Why is the clearcoat on my tail lights messing up?

[Sws]

I recently tinted my tail lights with Rustoleum Lens Tint (VHT wasn't available in my area) and then used some clear coat on it and it spider webs in random spots. What is wrong?

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[sypherzero]

How did you prep the surface of the lights?

 

[Sws]

How did you prep the surface of the lights?

Well first I wetsanded them, then used the lens tint, then wet sanded again, and then clearcoat. Of course dried off all of the water in between wetsands.

 

[JusMX141]

Definitely some type of solvent interaction; I'm assuming the clear you're using is lacquer-based...lacquer is tough to work with.

 

[Sws]

Definitely some type of solvent interaction; I'm assuming the clear you're using is lacquer-based...lacquer is tough to work with.

"Dupli-Color® Perfect Match™ Premium Automotive Paint is an easy-to-use, high-quality, fast-drying, acrylic lacquer aerosol paint specially formulated to exactly match the color of the original factory applied coating." You're right.

 

[miloolim]

How would you get that off with out affecting the plastic? Just sand and re cote?

 

[Sws]

How would you get that off with out affecting the plastic? Just sand and re cote?

Yeah that's what I did before when it spiderwebbed, just wetsanded after it dried and then retried and it did the same thing. You mean the clear coat right? Or the tint as well?

 

[JusMX141]

You're probably going to have to start from square one- the clear wrinkled the base, and the base itself is transparent...so anything applied over the base at this point is going to show the problem area no matter what.

Try again using a clear that isn't lacquer-based....something urethane-based using an activator would be the best-bet, but that's not in the cards unless you have a spray gun.

 

[Sws]

You're probably going to have to start from square one- the clear wrinkled the base as well and the base is transparent...so anything applied over the base at this point is going to show the problem area no matter what.

Try again using a clear that isn't lacquer-based....something urethane-based using an activator would be the best-bet, but that's not in the cards unless you have a spray gun.

Well, my dad works for a small auto shop so I pretty much have free reign on anything there since we're both great friends with the owner. And as you can see from the picture, the lens is a bit broken. Accidentally dropped them on my garage floor and both sides have cracks in them and the middle was untouched. So I will be ordering some used lights from Stangmurdera and then just retry haha.