hey im using dupli color auto paint(jet black). i sprayed some base coats and the paint came out gritty kinda like sand paper. im using a husky hvlp gun and i have a regulator after the filter on the gun and set it at about 25 psi. should i just wet sand it smooth and then clear coat over it.

 

How gritty? Base coat isn't supposed to lay down slick. That's what the clear is for

 

was this done in a paint booth? if not then that is why its gritty from the dirt in the air.

 

clear is to make it shine. ya its been done in my garage and its definitely dusty in there. so im leaning towards wet sanding then clear over it. what do u guys think

 

Clear is to make it shine, but base isn't supposed to be slick or glossy. Clean the hell out of your garage, wash the floor and squeege the water away, if you have to, hang drop cloth everywhere. I've painted cars in barns with dirt floors before and got show quality results, it can be done. It just takes work and patience.

 

I used this paint and it takes some practice to get the gun set up right and the lacquer thinned right. what happens is it starts to dry in the air before it hits the panel your painting and comes out gritty like sandpaper.I would thin the paint until it sprayed smoothly and you need a much narrower fan than you would use with enamls and urethanes. You will use multiple wet coats as opposed to medium coats for enamal. I don't mean por it on, but just a nice wet coat. You can't mist coat much with lacquer, it dries too fast.

 

This is your problem. HVLP guns should be 10psi max. Your base coat is rough because your air pressure was too high. If it was me I'd wet sand with 600 grit and give it 3 more coats of color. Be sure to tack between each coat and turn your pressure down!

Slim

 

alright chill thanks a lot guys. im about to go to kragen to get some more paint.ill post pics up of my garage, its got **** everywhere like i barely have walking room around the car. i also cant move it cuz the whole engine bay is kinda stripped so suspension and all.
so 10psi huh, ill try that out. now when u say tack between coats, what do u mean. before every time i paint i clean it with soap and water, then mineral spirits with a multi fiber cloth and then blow everything else off. u said to thin the paint, the can says it doesn't need to be thinned or anything but should i try putting a lil bit of laquer thinner. like how much should i use. im tihnking only had like 10%

 

depends I use acetone at about 25%, but you can use lacquer thinner also. Start with 10% and see how it does. Also I would go pick up some good wax and grease remover and make sure its nice and dry before you try to paint over it.

 

i used the white duplicolor and we had to thin it with acetone

 

OK homie. Let's just slow down here. You got a few things to clear up here. A tack rag is a sticky cloth used before spraying a panel to remove dust and debris. You can pick them up at NAPA for sure but I don't know about Kragen. It comes in a package about the size of a wallet. When you get it, unfold it all the way then fold it back into squares. This lowers the glue concentration (it's folded pretty tight when packaged) and allows you to fold it over frequently when wiping down a panel. Frequent folding helps prevent wiping the dust back on to the panel. When you spray a coat of paint down, allow it to flash (15-20min depending on temp, activator, or how thick the coat was), then wipe the panel down. Be sure to wipe in one direction and again, flip your cloth frequently. You only do this on your base coat. Do not do this with the clear.

What kind of paint are you using? Not the brand, but what type (i.e.- enamel, urethane etc.). It should say on the can or they should know at the parts store. If it says it doesn't need to be reduced, I'd research it on the web to see what is safe to reduce it with. Generally speaking, all paint can be reduced. Just adding lacquer thinner can do more harm than good (depending on the type of paint).

You say your garage is dusty. No big deal. As others have mentioned, wet the floor. After wiping the car down with wax and grease remover (mineral spirits), blow the car off with an air hose and tack the car down. I would then let the car sit overnight or at the very least several hours. This allows the dirt to settle back down. Now is when I would come in, tack the car down once more and begin painting. I painted many a car in barn using this method and it proved itself more than once. Good luck and post some pics man!

Slim

 

Just a little tip Ive been using recently for thinning the mix. I use a wooden dowel and stick it in the mix and pour X amount of thinner into it.

I know that the paint is mixed to ratio when I stick the dowel into the mix pull it up and there is a thin layer paint that sticks to the wood, and dosent seep down.

If the paint sticks to the dowel heavy, than you need more thinner.

If the paint seems to be slipping off the dowel and not sticking at all, you need more paint.

 

so i understand tacking now. the paint is a lacquer. i just sprayed on my clear coat. i just kept the base coat textured how it was and then smooth out the clear coat. i put on a light coat the first time and then thick on the second one. it kept the same textured look. how much clear coat do u think is necessary to be able to sand that down smooth and not go down to the basecoat. i used 2 quarts of clear.