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To those that have smoked their own tails....

11749 Views 166 Replies 28 Participants Last post by  08RCSB
Im wanting to attempt mine myself, I'd be using VHT nite-shades.

I don't want it "blacked out" or trouble from the police. I want it to look red with a slight smoke. I assume 2 or 3 light coats?

Did you guys scuff the surface before applying the smoke to ensure adhesion with some 600 maybe?

Does VHT need clear coat over the top of it to keep its gloss? If so, what brand clear? (duplicolor clear coat blows, its way too soft and doesn't last I'm not using that).

Any pics with light smoke would be appreciated as well. Thanks.
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yea i would sand just a little and clear alot.
niteshades is really dull when dry. and probally no more then 2 coats.
After you smoke them, take them to a body shop and they will use automotive clear on them for fairly cheap.
That's what I was afraid of, my truck is my DD and I didn't wanna have to leave the tails at a body shop or pay for new ones, that's why I was going to do it myself.

Ah well, maybe ill have to get some tails.
you should be able to pick up a fairly decent clear, just make sure to wet sand and buff after clearing if you want to look good and not like a rattle can job
it will probly stick ok, since its not going to be getting rocked chipped. But since they are plastic, just scuff with some grey scotchbrite, then first you should apply a plastic adhesion promoter. THen do you color, or nightshades, then clear. Just apply the color until its the shade you want, just start with light coats.
I did mine with nite shades and duplicolor clear and they are shiny as shit. I did 4 coats and they are pretty much black. I will be pulling them off to sand them down a bit to lighten them back up, got pulled the other day for those and a noise violation but got off with a warning.
Im going to head down to the automotive paint supply store here and get them to put some real good quality clear coat in a rattle can for me today, I should have them done in a week or so depending on a few things.


Thanks guys!
3
i did mine the other day..$4 can of krylon fusion gloss black and $4 can of krylon fusion clear..scuffed them with a red scotchbrite pad, then did 2-3 coats of black, followed by 6-7 coats of clear..they are pretty shiny for not wet sanding them yet..they are dark but the light comes through very nicely..i will wetsand them when i get some time, but like i said they arnt bad for costing my $8 and taking 45 minutes



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How is the krylon clear coat? I've had bad luck with duplicolor and water spots etching into in after a few months, and its just so damn soft.

Is the krylon tacky feeling or did it dry nicely?
the krylon is very smooth and not tacky one bit..
Is it sand-able and buff-able?
ya it would def. be sandable..i havent gotten to that yet because im not exactly sure how to go about wetsanding it without wrecking it
Wet sand with some 2000 or maybe even 1500 grit. Let the sand paper soak in a bowl with a dab of dish soap and make sure the light surface and paper are completely wet. Just start working the same direction untill you feel like you've leveled the clear coat to a glass smooth surface. Then dry an area to check, it should be a dull grey with no spots, this is good. Then once the whole light is like that, buff with compound and/or swirl mark remover.
i experimented with krylon today on my third brake like just scuffed it up with a random sanding pad i had lying around and sprayed a few light coats...came out pretty good with no clear...i like it dull for some reason...i might do the tails but im not sure yet ill get some pics tommorow...
Mine are done just need another compund buff, pics tomorrow morning.
You just use black Krylon spray paint?
You just use black Krylon spray paint?
the real way to do it is with a paint gun and mix black base coat in with some clear, but for us who dont have access to that..i just did the Black krylon and krylon clear
Use vht nite shades then clear. PM me jameson if you want some detailed instructions.
either way works fine imo as long as you use clear...im gonna pick up some clear tommorow and maybe do my tails as well
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