automotive clear coat stock refinish

i have read that some people use automotive clear coat for their stock finish instead of urethane or other wood sealant. has anyone actually used clear coat in paint gun or rattle can spray on their stocks? the claims that it is the toughest finish out there.

All the time. It's very tough paint.

All the time. It's very tough paint.

what do you use? flat, gloss? im thinking of using flat clear coat. do you have any pics of one finished in clear coat?

Improperly applied it's worse than cheap Varnish. Go look at cars that have been repainted with Basecoat/Clearcoat. The clearcoat peels like sunburned skin.
For not much more than a 'Rattle-can' you can get a good Urethane and do other projects around the house too.
As with any finish, preparation and correct application are a must.
But I'd trust an Idiot with Urethane over a Pro with basecoat/clearcoat in a New York minute as I've seen too many 'Professionally applied' clearcoats fail time after time.

Improperly applied it's worse than cheap Varnish. Go look at cars that have been repainted with Basecoat/Clearcoat. The clearcoat peels like sunburned skin.
For not much more than a 'Rattle-can' you can get a good Urethane and do other projects around the house too.
As with any finish, preparation and correct application are a must.
But I'd trust an Idiot with Urethane over a Pro with basecoat/clearcoat in a New York minute as I've seen too many 'Professionally applied' clearcoats fail time after time.

what is your preference for urethane? brush on or rattle can spray? i have only did one stock from Ironwooddesign, beechwood, i just used watco exterior oil they recommended off his site. apply oil,, sit one day, buff out with steel wool, repeat for 3 days, but i have a new walnut stock on order from him and was thinking of sealing this one.

Here are some romy stocks I have done in automotive clear coat.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2467/hpim4916.jpg (http://img301.imageshack.us/i/hpim4916.jpg/)
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6319/hpim4917.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/hpim4917.jpg/)
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3429/hpim4911.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/hpim4911.jpg/)
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/473/hpim4910.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/hpim4910.jpg/)
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5180/3762375.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/3762375.jpg/)


I used PPG clear.

Here are some romy stocks I have done in automotive clear coat.


I used PPG clear.

did you use a hvlp gun or conventional? that is a nice job.

HVLP. I soaked the wood in hot water to pop out any dents, and let dry for a few days. started with 320 grit on the bare wood, until it was perfectly smooth, applied the dye or stain and put down 4-5 coats sanding with 600 grit in between.

Here are some romy stocks I have done in automotive clear coat.

I used PPG clear.

Wow...thats pretty impressive. Did you stain the stocks first or just shoot the clear on the stripped wood?
From what I understand you need to be careful not to mix the wrong finishes or you can cause a chemical reaction and turn a nice looking job into trash.
I guess the good thing about using this finish is that you could use rubbing compound to remove any imperfections or scratches from use.

Wow...thats pretty impressive. Did you stain the stocks first or just shoot the clear on the stripped wood?
From what I understand you need to be careful not to mix the wrong finishes or you can cause a chemical reaction and turn a nice looking job into trash.
I guess the good thing about using this finish is that you could use rubbing compound to remove any imperfections or scratches from use.


Actually not as much as you would think. You can use waterbased stains you just have to let the stock thoroughly dry. I used red food dye for the darker color, and a home made mix of Rit clothing dye and alcohol for the orange stocks. Just take your time and let it dry very well. California has been using water based base coat (Color coat) with oil based clears for years now (less VOC's)