First, thanks to the pro's who frequent this board. Your suggestions to many have been invaluable as I progress with my projects. With regard to painting and posts on this board, I've seen Scotty's silver 930 work of art, and can only add that, for $12,000, that owner got a steal. I've also seen Eliot's adventure with orange peal, which evidently was due to bad paint. Please bear with me if my questions have been answered previously, and I haven't encountered them.

After stripping my car to bare metal and prepping, I sprayed etching primer, then sandable primer. When it was time for color, the DuPont ChromaBase went on thickly and resulted in coarse orange peal, coarse enough to make Eliot jealous. I figured that I'd have to start over. It was the last warm weekend of fall and I had no time then to sand down and spray another day, so I left the metal protected by my coarse paint job. I did not spray clear over it.

This summer, a body shop owner whom I chanced across told me to try color sanding and see where I would get. I've sanded 400, 600 , then 1000 grit, and now have a vastly improved smooth surface but have broken through to primer in several areas.

My questions:

1. Can I spray more color over the newly sanded color surface, and, if yes, what grit should I sand with before shooting more color?

2. There are a couple of areas where I'd like to do better prep of surface irregularities. I'm assuming that I'll have to go down to bare metal to hammer/dolly and/or body fill these areas, then go through the etch, prime, color process again. Body filler like Bondo should not be applied over color or primer, then a sealer attempted before final color coat. Correct?

Thanks in advance. I have incredible respect for you painting artisans.

Appears that the base was not reduced properly, as it should not spray on thick and have noticeable orange peel. Not usual to sand basecoat especially if metallic. Sounds like you'll have to sand it down with 400 or 600 then reapply the base with the spray problems fixed. If you do any body fillers you'll need to apply a sealer (or more 2k primer then sand) before applying the base otherwise the filler will show through the base coat. Also you usually want to apply the ChromaClear over the base relatively soon after it flashes, to get proper adhesion of the clear to the base. Good luck!

I just went through something similar as an amateur. I had a horrible fish-eye problem with my single stage garage paint job. Filled all the holes with a small brush, tried to color sand it out & went through to primer. Consulted a professional. We wet sanded the base coat down with 600 grit then I paid him to shoot two coats of color. Car was only sanded smooth (not down to primer). A spot was fixed along the way, re-primered and painted with the rest of the car.

This process worked to produce a very nice "driver" quality paint job with single stage paint.

I agree, nothing but "street credit" to those who can paint.

Hope this helps and good luck!

If the Chromabase was thick it wasn't reduced enough. That stuff is like water when mixed properly. You're fine to start painting over it at 1000, though as a new painter I'd suggest you drop it down to 600.

Yes you can do bodywork over the base, but those areas need to be sanded to 180 before putting bondo on them

I'll add that you need to be really careful with Chromabase. It is the ONLY paint line I have used that I had problems with lifting. It is thinned way to much IMHO and the solvents will creep under the previous coat and start wrinkling if not sprayed on kind of dry. The last couple times I used it I mixed it 2:1 which thickened it up a bit. That also helps with covergage

Thanks for the replies.

As you (pl) expected, I probably didn't reduce the ChromaBase enough; it was nowhere near the consistency of water. I'm encouraged that my original mistake may then be correctable, but I'm wary.

I'll sand with 600 until I have a decent finish. I'll sand the bodywork areas to 180 prior to using filler, then I'll cover and work those areas smooth with 2K primer before going to color.

Obviously, Scotty, your warning about ChromaBase "lifting" is a huge red flag. If you have problems with it, well........

Last question: Scotty, when you say you mixed ChromaBase 2:1 the last couple times you used it, you meant 2 Chroma : 1 Reducer? (This will likely be obvious when I see the consistency as I start to mix it, but I have to ask)

Thanks again. Going back to sanding and the few bodywork areas with renewed interest.

yes 2 parts color : 1 part reducer. Most of the lower line paints call for 1:1. All that does is thin it down so you have to apply more material. In my experience, I mix them all at 2:1 and only mix Spies and PPG 1:1. The others at 2:1 are closer to the consistency of Spies and PPG