my adventures in painting the car thread, DONE! Some final thoughts... Options

[dakotaewing]

Please show pictures of your compressor, hoses and filter set up, and Gun.
Most likely you suffer from a variety of issues contributing to the problem,
rather than just one. It all starts at the compressor,
amount of air volume, and how hard the compressor has to work to keep up.
It then goes to the hoses, filter and gun.
Then you need to take into account the temp and humidity.
I have never sprayed anything but primer,
but I would never consider spraying my car in the current Texas heat.
You have so many things going against you as a newbie (painter),
that I would want to spray my car when the temp
is as close to 70 degrees as possible.
For me that means October or mid March.

[Andyrew]

A picture after wet-sanding with 800 for your viewing pleasure:

Sand down more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I always sand down till its just barely showing any shiny spots and then start hitting the finer grits.



How many coats beyond full coverage do you have on it now?

[914 RZ-1]

Please show pictures of your compressor, hoses and filter set up, and Gun.
Most likely you suffer from a variety of issues contributing to the problem,
rather than just one. It all starts at the compressor,
amount of air volume, and how hard the compressor has to work to keep up.
It then goes to the hoses, filter and gun.
Then you need to take into account the temp and humidity.
I have never sprayed anything but primer,
but I would never consider spraying my car in the current Texas heat.
You have so many things going against you as a newbie (painter),
that I would want to spray my car when the temp
is as close to 70 degrees as possible.
For me that means October or mid March.

For your viewing pleasure:


The second hose is used for cleaning the gun outside.

[914 RZ-1]

A picture after wet-sanding with 800 for your viewing pleasure:

Sand down more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I always sand down till its just barely showing any shiny spots and then start hitting the finer grits.

How many coats beyond full coverage do you have on it now?

Ha! Yeah, I thought the same, but I'm sanding thru to primer/bare metal in some places. I thought I had about 3-5 coats on this, but apparently I'm not covering evenly or enough.

[Andyrew]

Ya, I put 7 coats on mine when I did it. Took 3 for full coverage, so I had 4 to work with.

If your getting down to the primer then my suggestion is adjust the thickness.

Orange peal is easier to work with than runs, but its OK if you only have a run or two to deal with. I would say add another 25% reducer to your paint. Give it less flash time by a couple minutes if you can and try again on a vertical panel.

I think your really close. Some orange peal is inevitable.

[Andyrew]

And I agree with temp. If your starting to spray at 80 deg and it gets to 95 by the time your done then you need to start earlier or spray on a different day. I prefer to paint in the dead of night or way way early in the morning as there are fewer bugs and the temps are cooler in the summer.

[dakotaewing]

Upon initial review, it would appear that part of your problem is that you have condensation building up in your air lines,
which is also a direct result of working in hotter temps,
and that condensation is being blown through the airlines and mixed with your paint. Please see the attached link to the video for a water trap,
where the water is able to collect, without your pressurized air blowing through it.
I can't say that this would solve all your problems,
but would certainly help -
Again, I am a novice painter, with no real world experience outside of primer -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxdbgeUUKA

[914 RZ-1]

Upon initial review, it would appear that part of your problem is that you have condensation building up in your air lines,
which is also a direct result of working in hotter temps,
and that condensation is being blown through the airlines and mixed with your paint. Please see the attached link to the video for a water trap,
where the water is able to collect, without your pressurized air blowing through it.
I can't say that this would solve all your problems,
but would certainly help -
Again, I am a novice painter, with no real world experience outside of primer -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxdbgeUUKA

Good call! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I think you are right! I didn't really think of this until you pointed it out. I have the 2 water filters at the top, but I think I need to lower them so they are at the bottom of the line. Whenever I open them, there is no water. That seems odd, but I figure it's really dry here so no biggie.

Is there a way to determine if water is in the lines, like spraying just air out of the gun and looking/feeling for moisture?

[dakotaewing]

The water trap on the wall will only catch a small percentage of the condensation due to it's size, and proximity...
What is the normal humidity level when it is not raining there? Its 50-60% here -
I would also get rid (change) of the line between the tank and the water trap on the wall with something that has a larger interior diameter,
as that small line is limiting your air volume to the gun -

[Atech]

Upon initial review, it would appear that part of your problem is that you have condensation building up in your air lines,
which is also a direct result of working in hotter temps,
and that condensation is being blown through the airlines and mixed with your paint. Please see the attached link to the video for a water trap,
where the water is able to collect, without your pressurized air blowing through it.
I can't say that this would solve all your problems,
but would certainly help -
Again, I am a novice painter, with no real world experience outside of primer -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxdbgeUUKA

Good call! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I think you are right! I didn't really think of this until you pointed it out. I have the 2 water filters at the top, but I think I need to lower them so they are at the bottom of the line. Whenever I open them, there is no water. That seems odd, but I figure it's really dry here so no biggie.

Is there a way to determine if water is in the lines, like spraying just air out of the gun and looking/feeling for moisture?

Add a toilet paper filter https://www.tooltopia.com/_img/JLM/JLMM30.jpg

[Atech]

Upon initial review, it would appear that part of your problem is that you have condensation building up in your air lines,
which is also a direct result of working in hotter temps,
and that condensation is being blown through the airlines and mixed with your paint. Please see the attached link to the video for a water trap,
where the water is able to collect, without your pressurized air blowing through it.
I can't say that this would solve all your problems,
but would certainly help -
Again, I am a novice painter, with no real world experience outside of primer -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxdbgeUUKA

Good call! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I think you are right! I didn't really think of this until you pointed it out. I have the 2 water filters at the top, but I think I need to lower them so they are at the bottom of the line. Whenever I open them, there is no water. That seems odd, but I figure it's really dry here so no biggie.

Is there a way to determine if water is in the lines, like spraying just air out of the gun and looking/feeling for moisture?

Add a toilet paper filter https://www.tooltopia.com/_img/JLM/JLMM30.jpg

Also that's a hvlp gun meant to spray at lower pressure (high volume low pressure) keep pressure on the lower side and reduce paint volume

[aggiezig]

Lots of good tips about air and what not, but based on some info you gave us I think we're missing the bigger problem.

If you're standing through to primer with 800 after 3-5 coats and not through the orange peel, then your coats are way too dry. Make sure you're laying it on wet. Better to have runs (can be fixed later) than dry spot.

I would stay no more than 6" from the panel and really get some paint on there. Slow it down and practice on a piece of masking paper or something first. Tetz has a really good example about taping a paint brush to the side of the gun 6" out so you can feel exactly how far that is. Hint: it's closer than you think.

Also, try dropping your PSI at the gun some and see if it helps. I just sprayed my car and lowered the inlet pressure to around 25. I laid it on pretty wet and it sprayed like a dream.

Lastly, make sure to use compatible temp hardener and reducer. You mentioned using medium with slow. Try and use slow for both so there is no possible mix-match.

I know that you are been overloaded with info from all of us. My suggestion is to try one new thing at a time and see if it improves on a test panel. Too many changes at once and you'll have no idea what made it better or worse.

[914 RZ-1]

I have been told that compressed air can be very hot and that might be yet another issue I need to address. I'm going to run the compressor and some air tools for 20-30 minutes and see how hot the air gets.

I'm thinking I will place the first hose in a bucket of ice and see what that does. Air coolers are available but they are not cheap.

[mb911]

I have been told that compressed air can be very hot and that might be yet another issue I need to address. I'm going to run the compressor and some air tools for 20-30 minutes and see how hot the air gets.

I'm thinking I will place the first hose in a bucket of ice and see what that does. Air coolers are available but they are not cheap.

Your coats are not laying wet enough.. Simple as that.. Your chasing problems that just simply a wild goose chase. Not trying to be difficult and note I am not expert but have used my sanborn 80 gallon air compressor with a simple air dryer and painted about 5 cars with it over about 10 year period.

I have a simple sata hvlp spray gun that is 10 years old. Attached is the results of my job. I would really suggest yoy spray out some parts that may either not be seen or a fender from the junk yard to get a feel for it..

[ConeDodger]

Get rid of that first length of hose of the compressor. That curly-Q shit is just asking for condensation. Have a length of hose just long enough to get from the compressor to the dryer manifold made at AirGas. Use a dryer at the gun if you’re not. Avoid low spots in your hose.

Wetter. You’re avoiding runs, yes but you have to lay down some paint. I’ve watched the Eastwood Kevin Tetz videos a thousand times. Best I’ve ever seen.

[IronHillRestorations]

I'll 2nd Ben's opinion. I think you probably are using the wrong reducer, so your paint isn't laying down well, you're gun pressure/paint flow isn't correct, and your technique isn't there yet. Additionally you do probably have water in your air supply problems too.

If learning how to paint your car is part of the process, then you need enough paint supplies and practice surfaces to develop your skills.

I see this with new welders. A guy (who's never welded before) goes and buys a new MIG welder (to make it worse it's often flux core), makes three practice beads on 1/4" angle iron, and heads off to fix his hell hole.

Practice does make perfect, and don't practice on a critical surface.

[porschetub]

I have been told that compressed air can be very hot and that might be yet another issue I need to address. I'm going to run the compressor and some air tools for 20-30 minutes and see how hot the air gets.

I'm thinking I will place the first hose in a bucket of ice and see what that does. Air coolers are available but they are not cheap.

Your coats are not laying wet enough.. Simple as that.. Your chasing problems that just simply a wild goose chase. Not trying to be difficult and note I am not expert but have used my sanborn 80 gallon air compressor with a simple air dryer and painted about 5 cars with it over about 10 year period.

I have a simple sata hvlp spray gun that is 10 years old. Attached is the results of my job. I would really suggest yoy spray out some parts that may either not be seen or a fender from the junk yard to get a feel for it..

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) done heaps of DIY garage resprays,don't spray dry as you will need to sand between coats for that reason and you shouldn't have to unless the basecoat has been on too long,dry spray feels like sandpaper and shows up really dull,if you are painting single stage expect to have orange peel....that's normal.
If you put orange peel over orange peel you still have the same,way this paint is.
Lay down the right amount of basecoat to paint makers specs for reducer and you will be fine,keep the gun moving the right distance away and stop and look what you have done and adjust what you are doing as required.
Reason for chiming in as I'am currently respraying our GTI golf,I have no spray tent,or flash system of any kind,just gear I have used for years that works like Ben said and getting a great "off the gun" finish,spray @ the coolest part of the day and reduce moisture in the system as much as possibly with a water separator.
Good luck ok ?.

[IronHillRestorations]

I've had more than one painter tell me that early in the morning is a good time to paint outdoors.

[porschetub]

Get rid of that first length of hose of the compressor. That curly-Q shit is just asking for condensation. Have a length of hose just long enough to get from the compressor to the dryer manifold made at AirGas. Use a dryer at the gun if you’re not. Avoid low spots in your hose.

Wetter. You’re avoiding runs, yes but you have to lay down some paint. I’ve watched the Eastwood Kevin Tetz videos a thousand times. Best I’ve ever seen.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Any flexible hose is a moisture maker the only hose you should have is from a filtered regulated supply and as short as possible,not difficult to hard pipe everything before that,I don't like a regulator and filter on the gun its just clumsy and not needed.

[gereed75]

Lots of great info here. Don’t get overwhelmed. I had a really good painter review my first efforts. His comment was “if you don’t want orange peal, never spray orange peal”.

In other words never spray anything that tends towards “dry”. That is the game - Putting down coats that are close to running, but don’t run. I found moving the gun slower to be key for me.

Runs can be fixed, dry coats can not!