I finally saw the difference between a rushed and a proper clear coat cure time
Had a Honda Civic hood that got a full respray. The first time, we rushed the clear after 30 minutes in a 70-degree booth and it ended up with solvent pop. Redid it with a full 45-minute flash, and the finish is glass. Are you guys strict on your cure times, or do you push it when the shop is busy?
Solvent pop happens because the paint cures too fast on the surface, trapping thinner underneath. That’s a direct result of rushing the cure time between coats. A proper flash-off period lets those solvents escape. If you just blame the thinner and ignore the schedule, you’ll keep having the same problem.