Reducers

Wing master

New member
Hey guys,
I think the reason I got so much orange peel on my pickup was from using too fast a reducer. I used a fast reducer and the temp was about 70 to 75 deg.
My question is, What would happen if I used a slow reducer in cold weather?
I would like to have no orange peel on my next project, A74vw bug.

Wing master
 

rex

New member
I can't remember what paintline you used.If you used a hi solids clear a fast reducer will give you a little peel but not alot.Usually these clears flow minimally,so you have to put it on about what you want it to look like but not too heavy to cause it to pop.You don't want to go too slow on the reducer,if you're in the top end of the temperature range it's best to blend that one with the next slower reducer to slow it down some.Going too slow will help it lay down a touch but the paint can crack or check and will probably have adhesion problems.Double check your gun settings and add a splash more reducer to the clear,but I wouldn't go over 10% more and let it flash an extra few minutes between coats.The Bug should lay down nicely.The only place the paint won't be forced to flow is on the doors,everything else is round.Used to love painting them and 911s.
 

Wing master

New member
Thanks Rex,
I used Omni, That is alot of help. I did notice their was very little orange peel on the rounded parts. I wont be ready for paint on the bug until spring but it doesnt hurt to start planing early.
Thanks again for the help.
Wing master
 

rex

New member
I'm not familiar with the line but I would think they have 4 reducers or maybe more.It sounds like yuor pick was pretty on if the crowns laid down nice.I'm guessing your gun isn't atomizing good enough or it just wont with the setup in it.HVLP?I haven't played with them much at all but they take some homework and setting up to work with clear,and they're usually the expensive guns that work nice.I think the Bug will look good though,just remember not to double coat anywhere on the rounds.Actually the hardest part of them is where the fender sticks out from the sides.
 
K

kevsLX

Guest
Wing, are you using the Omni 161 High solids or 261 4+1clear (SV)?
 

Wing master

New member
I am using 161 High solids clear.
I am using a conventional gun and it is a cheap one.
Rex, What do you mean by double coat.
And do you adjust the spray more round to do the part where the fenders come out from the body?
Maybe I will bite the bullet and buy a better gun. I guess I could use this one for primer.

Wing master
 

rex

New member
What I mean by double coat is basically a heavy overlap-you spray with a 50% overlap on the gun's pattern,but.... When you come down the side of a car everything's cool,you come across the top surfaces and thing's are cool,now you come across the front and things are cool,except where those 3 places intersect,like the top corner of the car.Basically you've tripple coated a corner through all this so you have to concentrate on this spot.If you look at a car before you shoot it and play it in your head there's going to be places that get double coated so you have to take this into account and actually look at them(after you paint long enough you kind of paint 'blind' and only pay attention to trouble spots,muscle memory takes care of the majority of it).There are spots on any job that can get a sag or run so you figure out those spot's first and remember them.Leave your pattern alone for the fender junction to the side.I actually paint backwards from bottom to top sometimes and this is a car I did it on.Run the side and follow the contours,just keep the gun the same distance from the work.When you get to the fender/side junction it's just a flick of the wrist to transition but keep moving the gun.I slow down a touch as i roll the corner but go right back to normal pass speed.When you seal it you'll pick it up,it's really no biggie.Just think like the paint,you need to get into a tight corner so you need to get in there but if the gun sits there the fluid will hose in and the air will blow it around,just come in,slow for the wrist rotate a touch and go back to normal.Don't worry about it,it'll happen almost instinctively.
 

Wing master

New member
Thanks
This makes sense and is something I have not thought about. But if I pay attention it shouldnt be a big problem.
What would you suggest I do about getting a better gun? Price is a concern but I dont mind spending more money to get better quality. I just dont want to spend alot more to get a little more quality.
Thanks again for the help

Wing master
 

rex

New member
I'm a DeVilbiss fan but there are other good guns out there.I like the gravity feed GFG with a 1.4 tip and 9000 cap,it sprays everything pretty nicely but you're at the $350 mark where the good guns pretty much start.The copies are good for a while but it's hard to find them not HVLP and they need to be set up just for clear so they suck for sealers or bases.If your peel isn't bad now the Bug will only be peel on the door section.I would first try to run a bit more air pressure and back off the fluid a little and see if it won't help and I might even add 5 or 10% more thinner to the clear,but add some flash time between coats for the extra thinner.
 

Wing master

New member
Thanks Rex,
I am going to re do my tailgate this weekend so I will try the adjustments you suggested. and go from there. Do you know if DeVilbiss makes guns for sears? I have a sears compressor and DeVilbiss makes it for them.
Just wondering.
I will let you know how the tailgate turns out.

Wing master
 
S

Scott Gardner

Guest
Originally posted by Wing master:
Thanks Rex,
Do you know if DeVilbiss makes guns for sears? I have a sears compressor and DeVilbiss makes it for them.
Just wondering.
I will let you know how the tailgate turns out.

Wing master
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I know that the $99 HVLP gravity-feed Sears model is just a re-badged Devilbiss Finishline Economy model. I can't say about all of their guns, though.

Scott
 
K

kevsLX

Guest
Wing, I use the 161 Omni clear a good bit. I only add a little reducer to it, most folks say not to add more than 10% to the mix. It usually flows out pretty good, it helps if you use the slower hardner too. I used PPG 2021 clear for the first time last week and I have to say it blows the 161 away, it just flowed out really slick. But it is almost 4 times the cost.
You can buy refurbished guns from Sharpe (www.sharpe1.com).
The Platinum gun is supposed to work really well with smaller compressors, it doesn't need alot of CFMs. You can get a refurb for $175 from them.
 
Top