Exterior Grade Clear Coat for Brass

[Ross Moshinsky]

95% of the time I can convince a customer to switch from brass to something else for exterior use. This is the 5%. Most of the time I'm able to just warn them it will tarnish and look bad after a few years, and they accept it and move on because it's not a huge expense if they need to replace it. In this circumstance it needs to look good and last as replacing every 5 years is simply not an option.

Anyone have a good exterior grade clear coat for brass?

Most of what I'm seeing is only good for a few years. I believe Matthews clear will last outside as I'm pretty sure that's what Gemini uses. I assume most automotive clear coats would work? I also have some Modern Masters clear coat that I actually think would work for the job, but I'm not willing to take the risk.

[Gary Hair]

Make friends with your local auto body shop and ask them to clear coat it when they do their next car - they'll probably do it for nothing and it will last as long as anything you'll find.

[Neal Schlee]

http://permalac.com/

Neal

[Paul Phillips]

Ross, this is what I have used for years and have excellent results with, it's expensive but lasts longer than anything else I've tried, and that's in the harsh desert environment.
https://www.clearcoating.com/products/metals/

[David Somers]

Like Neal, I might suggest a look at Permalac. I have used it on polished brass in a Marine environment. In the Seattle/PNW area I was getting about a 10 year life out of it before I had to recoat it. It is essentially a specially formulated fast drying lacquer. Been around a while. Never noticed it yellowing.
Like most surface coatings, cleaning the surface before applying it is really important.

Dave

[Ross Moshinsky]

Make friends with your local auto body shop and ask them to clear coat it when they do their next car - they'll probably do it for nothing and it will last as long as anything you'll find.

I've had bad luck with that. I either get blown off with an excessively high price or they do a crap job because it's just a small job.

http://permalac.com/

Neal

I can actually get this pretty local and honestly, an aerosol can is probably enough to do the job and is "only" about $26. I take it you've used it with good results?

Ross, this is what I have used for years and have excellent results with, it's expensive but lasts longer than anything else I've tried, and that's in the harsh desert environment.
https://www.clearcoating.com/products/metals/

This seems like a solid product and with my little finishing HVLP gun I can probably get a pretty good finish. Do you have any experience of this product vs Permalac?

[Bert Kemp]

Probably not something you want to try yourself. I bought a kit to do a gun I had. Found it very difficult to do at home. I ended up taking it to a shop and having them strip off what I did and then redo it. Came out awesome when they did it not so hot at home But it will last for a long long time.

[Paul Phillips]

Sounds like the permalac is as good as the Microclear, what I do know about the Microclear is that it's a ceramic clear (very hard/durable) and that they use it on polished custom wheels. The limitation might be that it's about $100 per qt. and that you need your own spray gun.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Sounds like the permalac is as good as the Microclear, what I do know about the Microclear is that it's a ceramic clear (very hard/durable) and that they use it on polished custom wheels. The limitation might be that it's about $100 per qt. and that you need your own spray gun.

I have a couple HVLP guns and I can do this job with a relatively small amount. A pint at $60 is more than doable and will likely leave me with a little left over. It's not a big project it's just a lot of engraving.