Kirker Enduro Prime Technique Questions

[rapid_ascent]

I'm trying Kirker Enduro Prime for the first time. I'm still making adjustments, but I was hoping some more experienced users of the product could provide some hints. I sprayed some earlier today with mixed success.

I'm using one of the HF guns with the standard tip. I think it is 1.4. I'm having trouble getting a nice smooth surface. I'm not sure I'm getting good enough atomization. I did do a test spot of the gun on a piece of plywood and it seemed ok. My finished surface has some orange peel. I was thinking I might not be putting on enough paint at one time so the last test I sprayed it on thicker, but still it doesn't look great. Luckily it sands very easily. It's pretty warm(95) here today so maybe that is affecting the flow too.

Thoughts and comments?

 

[wirejock]

EnduroPrime

I'm trying Kirker Enduro Prime for the first time. I'm still making adjustments, but I was hoping some more experienced users of the product could provide some hints. I sprayed some earlier today with mixed success.

I'm using one of the HF guns with the standard tip. I think it is 1.4. I'm having trouble getting a nice smooth surface. I'm not sure I'm getting good enough atomization. I did do a test spot of the gun on a piece of plywood and it seemed ok. My finished surface has some orange peel. I was thinking I might not be putting on enough paint at one time so the last test I sprayed it on thicker, but still it doesn't look great. Luckily it sands very easily. It's pretty warm(95) here today so maybe that is affecting the flow too.

Thoughts and comments?

Click on my blog (below) and download the epoxy paint caculator. I think it's too thick and maybe spraying too thick a coat as well. Reduce it 10% by total volume with Kirker UR-9085 Slow Reducer. Same reducer accross the product line
You'll get a thinner paint that flows better. Watch for runs.
The calculator has cells you can adjust if you want more or less reducer or if you need to adjust the coverage rate.
Measure parts, plug in values and it spits out the quantities of products.

For interior protection, I would shoot a fog coat followed by a medium coat and call it good. Target is opaque. No aluminum visible. The markings will probably show.

For primer under top coat, I shoot a second medium coat so there's enough product to block sand.

The paint needs time to flash so wait 45-60 between coats of any Kirker product or you'll get fisheyes. You can shoot up to five days without sanding.

 

[PaulvS]

Check the gun settings; if the paint is not atomizing correctly then the air pressure may be too low or the fluid needle knob is out too far. A tip size of 1.4mm sounds a bit on the small side for a primer, unless it is thinned somewhat. The PPG epoxy that I'm using requires a tip size of 1.8mm.

 

[Bandera]

Click on my blog (below) and download the epoxy paint caculator. I think it's too thick and maybe spraying too thick a coat as well. Reduce it 10% by total volume with Kirker UR-9085 Slow Reducer. Same reducer accross the product line
You'll get a thinner paint that flows better. Watch for runs.
The calculator has cells you can adjust if you want more or less reducer or if you need to adjust the coverage rate.
Measure parts, plug in values and it spits out the quantities of products.

For interior protection, I would shoot a fog coat followed by a medium coat and call it good. Target is opaque. No aluminum visible. The markings will probably show.

For primer under top coat, I shoot a second medium coat so there's enough product to block sand.

The paint needs time to flash so wait 45-60 between coats of any Kirker product or you'll get fisheyes. You can shoot up to five days without sanding.

Orange peel can be caused by your paint being too thick, not using enough reducer, improper spray gun settings, or using old technology HVLP spray guns. Or even any combination of those things. I usually spray primer for good even coverage then lightly sand it the next day. You get a smoother finish and it helps cut down on trash in the paint.