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Automotive Clearcoat with Superior Finish Quality, Durability and Ease of Use

Wheels were refinished with DiamondFinish Clear. They look great and the coating allows brake dust to be easily wiped off.

All clearcoats are not created equal. Finish quality, durability and ease of use are important qualities that vary among manufacturers. KBS Coatings has developed DiamondFinish Clear to exceed the competition in all these areas.

DiamondFinish Clear is a permanent, single part formula, high gloss clearcoat that uses an advanced coatings technology to permanently seal both paints and metals. It can be applied direct to metal or over cured automotive basecoats, standard solid color paints, and single-part or two-part paints. It can also be applied to ferrous as well as non-ferrous metals including aluminum, alloys, brass, chrome and copper. DiamondFinish Clear is a moisture cured urethane that is UV stable, durable and extremely tough and remains permanently flexible. This automotive clearcoat able to perform in the toughest environments without yellowing, cracking or peeling.

DiamondFinish Clear is user-friendly and can be applied to surfaces with minimal surface preparation. The unique formulation allows it to adhere to non-ferrous metals without an etching primer. Unlike normal two-part coatings, no hardener is needed. DiamondFinish Clear will cure without heat or UV lights in temperatures from 50° F to 86° F. Because of its superior adhesion properties, it doesn’t have problems with delamination.

DiamondFinish Clear is self-leveling and can be applied with a roller, conventional spray gun, or with a brush without leaving any brush marks which are the bane for most clear coat finishes.

Tougher and harder than a two-part automotive clearcoat, DiamondFinish Clear will withstand the harshest of chemicals including fuels, solvents, battery acid, brake fluid, ethanol, methanol, MEK, hydrochloric acid, and acetone. When applied correctly, DiamondFinish Clear can act as a sealant to prevent corrosion. DiamondFinish Clear also allows easy surfaces clean up. For example, brake dust can be simply wiped off wheels.

DiamondFinish Clear looks fantastic and can be used to beautify and protect items like automotive paint (can be used like a traditional clear coat), wheels, aluminum fittings, and fuel tanks. It also works great for high temperature automotive applications (up to 300° F) including cylinder heads, engine blocks, brake calipers and intake manifolds without yellowing. It can also be used as the finishing step for composite headlamp restoration.

DiamondFinish Clear was used to seal the bare metal body of this VW! Looks cool and is sealed away from rust.

Preparation before applying DiamondFinish Clear varies depending on the type of surface. When used as a clear coat for a paint base coat, it is simply applied on top of the base coat. When applied over cured coatings, clean the surface with KBS Klean diluted 10 parts hot water to 1-part KBS Klean. Scuff with 600-1200 grit sandpaper, repeat cleaning process and rinse. When coating bare metals, they should be freshly polished or sanded to the finish required. For ferrous metals, clean with KBS Klean at a dilution rate of 10 parts hot water to 1-part KBS Klean and scrub with a soft non-abrasive cleaning pad. For non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, etc.), clean with KBS Klean at a dilution rate of 25 parts hot water to 1-part KBS Klean with the use of a very soft non-abrasive cleaning pad.

Intake manifold was first painted with KBS Motor Coater Engine Paint and then finished with DiamondFinish Clear

When applying DiamondFinish Clear by brush apply thin, covering coats and once an area is covered move on immediately to the next area. If you brush over an area over and over again forcing the solvents out, you run the risk of the brush marks not flowing out as well they are designed to. When spraying, thin with KBS #1 Thinner 10%-15% which is normally adequate. DiamondFinish Clear can be thinned up to 30%. Use a spray pressure of 35-45 psi for siphon/pot guns and 25-35psi for gravity/top container guns. As a general rule of thumb, a 1.4-1.5 nozzle works well. Always apply a minimum of 2 covering coats, apply a thin covering initial coat followed by a moderate to full coat (2 mils each) for general applications. For more information on prep and application click here.

Patina was preserved using DiamondFinish Clear.

KBS DiamondFinish Clear automotive clear coat will give you what you need for a job well done: Finish quality, durability and ease of use. For more information on DiamondFinish Clear click HERE.

Motorcycle Exhaust Coating Stops Corrosion, Looks Great, and is a Cost-Effective Solution

A rusted motorcycle exhaust system looks terrible. It can make your bike look aged and generally detract from its appearance. The rest of the motorcycle could look great, but the exhaust is such a large and noticeable part of the bike that unless the rust is stopped, rust will progress to the point where the metal is weakened or even perforated. You could purchase a new exhaust system but that could cost a few hundred dollars or even thousands. Lucky for you, the KBS Coatings XTC rust prevention system provides a far more cost-effective solution.

The XTC rust prevention system consists of XTC (Xtreme Temperature Coating) and XTC Silicone Zinc Primer that work together to prevent corrosion of metal surfaces exposed to high heat, high humidity, condensation and salt air. The formulation of these products ensure they can withstand temperatures in excess of 1200F. The results are permanent and look great.

The first step in restoring a motorcycle exhaust using the XTC system is to ensure the surface to be primed is dry and free from old paint or coatings, dirt, oil, rust, and other contaminants. Sandblasting is the ideal surface preparation as it leaves the ideal anchor pattern for paint adhesion. If you don’t have access to a sandblaster, use a wire wheel, wire brush, or sand using 60-80 grit paper. This will provide a surface equivalent to that provided by sandblasting and allow the desired surface profile or anchor pattern.

Now it’s time to apply the XTC Silicone Zinc Primer. First, wash surface well with KBS Klean at a 10:1 (water to KBS Klean) ratio, rinse and dry thoroughly before proceeding. Mask off areas not to be coated and protect adjacent areas with drop cloth or newspapers. For best results, apply when XTC when room temperatures are between 60-80° F.

XTC Silicone Zinc Primer prevents corrosion of metal surfaces, can withstand temperatures in excess of 1200°F and functions much like galvanization as it locks itself to bare metal surfaces leaving a perfect primed surface for top coating. XTC Silicone Zinc Primer is free of fluorocarbons, lead, and chromates and is grey in color.

XTC Silicone Zinc Primer is available in aerosol spray can form. For larger applications by brush, roller, or spray equipment, XTC Primer is also available in quart, gallon or five-gallon containers. For purposes of this article we will discuss application by aerosol spray can.

Hold the aerosol can 12-15 inches from surface and apply using steady, even strokes. Apply two light coats, allowing 15 minutes drying time between coats. Allow the primed surface to dry a minimum of 30 minutes before top coating with the KBS Xtreme Temperature Coating.

Next comes application of XTC – Xtreme Temperature Coating. XTC is a high temperature/heat resistant motorcycle exhaust coating designed to protect metal surfaces operating at temperatures from 500° F to 1200° F. XTC provides outstanding adhesion, film integrity, weathering, and thermal shock-resistance throughout this entire temperature range and is guaranteed not to burn off. XTC will not peel, flake or chalk and is resistant to scratching or marring. XTC is available in 10 colors which allows you to do some unique styling if you wish.

This motorcycle exhaust coating also has an interesting property in that it acts as an insulator that reduces the surface temperature of the exhaust system. Don’t get us wrong, it will still get hot, but not quite so. The heat is retained with the exhaust system which improves exhaust gas velocity and can increase horsepower.

Like XTC Primer, XTC is available in aerosol spray can form, or in containers for application by brush, roller, or spray equipment. Again, for purposes of this article we will discuss application by aerosol spray can. For best results, apply when spray can, and room temperatures are between 60-80° F. Hold aerosol can 12-15 inches from surface and apply using steady, even strokes. Apply a minimum of two light coats, avoiding drips and runs. Allow 15-30 minutes drying time between coats. Only apply the number of coats needed to get the desired coverage. Do not apply more coats that you need for coverage as this can have adverse consequences. As with all KBS Products, multiple very thin, covering coats is always the best practice as heavy applications can lead to reduced adhesion and coating life. Allow painted surface to dry a minimum of 8 hours before subjecting to high heat.

With the KBS Coatings XTC rust prevention system you can stop rusting, preserve your exhaust system, and make it look great. Plus, consider the cost savings. Would you rather spend $40.00 on KBS motorcycle exhaust coating, or several hundred or thousands of dollars on a new exhaust system?

For more information on XTC Silicone Zinc Primer click HERE!

For more information on XTC – Xtreme Temperature Coating click HERE!