Has anyone used ClearShield "Production Clear"?

[TimToad]

Hi,

Our search for a decent clearcoat (mostly for scratch protection) on direct print stuff coming off our flatbed continues. We've tried rolling on Frog Juice, One Shot clear and others with mixed results. It seems like putting it on DiBond is our worst experience. It either sets up too fast and won't allow enough time to smooth bubbles out, or if thinned results in an uneven finish.

My main goal is to get a nice even, gloss finish with some added abrasion resistance.

ClearShield has its "Production Clear" specifically formulated for UV cured inks and hard substrates. Anyone have any luck with it?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I know clearshield original formula (waterbased) dries smooth as silk if applied properly

 

[TimToad]

Smooth as silk on printed vinyl or on a hard substrate?

I tried some of the waterbased Bordeuax AQ clear on some vinyl and it worked great, but a test on some printed DiBond on both partial print and full coverage and it came out uneven and puddly.

 

[Gino]

When using liquid clear, we thinned a few frog juice cans, because the temperature, humidity and surface feel... all play a part in drying time. Therefore, we had them pre-mixed and used the best one at the time for the conditions. We thinned one by 10%, then up to 50%. Marked each can and used accordingly. The closer to natural, the more spider-webbing we got, so you hadda work fast. The spidering went away before completely dry.

Clearshield is about the best out there, but I never really liked the milkiness to it. Still use the ClearJet quite a bit.

 

[TimToad]

When using liquid clear, we thinned a few frog juice cans, because the temperature, humidity and surface feel... all play a part in drying time. Therefore, we had them pre-mixed and used the best one at the time for the conditions. We thinned one by 10%, then up to 50%. Marked each can and used accordingly. The closer to natural, the more spider-webbing we got, so you hadda work fast. The spidering went away before completely dry.

Clearshield is about the best out there, but I never really liked the milkiness to it. Still use the ClearJet quite a bit.

Gino,

We did the same thing. We had our "cool, cloudy" mix, "Hot, dry" mix, etc. and have always tried hard to match the mix with the conditions, but we just can't get consistent results on bigger panels. We just did 5, 36" x 45" with partial printing and a 60" x 96" with full bleed edge to edge full print. The big one turned out fine, the smaller ones needed tons of work to make them acceptable. So go figure.

I was hoping somebody had tried the ClearShield "production clear" before I popped for it because it only comes in gallons and is $100.00 through Sign-Mart.

I did find the manufacturer's website and they offer samples of all of their products at a nicely discounted rate, so we've ordered a quart of the production clear and will give it a go.

 

[Gino]

Are you spraying or rolling ??

I never sprayed with the aqua version.


Here's a trick I used from a long time ago.

Do a quick dry coat over the entire panel. Wait about 2 minutes and spray it again with a dry coat, but from the opposite direction.... upside down. Let that dry completely. Now, roll on whatever consistency you want and do it fast. Wait a small window and then take out any bubbles appearing with a light light touch of the roller. We still use nap. No sponge type for solvents.

 

[TimToad]

We've been rolling and I'm beginning to think the foam rollers are the culprit. Its essentially like painting with a sponge and it injects air into the mix as it goes on.

After all these decades, I can apply a coat of bulletin color or One shot on a panel and it looks like a frickin' mirror, but this stuff, just isn't formulated like paint.

We even tried those really dense 1 1/2" diameter foam rollers thinking it would inject less air into the wet coat, but it does the same thing.

 

[Gino]

We use Wooster and I think DAP 3/16" nap. Never-ever use foam rollers for anything, but throwaway projects... like posts or backgrounds in latex. They're no good for oil based or solvents.

Paint flows out a lot different than clears. Two different animals. As for clearing over top digital prints, I still like the solvent clears.

 

[Techman]

window cleaning squeegee