A little advice on my paint screwup
06-05-2014, 06:31 PM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
A little advice on my paint screwup
Thank you in advance. Here is my story. I have a 91 coupe that spent a lot of time on USAF bases in the south and out west. It got sunbaked. The front and rear clips are quite faded and chalky. The paint on the rest of the body is faded but still shines up nicely.
I have put this project off for 3 years now and waited till I retired and got all my other "projects" done.
I have gathered my materials: Paint from a local jobber, 60 gal 5hp upright air compressor from Craigslist and sandpaper, guns, supplies from Eastwood.
I have read a lot of posts here and watched some Youtube videos, bought a book on "How to Paint in your Garage" and practiced on some plywood and scrap metal. I now know enough to be dangerous!
The primer, reducer and surface prep stuff I bought has been sitting in my unheated/uncooled garage for 2 years. The temp this previous winter got way below 0 and slightly above for a couple of months.
This week I took off my front bumper cover, headlight buckets, license plate filler and used 95 lower fender gills. I told my wife I would try my limited skills on these pieces and then paint the rest of the car if they turned out good.
I washed everything with Dawn, rinsed well and used silicone/wax/grease remover before sanding and used the advised grade of paper with a sponge for backing. I blew everything off with air, used the surface prep again and began to paint. I used this on the fender gills:
They turned out nice after the primer was put on. Ready to sand and use the base coat color:
Meanwhile I discovered the MarHyde brand of sealer I got from the jobber and painted the rest of the items. These are the products I used:
This is what happened:
I used 4 parts sealant to 1 part reducer as the label shows - right? It was mixed well and strained as I poured it into the cup.
My questions:
1. I have plenty of time and patience. What grade sandpaper do I use to take this stuff off? Dry sand right?
2. What did I do wrong? Low humidity, very little wind, I used a tack rag before using the sealer.
3. What do I do different next time?
A few other notes. Gauge set at 110lbs on compressor, digital gauge at the gun set at 22lbs, 1.6 tip on my gravity feed HVLP gun, 2 water traps with no indication of water in their traps.
I'm thinking I should use the Duplicolor rattle cat sealer for the rest of the job and maybe toss the old primer and reducer?
I really do appreciate the time you pros spend here giving advice.THANK YOU!
I have put this project off for 3 years now and waited till I retired and got all my other "projects" done.
I have gathered my materials: Paint from a local jobber, 60 gal 5hp upright air compressor from Craigslist and sandpaper, guns, supplies from Eastwood.
I have read a lot of posts here and watched some Youtube videos, bought a book on "How to Paint in your Garage" and practiced on some plywood and scrap metal. I now know enough to be dangerous!
The primer, reducer and surface prep stuff I bought has been sitting in my unheated/uncooled garage for 2 years. The temp this previous winter got way below 0 and slightly above for a couple of months.
This week I took off my front bumper cover, headlight buckets, license plate filler and used 95 lower fender gills. I told my wife I would try my limited skills on these pieces and then paint the rest of the car if they turned out good.
I washed everything with Dawn, rinsed well and used silicone/wax/grease remover before sanding and used the advised grade of paper with a sponge for backing. I blew everything off with air, used the surface prep again and began to paint. I used this on the fender gills:
They turned out nice after the primer was put on. Ready to sand and use the base coat color:
Meanwhile I discovered the MarHyde brand of sealer I got from the jobber and painted the rest of the items. These are the products I used:
This is what happened:
I used 4 parts sealant to 1 part reducer as the label shows - right? It was mixed well and strained as I poured it into the cup.
My questions:
1. I have plenty of time and patience. What grade sandpaper do I use to take this stuff off? Dry sand right?
2. What did I do wrong? Low humidity, very little wind, I used a tack rag before using the sealer.
3. What do I do different next time?
A few other notes. Gauge set at 110lbs on compressor, digital gauge at the gun set at 22lbs, 1.6 tip on my gravity feed HVLP gun, 2 water traps with no indication of water in their traps.
I'm thinking I should use the Duplicolor rattle cat sealer for the rest of the job and maybe toss the old primer and reducer?
I really do appreciate the time you pros spend here giving advice.THANK YOU!
Last edited by corvetteronw; 06-05-2014 at 06:34 PM.
06-06-2014, 09:41 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
This is stating the obvious but there is an incompatibility issue. The Marhide my be the culprit. Fortunately you found this out now on small pieces. Someone will likely chime in with some specifics for you. In the meantime-sand-sand-sand and more sand. Good luck.
06-06-2014, 06:33 PM
#4
Race Director
It is more than likely the adhesion promoter. It depends on how heavy you applied it...allowed it to dry...and how wet you shot the Omni product.
Needless to write...because I am sure you have figured it out by now...but if you are going to cross systems and manufacturers...shoot something you do not care about as a test panel.
Often times the adhesion promoters are used on raw/un-primed plastics. I do not use it on prepped paint.
I use ...but rarely...aerosol products on a car when I am doing a paint job. Almost all of the products I use are able to be catalyzed and controlled. Aerosol products can not do that. Not writing that there are good ones out there 'in a pinch'. But I would not apply an aerosol product all over the outside of your car and expect it to work...if you are looking for a sealer.
Try the sealer without the rattle can adhesion promoter. That is what I would do 'next time'.
You can wet sand with 500 grit wet and take your time. You can use 400 grit WET...just be careful that you do not sand through areas too much...which is why I mentioned using 500 grit. BUT...then again...I was not there to see how heavy you applied the sealer.
I do not know if the products froze during winter and they are no good...which is why you want to shoot something other than any of your car parts FIRST.
Dial back on your fluid on your gun. A 1.6 is rather large and is going to apply material heavier than you may need...TEST to find out. I know I would not apply a sealer with a 1.6 head...I go more for a 1.4 with what I use and it works well and lays out slick.
I know you know this by now...but it is for 'others' out there planning on doing the same thing. Reading all the books, and watching every video out there does not mean squat. ALWAYS test on something first instead of jumping in and shooting panels. This is new to you...and thinking that it will work perfectly the fist time ...right out of the can...is possible...but more than likely...is going to have issues where 'figuring it out' is on you. Any experiences painter will tell you...that when they are forced to use products that are not what they have used and mastered....even with years and years of experience...the 'unknown' causes us to be AWARE and CAUTIOUS and TEST it on something like a paint can FIRST. I do it often and I have been painting for over 20 years.
DUB
Needless to write...because I am sure you have figured it out by now...but if you are going to cross systems and manufacturers...shoot something you do not care about as a test panel.
Often times the adhesion promoters are used on raw/un-primed plastics. I do not use it on prepped paint.
I use ...but rarely...aerosol products on a car when I am doing a paint job. Almost all of the products I use are able to be catalyzed and controlled. Aerosol products can not do that. Not writing that there are good ones out there 'in a pinch'. But I would not apply an aerosol product all over the outside of your car and expect it to work...if you are looking for a sealer.
Try the sealer without the rattle can adhesion promoter. That is what I would do 'next time'.
You can wet sand with 500 grit wet and take your time. You can use 400 grit WET...just be careful that you do not sand through areas too much...which is why I mentioned using 500 grit. BUT...then again...I was not there to see how heavy you applied the sealer.
I do not know if the products froze during winter and they are no good...which is why you want to shoot something other than any of your car parts FIRST.
Dial back on your fluid on your gun. A 1.6 is rather large and is going to apply material heavier than you may need...TEST to find out. I know I would not apply a sealer with a 1.6 head...I go more for a 1.4 with what I use and it works well and lays out slick.
I know you know this by now...but it is for 'others' out there planning on doing the same thing. Reading all the books, and watching every video out there does not mean squat. ALWAYS test on something first instead of jumping in and shooting panels. This is new to you...and thinking that it will work perfectly the fist time ...right out of the can...is possible...but more than likely...is going to have issues where 'figuring it out' is on you. Any experiences painter will tell you...that when they are forced to use products that are not what they have used and mastered....even with years and years of experience...the 'unknown' causes us to be AWARE and CAUTIOUS and TEST it on something like a paint can FIRST. I do it often and I have been painting for over 20 years.
DUB
06-07-2014, 05:51 PM
#6
Race Director
Just trying to pass along the years of screw-ups and problems that I have figured out how to stop...before they happen.
Man-oh-man...I wish you had shot something other than the front bumper cover. They are a pain to prep correctly. Sad thing is that I would have to get ALL of what you shot off of it before I attempted it again...because it is possible...that if you leave small spots on the bumper...when something is shot on it...it can react and look like bacon on a hot skillet.
BE VERY THOROUGH! and the 'nooks and crannies' is where I would spend the most time in getting all of what was shot on it off.
For what it is worth...if you run into a bad reaction again...before it cures..and while it is still wet...I have washed it off with a reducer or lacquer thinner when it has happened to me. And YES...it has happened to me also...even after testing. Sometimes 'things' happen. then I prep it again and try again. In some cases...when I am changing from one manufacturer to another...it can be a difference of 5 minutes flash time that can make it work or fail...AND YES...it can still occur when you stay in the same paint line and not switch from one manufacturer to another.
DUB
Man-oh-man...I wish you had shot something other than the front bumper cover. They are a pain to prep correctly. Sad thing is that I would have to get ALL of what you shot off of it before I attempted it again...because it is possible...that if you leave small spots on the bumper...when something is shot on it...it can react and look like bacon on a hot skillet.
BE VERY THOROUGH! and the 'nooks and crannies' is where I would spend the most time in getting all of what was shot on it off.
For what it is worth...if you run into a bad reaction again...before it cures..and while it is still wet...I have washed it off with a reducer or lacquer thinner when it has happened to me. And YES...it has happened to me also...even after testing. Sometimes 'things' happen. then I prep it again and try again. In some cases...when I am changing from one manufacturer to another...it can be a difference of 5 minutes flash time that can make it work or fail...AND YES...it can still occur when you stay in the same paint line and not switch from one manufacturer to another.
DUB