Hot Rods Laying down glass like paint......advice for the DIY crowd?

Flamedaboned.I usually need a stiff drink after I paint a car.Helps the stress from being so up tight when painting it. Bruce.

 

DAMN !tb33anda3rd.That REALLY came out nice!!!!Bruce.

 

He told me he used lacquer thinner no matter what the finish was. I never tried it on catalyzed AE. I only tried it on lacquer and urethane and never on anything where I was concerned about durability. Just a few test panels and stuff like a garbage can.

 

I don't like the most new high solid clears
they are fine for matching factory orange peel, not so much on custom stuff
shot some of the newer euro style clear this week
spent all day sawing out runs

shot some lacquer for the first time in decades a couple months ago
dang that stuff is easy!!!!

 

thanks. that's ppg 9300 single stage black.

 

one trickpony.I just think the lacquer thinner would eat in to the acrylic enamel paint. What do you think?Thanks Bruce.

 

I wouldn't mix products!

 

I know I would not do it without a bunch of testing. As he described it to me, after the last coat of enamel, while it was still wet, he would fog a mist of slow drying lacquer thinner over it to melt any over spray or orange peel. I would never try it if the top coat was already dry. Lacquer would ruin the enamel for sure then.

 

i never heard that. not saying he doesn't do it but it does not make any sense to me and i wouldn't try it on anything i cared about.

 

Ago.I think I will try fogging over the last coat on the 56 Chrysler when I paint her with Acrlic Enamel Reducer since that's the paint I will be using. Bruce.

 

I'm sure glad this thread came back. I thought I was losing my mind with this modern high solids clear coat stuff.
I'm stuck with a repair job on a Corvette that's kicking my ass and stealing my lunch.
Is there someone here that does this stuff every day, that's familiar the new stuff , that could help me out here?
PM me if you would, and tell when's best to call you.
I don't want to type out the whole sordid story here. It would probably put everyone to sleep anyway.
Thanks in advance,
MY

 

DC 4000 clear,
right out of devilbiss finish line 3 gun.
This is a "flow coat"


Next :
Ppg delfleet
With a Clear reduction & first pic is right out of the gun. The pics show different colors but it's camera trickery.

The owner was very happy with this because it looked better than his brothers 2016 F150.

After cut and buff.
But it was quite a bit of work just to get this section. Way too much work.



Sanded it all with 500 grit on a finish DA to get it flat and remove the texture. Then Shot another coat, just had to chase a few dirt nibs in this coat. It's not as defined or perfected as the full cut and rub, but it's pretty damn nice.



Search out "flow coat" try it.

 

There is some great advice in this thread.
My pro guy tells me this and I have seen his work:
Two types of jobs and way different costs.
(1) SS or 2 stage, apply enough material as flat as you can spray and your gun, temp, reduction, etc. allow without sags and runs.
(2) Results are directly relevant to amount of blocking before and after, and patience between stages.........no forced drying from bodywork to final buff. PATIENCE ! It take what it takes.
(3) Removal of orange peel nibs may be smooth as glass but not necessarily FLAT !
(4) Flat and smooth require HARD BLOCKING using aluminum blocks and its way different than using a soft block which removes nibs but merely still somewhat follows the coat flow.
(5) I have tried this and you better off practicing on some low cost urethane SS or clear on your frame rails or other items, than whacking away at 1500 dollar a gallon materials. Much easier on TCP global acrylic enamel than top of the line Glasurit product.

 

Aluminum sanding blocks? I have never seen that.

 

Hard block $$$ vs Soft block$ .Nor can I afford it. May say its a scam but this guy worked for a nationally known shop here in AZ who charge so much for paint I am not allowed to even look upon the car !!!!!

 

One thing I cannot stress enough: Most paint supply shops seem to try to push hobbyists toward too fact of reducers. Step down one notch slower if you are painting a whole car. Most paint shops like to set you up with some 'medium' reducer that really is too quick for a whole job.

 

Hard blocks don't necessarily sand better or faster or easier but they sand much flatter by a bunch.
Wet sanding with A paint stick gets things flatter and flatter develops more reflection than a soft block would, and a machined and polished aluminum block gets it even flatter. Closer to plate glass kind of flat

Ever look deep into the reflection of a paint job with no orange peel and still see what looks like heat waves in the shiney paint? Some guys I know call it flutter. That's because its plenty smooth but it's just not flat. That "flutter" is different than the common cellulite look which is an other problem all together.

 

I would use a newer technology spray gun like a SATA 5000 1.3 RP or Iwata Evo 1.3 for clear. Also for a lot less money you could use a Tekna Copper with a 1.3 and a 7E7 cap. Big difference in atomization between that an old Sata 2000. Now for clearcoat, I'd use one of two clears, either PPG D8152 or DCU2002. Both are slow glamour clears. That's the kicker. Use a great clearcoat with a great gun setup. Use the slowest hardeners and reducers. Value priced clears can and will do alright, but for what a car costs to build why cheap out on paint?? Make sure your primer surfacer is blocked perfect and plan on 3-4 coats of clear and color sanding and buffing it. You'll be the envy of the cruise night for certain!


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

rustyironman.Then would you suggest a slow reducer for Acrylic Enamel paint with the hardner for summer time painting instead of med. reducer?{I notice I tend to get dry spot while painting in warmer weather}Thanks Bruce.

 

Slower reducers give the paint more time to flow out/flatten out (?), but you have to stay sharp and keep the gun moving. One pause and you get a sag. Come back too soon for another coat-sag. Like when I ran the gun into the mirror on the door. That was great. But if you can pull it off or deal with sags and runs, go as slow as your skill and the heat will allow. Can you mix different speeds (same brand, to get a "custom" speed, like half slow and half medium, for "kinda slow"?

 

You guys think these are worth the money? I think for repeatability, this would prove useful.
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Spray-Paint-Pressure-Regulator/dp/B002RMWZOS

Check out this video. I found it after I asked the question above.

 

I'm sure you've all heard the term "That'll buff out"! Most mistakes I've had do.

 

Well, if its summer, most slow reducers say for 75 degrees or hotter. Also most paint tech sheets say if full paint step down one notch for reducer, if panel painting, step up one notch reducer speed.

I pained the below pictured 59 silver hawk back in 2013 with Dupont Centari hardener, and slow reducer. Yes a yard paintjob. Finished car shown. I never color sanded it or buffed it. As shot.

Dupont Centari and Nason has to be my favorite paint. I have painted the NAPA Martin-Senior Crossfire Enamel w/ hardner, and had good results, cross fire needs more flash time between coats. All those paints one can just lay out and expect the finis car to look like it does when you put the gun down.

I've always had issues with PPG Delstar, as if one tries to lay it out nice, it skins over, looks great, then 15 minutes later likes to sag behind the skin that formed. I have painted cars and have learned to tolerate Delstar. I cannot recommend painting Omni with slow reducers. Hell, I can't recommend painting with Omni at all, its like painting with whitewash.

 

Looks pretty good to me. Heres one I did with acrlic enamel with hardner and mid temp. reducer during the summer time. Bruce.

 

Roothawg.Good video.Thanks.Bruce.

 

btt