B
big stinkie
Guest
metallic BC won\'t dry...aargh! (long post)
I’ve been experiencing this since I started squirting paint a couple years ago, and still haven’t found out why.
First, I use all PPG products, so compatibility isn’t the problem. Second, all products in this case were from cans of stuff that I have used successfully in the last few days, (except for the metallic paint, which was new)…even the masking tape was from a roll I used recently. I can assure you that all products were good.
1. Painted a tank black DBC, cleared it, let it set for a week.
2. Scuffed it up, did some airbrush work with DBC, cleared it and let it set for a week.
3. Scuffed it up again, taped out some flames, sprayed them with gold metallic DBC. Used DT885 reducer since it is warm in my shop. Five hours later the metallic hadn’t set up yet. Touched it with my finger and it wiped off down to the clear coat.
4. Tossed tools around the shop and used an assortment of colorful metaphors to display my displeasure. Continued my act outside and yelled at the dogs. Then apologized to my wife and kids for the interesting language lesson to which I just subjected them. Dogs won't come to me when I call now.
5. I began removing the tape, and noticed that about 25% of the adhesive from the tape was remaining on the tank. It was quite gooey, but came off easily with my finger. The removed tape was also kinda sticky and gooey. Usually it comes off just like it went on. Where there was little or no paint build-up, it came off normally. Hmmmmm.
6. Next I used DT885 reducer to wipe off the metallic paint. Cleaned with degreaser/cleaner and touched it up with 1000 grit. Noticed that along the very edge where the flame had been, the clear coat had been etched with a slight groove which followed the pattern of the flames exactly. It required a small amount of wet sanding to remove the grooves. It was as if the metallic paint was acidic and ate into the clear at the edges.
7. Some of the metallic particles appeared imbedded in the clear, so I elected to spray black over the whole sha-bang and start over. Used the same can of reducer and some black DBC, same day, same temp, etc. It went on perfectly.
This phenomenon had never plagued me with non-metallic BC, but I’ve had this happen several other times with metallic. Did a helmet with silver metallic which refused to dry. Wiped it off, and a couple days later resprayed it with paint and reducer from the same cans and it worked fine. I’m confident I’m mixing properly, prepping the surface correctly and spraying OK. I do it the exact same way with non-metallic and have 100% success.
When I had this problem in the past, I wondered if perhaps I had accidentally mixed the base with degreaser/cleaner instead of reducer, since the PPG cans look the same. To assure myself that is not the case, I began putting the cleaner on the opposite side of my shop and the reducer with the paints. I seal all products well, so I doubt it is a contamination problem.
To sum it all up, I don’t do ANYTHING different with the metallic than I do with regular base. Same products, same shop, same temperature/humidity, same gun, same everything that I can think of.
The next time I try metallic, I’m going to squirt some on a board or can that is lying around, and see if it dries on that. If it dries on the board, but not on the tank, then I can assume the paint is good and it’s the surface on which I’m painting. There are so many variables that it’s difficult to know where to start.
Obviously there is something I’m doing, or there is some environmental anomaly that is causing me to have this problem with metallic base only. I’ve talked to the PPG guys, and they are stumped. I’m at my wits end with this. Maybe there is some little thing that metallic DBC requires that regular DBC does not. Could it be the amount of time between degreasing and painting? Spraying too thick or thin? Not paying homage to the painting gods? Whatever it is, I'd love to find out.
I like metallic. It looks great, but I’m afraid to use the stuff anymore because it causes me so much grief. Plus, my kids are picking up some bad language habits every time I spray it.
I’ll take any ideas you folks can come up with and try it.
Thanks in advance,
Andy aka Big Stinkie
I’ve been experiencing this since I started squirting paint a couple years ago, and still haven’t found out why.
First, I use all PPG products, so compatibility isn’t the problem. Second, all products in this case were from cans of stuff that I have used successfully in the last few days, (except for the metallic paint, which was new)…even the masking tape was from a roll I used recently. I can assure you that all products were good.
1. Painted a tank black DBC, cleared it, let it set for a week.
2. Scuffed it up, did some airbrush work with DBC, cleared it and let it set for a week.
3. Scuffed it up again, taped out some flames, sprayed them with gold metallic DBC. Used DT885 reducer since it is warm in my shop. Five hours later the metallic hadn’t set up yet. Touched it with my finger and it wiped off down to the clear coat.
4. Tossed tools around the shop and used an assortment of colorful metaphors to display my displeasure. Continued my act outside and yelled at the dogs. Then apologized to my wife and kids for the interesting language lesson to which I just subjected them. Dogs won't come to me when I call now.
5. I began removing the tape, and noticed that about 25% of the adhesive from the tape was remaining on the tank. It was quite gooey, but came off easily with my finger. The removed tape was also kinda sticky and gooey. Usually it comes off just like it went on. Where there was little or no paint build-up, it came off normally. Hmmmmm.
6. Next I used DT885 reducer to wipe off the metallic paint. Cleaned with degreaser/cleaner and touched it up with 1000 grit. Noticed that along the very edge where the flame had been, the clear coat had been etched with a slight groove which followed the pattern of the flames exactly. It required a small amount of wet sanding to remove the grooves. It was as if the metallic paint was acidic and ate into the clear at the edges.
7. Some of the metallic particles appeared imbedded in the clear, so I elected to spray black over the whole sha-bang and start over. Used the same can of reducer and some black DBC, same day, same temp, etc. It went on perfectly.
This phenomenon had never plagued me with non-metallic BC, but I’ve had this happen several other times with metallic. Did a helmet with silver metallic which refused to dry. Wiped it off, and a couple days later resprayed it with paint and reducer from the same cans and it worked fine. I’m confident I’m mixing properly, prepping the surface correctly and spraying OK. I do it the exact same way with non-metallic and have 100% success.
When I had this problem in the past, I wondered if perhaps I had accidentally mixed the base with degreaser/cleaner instead of reducer, since the PPG cans look the same. To assure myself that is not the case, I began putting the cleaner on the opposite side of my shop and the reducer with the paints. I seal all products well, so I doubt it is a contamination problem.
To sum it all up, I don’t do ANYTHING different with the metallic than I do with regular base. Same products, same shop, same temperature/humidity, same gun, same everything that I can think of.
The next time I try metallic, I’m going to squirt some on a board or can that is lying around, and see if it dries on that. If it dries on the board, but not on the tank, then I can assume the paint is good and it’s the surface on which I’m painting. There are so many variables that it’s difficult to know where to start.
Obviously there is something I’m doing, or there is some environmental anomaly that is causing me to have this problem with metallic base only. I’ve talked to the PPG guys, and they are stumped. I’m at my wits end with this. Maybe there is some little thing that metallic DBC requires that regular DBC does not. Could it be the amount of time between degreasing and painting? Spraying too thick or thin? Not paying homage to the painting gods? Whatever it is, I'd love to find out.
I like metallic. It looks great, but I’m afraid to use the stuff anymore because it causes me so much grief. Plus, my kids are picking up some bad language habits every time I spray it.
I’ll take any ideas you folks can come up with and try it.
Thanks in advance,
Andy aka Big Stinkie
