant tell me ALL of you have shiny cars. How much flattening??

I thought maybe spraytech would have jumped in by now. It may depend to some degree on who's paint line you're using. If they don't give you any better info than what you listed in their literature on the product you may have to do some test mixes and spray out test panels to see what suits your tastes. I actually prefer to do that rather than taking someone elses assessment for what "suede" means. You can do it the risky way and try a full size mix and sneak up on the amount of flattener til you get what you want, but I would rather make small test batches, keeping close tab on the ratios, and then extrapolate for the full mix.

That was the initial plan, but I don't think I can measure the clear, hardener, reducer, and flattening all in such a small amount.

I thought about trying more and more flattening while in the cup, but then I wouldn't know a percentage because the cup would be inaccurate...too many variables.

I may just buy a few pint of clear to play with, then I know an exact amount and if I don't like the result I'm not wasting much.

Dupont black primer, Dupont Centari black basecoat, Dupont Centari clear, Dupont Centari flattening (comes in quart cans)

The new problem is a cold front...lower temps and humidity are going to change my flow and finish.

I've never sprayed on a dry day, I'm so used to summertime that I compensate for humidity with my technique. Now I probably will see orange peel and I can't sand it out because I want a semi-flat finish.