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Help With Orange Peeling Paint

D

dclay

Member
Guys,

I?m painting my fiberglass parts and am having a problem with orange peeling. I tried using additional reducer, applying lighter coats of material and more gun feed pressure (using HVLP gun). Nothing seems to be helping and I?m not sure what I?m doing wrong. I?m spraying dupont acrylic enamel with a 1.3 fluid tip. The guy at the paint store suggested a larger fluid tip and to lay the material on thicker, however, that sounds kind of counterintuitive to me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I may be doing wrong or anything else I could try?

Thanks,
David
 
Paint

Make sure that you are mixing your paint 2:1 two parts paint 1 part reducer. If that ratio is correct then you should not have any problems with orange peel unless you are using the wrong reducer (drying too fast) or laying it on too thick at a reduced air pressure. A 1.3 is a small tip for dupont enamel but it will just spray at a reduced volume of fluid per air. (?) I spray urethane enamel (dupont) with a 1.3 tip and get great results. Then again I do it for a living. If any more help you are welcome to PM with your # and I can call you.
 
Try what the paint guy said. You must apply enough paint droplets to allow them to flow together....more overlap between individual droplets, so to speak.

Other ways to skin the cat include more reducer (lower viscosity allows the drops to flow together), high temperature reducer (more flash time, more flow) higher pressure (more atomized....same paint volume contained in more but smaller droplets, ie more overlap), or a better gun (same reason).
 
Terry, do you paint airplanes? I will be in need of a paint shop in next 9 months.
 
Yup I agree

Orange peel means the paint is drying too fast...I.e before it can flow together.

This means its

1) too thick
2) gun moving to fast
3) being sprayed on too thin...i.e too much air not enough paint.

Check out www.hotrodders.com do a search on HVLP setup and you will get a pic of the classic cigar shaped pattern that you use to set the gun up...Do this exactly as it says and do it if for evry cup of paint you mix.

The gun speed will be surprisingly slow!

practice on a metal shelf (or you neighbours car hood) propped up right..Practice sparying it on thick ...and find out what gun speed gets you a run...it will be a bit slower then that.

Frank
 
Orange Peeling Paint

Hey guys, thanks for the input. Sounds like I just need more material and more (or different) reducer. I questioned them at the paint shop on the reducer they recommended because it?s directions say it is only good up to 85 deg F and it?s closer to 95 deg where I?m painting. I think I will go back and get some of the reducer that?s rated for the higher temp. I, also, think I will also try a 1.5 fluid tip.

The gun I?m using is a DeVilbiss FLG-647. It?s not what I would consider to be a professional quality gun but it?s not a ?cheapie? either. I?ve been testing on sheets of aluminum flashing to get it set up before I ?go for score?.

The hotrodders.com website is really informative and is full of good little tid-bits. I?ve spent a lot of time on there the last couple weeks reading up on everything I can find regarding gun setup.

Thanks again for all the good info,
David
 
David, one more thing not yet mentioned... make sure the gun is close enough to the surface. Yes, you'll need to move the gun faster to avoid runs but after painting three RVs now I've found that forcing myself to move the gun in and move faster to compensate is the key to good flowout.
 
dclay said:
Hey guys, thanks for the input. Sounds like I just need more material and more (or different) reducer. I questioned them at the paint shop on the reducer they recommended because it?s directions say it is only good up to 85 deg F and it?s closer to 95 deg where I?m painting.
Click to expand...

Last year, I was painting at this time of year, and temps were always in the 90's by mid-day. I'd start painting by 5:30 am because the yellow sections of my plane could take up to six coats, and the paint would start to flash around 80 degrees. Coats were 10 to 15 minutes apart.
Paint was Sherwin Williams Genesis.

L.Adamson -- RV6A
 
I know your frustration! I doubt the gear you are using is the issue.

This is my take on the black art of painting - believe me I am NOT an expert but my results are improving.

I assume you are spraying finish paint not primer or filler.

If you can, go watch an expert and observe the technique, the paint volume and the speed. Usually the experts are incapable of describing how to do what they do since it is second nature.

I was having similar problems until I inadvertently laid up 'too much' paint. The paint volume setting was double the number of turns open than I usually used (unsuccessfully).

Don't tippy toe around - many thin coats is not the way. Thin coats flash off before the following layers go on - this prevents the flow out that is necessary to level the finish. In high temperatures the flash off can even occur before the paint hits the surface. You must increase the volume to delay the flash off.

Increase the volume by closing the gun to workpiece distance or slowing the speed (fine control) or opening the paint volume setting on the gun (coarse).

Slower reducers can delay the flash off but the likelihood of runs increases. The risk of bugs and dust also increases. That is unless you have an oven!

Also, once you have the paint flowing out, do not be tempted to return to add a little bit more unless the reducer is very very slow.

There is a very fine line between good paint thickness and getting a run. A run can be blocked and buffed out but orange peel pretty much needs to be taken back with 200 grit paper and resprayed.

I'm only learning the art myself so I would be interested in comments or critique.

Good luck...
Doug
 
And so does HF...:)

PainterJohn said:
your not cussing enough!!! LOL just kidding

Painting is a technique, developed over years. You can read all the set ups you want, but basically its just practice, practice, practice.
There are some basic tips i can share.

Prep, Prep, Prep,
Practice, Practice, Practice,
Clean/Dry/Consistant compressed Air,
Good ventilation,
Proper material selection,
Proper Mix ratio,
Proper Tip size,
Distance from surface,
Compatability of all layers and materials, ie Are they the same kinda stuff?
Clean tip, gun, and lid breather,
Good Quality paint gun (Sears has a great gun for about 150 bucks).

I too, do this for a living.. feel free to PM any time
Click to expand...

This does bring up an obvious point..It took me 400 hours to paint my airplane..It came out very nice and I'm proud of the result.

I am also glad to have added another skill set..I.e given enough time I can paint an airplane...I guess I could paint a car or a refrigerator too..:)

It cost me $1200 in materials and $60 for two spray guns.

Now I could have had it done professionally I'm sure in much less time and spent more money.

If it were not for learning a new skill, a $6k saving for 400 hours is barely worth it.

Enjoy the result whatever path you take.

Frank
 
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