DRYING THE BASECOAT
It is critically important for your Basecoat 812-E layer to be thoroughly dried before moving on to the metal spray silver layer.
Basecoat dry times can vary considerably; due to ambient temperature, humidity, as well as the thickness of the basecoat layer itself.
To eliminate these variables and ensure that your basecoat is consistently dry every time, we have devised a two-phase procedure — air drying first, then “baking” dry the next day using heat. This procedure will take place entirely inside the dedicated Warm Space constructed earlier.
(AIR DRY / NO HEAT)
Immediately after basecoating your parts, place them inside the warm space shelving unit to air dry with the heater turned off. The enclosure around the shelving unit provides protection from dust or debris falling into your paint before it dries; as well as protection from overspray if you are basecoating additional parts.
The initial air drying phase immediately after basecoating allows your fresh basecoat to completely flash-off its volatile solvents. This ensures that flammable vapors will be given adequate time dissipate from inside the shelving unit before the heater is turned on.
For safety, do NOT place freshly basecoated parts directly into your warm space with the heater on.
(BAKE DRY / HEATER ON)
After air drying overnight, the volatile solvents from the wet basecoat will have dissipated. Turn the heater on, and place a digital thermometer inside the warm space to monitor the temperature.
Baking dry at 135 °F for about 1.5 to 2 hours will generally provide adequate drying for most parts. If the basecoat layer is thicker, continue to bake for an additional 1 to 2 hours. Basecoated parts can be left to dry for extended periods of time without issue — there is no risk of “over-drying” with Spectra Chrome chemistry. The section Basecoat Dry Time vs. Thickness provides additional information on how to judge adequate dry times for your basecoated parts.
After baking dry, allow parts to cool back down to room temperature (approximately 30 minutes) before proceeding with silver application.
We use a combination digital hygrometer / thermometer purchased at Wal-Mart to monitor temperature and humidity — any similar unit will work.