When to sand & rub out epoxy clear coat?

The tank on the XJ had too much sun bleaching and I stripped it, primered it & painted it with rattle can lacquer and put a 2 part epoxy clear-coat on. I have almost two cans of Spraymax 2K on it applied over 24 hours. Its been about 24 hours since the last layer and its been dry to the touch for 20 hours. There's some orange peel that I can remove with some 1000 wet/dry and then use some Mothers buffing & then polishing compound.

What I don't know is how long to wait before I should sand out the orange peel and then use the Mothers on it to get the shine back?

Suggestions?

 

You should be sweet at 24Hrs as long as your temp has been around 20 degrees C on average: longer than that is fine also.

 

Simple DIY test to see if paint is fully cured: Your nose.

Stick your nose right against the painted surface and have a whiff. If it still smells like paint it's not fully cured.

 

I remember hearing it takes curing time before epoxy is as hard as it is going to be and nowhere on the can or on-line have I found the time-line when you can remove the orange peel & buff/polish. I'd rather wait and do it right.

It doesn't smell and it has been over 24 hours so guess I can have at it.

Thanks!

 

Going by the data sheet of the spraymax it's part B is an Isocyanate which makes it a polyurethane not an epoxy. p/u generally cures quicker than epoxy.