Technical HOK candy basecoat

I'm about to shoot HOK candy basecoat for the first time. I looked up previous threads,but didn't see which guns are recommended. The past couple of years I've just been using the harbor freight guns. Do I need to step up to an Iwata or such for this. I'm going to be shooting 09 Planet Green. And thanks for any suggestions!!

 

HOK has a YT channel.
https://www.youtube.com/@HouseOfKolorHOK/videos
From what I have read (NOT done) HOK is a breed apart.
I would follow their advise and do a test panel or two before your project. I'd try it on something that has similar curves to your project, not a flat panel.
Tips, atomization and pattern is very important in any candy.

 

Thank you for input...I've read the tech manual and watched a few videos. I've got a fender as well as a 18" x 18" panel that I'm going to practice on. I've painted for many others and myself for 40 years. Only shot candy once about 20 years ago. The candy basecoat is supposed to be easier since it goes over a solid basecoat instead of silver or gold. I was just wondering what guns other folks have used successfully.

 

Yeah, I thought you were asking for actual experiences.
Can't help with that, but sounds like this is something you can handle given your history.
I tried to find that custom build where they did the whole car in HOK. No joy, it was a 60 or 61, I think an olds?
Did find this post.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...no-i-told-you-so.1118546/page-2#post-12709118

Again, if you are questioning the gun you have and are used to, consider the cost of a fresh new gun and learning it VS materials and redo. It could easily go either way.
I would do final clean new or old gun with HOK products, since compatibility is the most often mentioned issue.

 

I will preface this comment by saying that I like shooting pool and I have buddies over to play often. A Meucci or McDermitt in the hands of a player is a sight to behold...house cues are just fine for the m***es. What applies to shooting pool, applies to shooting paint as well, at least in my opinion. I do not consider myself a professional (though I play one on the internet ) I use an Iwata gun for clear and I have used it on base materials. It is an amazing tool and can make the average painter look like he knows what he is doing. In the hands of a felt ripping, miscuing, farsighted player a disposable "house gun" will suffice.

If you don't want to blow off $500-600 on a new gun, make sure you follow the tip and pressure suggestions. I have sprayed some pearls and find 25+ PSI (on the high side) and 1.0 tip works. .7 or .8 may be big enough for most pearls unless you are really going deep. Like with metallics, I consider green a dark color so less is more in my opinion.

Rack em and crack em!

 

...thanks! I have a couple of divilbliss guns also. I am just wondering what other folks have used. I'm planning to scuff this and reclear, followed by wetsanding and buffing.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=hou...heet&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

Tech sheets from them will generally say set up the gun per gun manufacturer recommendations.

The HF gun probably has a 1.5 tip.
I generally use a 1.4. The difference should be ok. But I would spray the test panel you mentioned. That’s always a good idea when spraying new stuff.
just follow tech sheet info.
If not used to hvlp guns, the tend to like being closer to the panel and overlapped more.

 

Iwata has a lower line gun. Air Gunsa

usually under $200. Sprays very nice
The 3m gun with the changeable tip system is nice and versatile

Just saying

 

Thank you very much! This was really what I was looking for. Greatly appreciated!!

 

I just use my base coat gun. KBC is just, Trans Nebula/KK/pearls. What ever you are spraying BC with now. And your happy with how it is performing, will be fine.

It's easier to spray because it is a BC Kandy and not a Urethane Kandy. It's typically sprayed over a solid BC color, rather than a metalic/flake . And it has a good amount of pearl in it. So it actually has a little bit of " coverage ". Rather than being completely transparent.

 

I hope he actually means wet sanding ( sand paper ) rather than scuffing ( 3m scotchbrite pad ). For a reflow coat.

 

I have sprayed a lot of HOK over my 30+ years of painting. I use an old Binks MG-1 that I bought new in 1997. 1.4 tip, still to this day puts base, kandy and pearls down perfectly. There are a lot of good guns out there for a decent price now. I wouldn't consider any harbor freight gun a good gun for shooting kandy base coat. If you're doing a cheap quick paint job, a 15 dollar gun is fine but with the cost of just the material you are using, invest in a good gun. I wouldn't hesitate to use a Devilbiss at all if you already have one. Do some spray outs like others have suggested and see how which gun gets you where you want to be. Good luck.

 

You're going to want to have a better gun than a $15 Harbor Freight purple gun. Which is not to knock HF guns, I have the Black Widow HTE, which has a 1.3, and is a very nice gun. It's essentially a clone of the SATA 4000. If you're spending that much dough on paint materials, you're going to want a quality gun to put it down with.

The HOK KBC series is not for the faint of heart or beginners. It IS a true candy, and as such, can be striped, spotted, lightened, darkened, or otherwise affected in color by any variable in the process.

My 61 Olds is painted in all HOK, including the KBC Shimrin2 series. Follow the paint work here at this thread, some useful info about the line is in post 150.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-consolation-prize-61-olds-super-88.1267254/

 

Am I late to the party? HOK KBC, good stuff and as mentioned above behaves like regular base. I have sprayed it, a few times in fact. It goes over whatever base you want. I've used gold and silver fine poly base with a midcoat clear base between the 2. KBC will "tiger stripe" on full panels. Use regular fluorescent or incandescent bulbs to see your colors true. LED will lie, be totally different outdoors. I'm gonna recommend you add a cap full of base hardener, (or DX57 PPG equivalent) to a ready-to-spray qt (for ratio). This prevents base from lifting or swelling if redo or quickie repair is needed. Don't worry that DX57 is PPG, I'm certain HOK has a similar product but I use it in all bases with zero failure. If you pay attention to the pattern and avoid stripes you'll love it. Don't over-reduce. Gotta resist that temptation for a quickie wet flow coat at the end. Don't. Makes it look metallic vs kandy and shows silvery flakes (don't ask how I know). Most basecoat solvents are the same. Grow Chemical, ShopLine, etc, are all good solvents with specific temp ranges. Last, it's not a some's good more's better. When you like it, stop. This will be fun for ya, don't worry yourself out of it.

 

Yessir I am

 

I wasn't very clear, no pun intended, I meant wet sand. I have found this really adds depth and ensures plenty of material for the final wet sand and buff.

 

I fully agree on adding hardener to basecoat. A very good BASF rep started me doing that about 20 years ago. Ive just been adding the same hardener required by the clear. Thanks for your information.

 

It's gonna be a few more weeks before I can get to this test fender,just getting materials, etc ready now.

 

Spraying the car in pieces or together?

 

Highlander is dead on. He kept me straight in 2019 when I painted the Willy’s. If I had listened to what he told me the first time I wouldn’t have had to fix /nuff and cut the clear as much.
One other thing I’ll throw in. Booth/painting area temperature. Keeping consistent. It matters.

 

Im going to be outta town and busy till the end of June. At that time I'll spray the test fender/panel. The car is a little chopped fenderless coupe. No sure yet if I'll spray with the doors off. If they're removed I'll have them on vertical, same height as the car. I realize I'll have to duplicate my movements same as the body. The car isn't finished yet, it could be quite a while, im just getting ready

 

Oh I'm definitely shooting all together. Im merely shooting a fender sometime soon for a test,practice and learning. The fender is from a totally unrelated 57 chevy. The car to be painted is a little fender less coupe.

 

Gotta be careful spraying parts off the ride.
The tendency to spray the jamb a different direction and extra base build up around the jamb can mess up the shade along the edges

 

I prefer shooting with the doors on. You are correct earlier i did say I had thought about shooting with the doors off. The only way I would consider that would be with fixtures to hold the door vertical and adjacent to the car. Since these doors don't overlap like model A doors i think I'll be able to leave them on. Thank yall for the input!

 

Thank you, that does make sense. I do that when I paint some colors, like silver.

 

Well I took the time today to do a test shoot. I'm only posting, hoping to help someone else out. I broke a few rules, using Autobahn epoxy as a sealer,Omni black basecoat, then the planet green hok candy basecoat and then Advantage clear. I used the Advantage clear hardener in both basecoats. Highlander an Anthony Myrick were dead on. The hok candy basecoat is very easy to shoot. Thank yall very much! I used the devil bliss starting line gun. No problems with striping,good coverage. Thank you for the input!