Spraygun/Clearcoat Questions

[Bulldog13]

Painted my bike this week..basecoat came out nice, but when I sprayed the clear it seemed to fog up.I couldn't seem to get a nice wet coat going.I was using a gravity feed detail gun because I was only spraying the fender and tank.I put about 4 coats of the clear..when it dried it was rough as hell.I tried to smooth it out with the buffing compound but that didn't really do much good...any suggestions? I was using that new Dupont premix from Autozone...Thanks

 

[shmo]

I'm not familiar with the pre-mix clear, but I would assume that is where 99% of your problem is. Without getting into a ton of "what ifs" I will assume you have a decent gun with the proper aircap, needle and adjustments, along with enough air supply and talent to put it to use. Generally speaking for a clear to fog it usually requires putting it on WAY to heavy, and then you usually end up with additonal problems such as pinholes or crazing of the basecoat.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but it sounds like you're looking at a "do over". Wet sand it with 600-800 grit, base it and clear it with a different clear. Dupont Chroma clear 7600-S works really well for bike tins, and polishes like a mirror.

SHMO

 

[Bulldog13]

Thanks...I kinda think that's the case...the basecoat came out great...but I think the clear was ****...I guess you get what you pay for...this was kinda a spur of the moment purchase while I was picking up some parts...time to start over...

 

[franksinatra]

I agree with what SHMO said but I would also check on moisture issues. Im not sure what you have for a compressor but make sure you drain any water out of the tank and grab yourself a small moisture filter bulb for your gun. Humidity, Temperature as well as many other factors can come into play. Although Im not familiar with that clear, there are many cheaper clears that do a very good job. G

 

[Rusty Kustoms]

STOP, IT IS YOUR GUN. Clear will not lay down well when sprayed out of a detail gun, the tip is too small, you want a 1.3-1.4mm tip for most clears. You can add reducer to the clear to get it to flow out of a smaller gun but if you will most likely have some major runs. You should get the right gun, spray some test panels, and try adjusting your air pressure. A decent clear will not solve your problem but is not a bad idea. Also, compound will not do any good without wet sanding the surface smooth first.

 

[franksinatra]

Rusty, Im not too far from you, Im in Willmar. Do you have a shop in Litch?
Another idea to check on would be the cleanliness of the gun. I have mixed up clear in what I thought was a clean gun only to make a couple of passes and look into the cup and notice the clear has taken on a cloudiness. Realizing that The gun hadnt been thouroughly washed out after I shot some white, I went home and got ready for the next days sanding bonanza. Oh the stories. Just something else to think about. G

 

[Rusty Kustoms]

I have a dirt floor pole barn, I do a lot of work out of it in the warmer weather. I rent a booth in town when I need one. I work full time at a shop in benson, I paint Case sprayers.
I drive through willmar twice a day and I lived there and in kandiyohi for a while. Do you do bodywork??

 

[franksinatra]

I have a couple of friends at Case. Heard there was a layoff.? Yea, my dad has owned a small shop for about 40 years and I have been doing on off custom painting for about 20 years. I dont want to threadjack here so shoot me a PM whenever you get time. G