Nobody warned me

[hpw]

He didn't cut the runs but he scraped it like you would use a draw knife.

He but a slight bend in the blade and ran the leading edge of the bend

across the top of the run. Also he still wet sanded to blend in the run.

Experiment first on something.

[buguy]

Im sure that was on a base/clear job.

[crvc]

I sprayed the engine lid and it looks good except for a small run. Then I sprayed the fenders and ended up with orange peel. For the lid I put on a thick coat. Then I did all four fenders and ended up with some orange peel. The difference is I tried to lay down light coats. So Ive gotta sand the peel and repaint?

kevin

[crvc]

Showing how good the engine lid looks.

kevin

[buguy]

You may be able to wet sand the fenders and get the orange peel out. It looks like its pretty bad, so you may not be able to sand it out without going through. Would be worth a try though!!
I would start with 600-800 grit paper or you will be sanding for the rest of your life! Just go easy with it and keep drying it to watch your progress (a squeegy is handy for that). If it looks like you are going to sand through to the primer you may have to repaint it. Definately try wet sanding first.

[doc]

Very careful sanding with a flat stick to keep you on top of the run. Then buff and polish might fix it. I'd go real easy with 600. 1200 or 1500 would be better once you are anywhere close to the final surface. So easy to sand through.

doc

[buguy]

Agreed! I would just use the rough cut paper to knock down the initial peel, once you get to where your just seeing a little peel left, switch to the finer grades and graduate to 2000 grit.

[crvc]

Last night I sanded one fender and found metal damage I had never noticed when priming. (sigh) I blame it on lousy light in the garage. I'll have to go over it with the wire wheel then mig weld then grind then prime then paint. One fender had come out perfectly, no runs and no orange peel. So I'll only have to respray three fenders. I wish I knew why one fender came out so well. I didn't fiddle with the gun.

If all I can do is sand the run spot on the engine lid, how do I get the gloss back? Is there sandpaper fine enough to do that or do I have to spray again and hope I don't cause more drips or orange peel?

kevin

[crvc]

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j47/k ... os/035.jpg

The compressor seems to be dying. I bought it at a flea market ten years ago. The local Ace hardware has a compressor for $100. It's a 2 gallon model with 100psi. It says its good for inflating tires. Should I assume it's too small for painting a VW?

TIA,

kevin

[crvc]

This is what the compressor is doing. The paint kinda spits out, no smooth spray.

[doc]

Your gonna need a much bigger compressor. I just limp on my 4hp/12 gal. model. Borrow or rent?

There needs to be about 35psi at the gun with the trigger pulled.


doc

[crvc]

I prepared by sanding the three remaining fenders with 800grit wet/dry, the drying with shop towels then rubbing with tack cloth. I had them lined up hanging on a 4X8 sheet of plywood. The first fender I got about half done before the gun started sputtering paint. Then it came out in globs. I noticed the compressor wasn't keeping the the pressure even. Then I noticed the dials going to zero whenever I pushed the trigger. It may be part of why I had so many runs in the two hoods.
It was an old model I bought used at a flea market but allowed me to build a 30' X 50' barn and full hayloft several years ago. And let me flush out a dozen carburators as well.

Trying to get the compressor to work I forgot about the gun filled with paint. When I finally realized it was beyond my ability of fix the comprressor, I saw the paint had started to harden inside the gun.

So the gun is soaking in paint thinner and I ordered a reconditioned version of the same compressor model. $100 for the gun and $40 for shipping. And I may need a new paint gun.

Both doors still need to be sanded and primed. It'll give me something to do while I wait for the compressor to arrive.

kevin

[doc]

I've been putting off buying a good, big (5hp/80gal) compressor for several years because of the cost and hassle involved in installing hard lines. My compressor will paint, albeit slowly, but just can't keep up with sanders and die grinders.

I have gotten by with my small compressor for 12 or 15 years. Rebuilt it once when there was just about no ring left on the piston. But it has always been a negative to not have "first class" air in the shop.

Everything has to be right when you paint. Got to have decent pressure at the gun with the trigger pulled to atomize the paint. Go slowly with your small compressor. A little at a time. You'll get through it.

Like me, save for a killer compressor!!

doc

[crvc]

Man I assume you've looked into what these things cost? The local Napa has an 80 gallon model for $900. The 6 gallon model I bought says it's for a nail gun. I rented a gun and managed to hand-make 26 roof trusses with plywood gussets, about a 100 nails on each side of each truss. And did it over a weekend. The little guy might be slow but I'm in no hurry. I've got at least a month before it snows.

kevin

[doc]

But, you gotta have that pressure at the gun with the trigger pulled for the paint to atomize. If you aren't atomizing the paint into a very fine mist, you're not going to be successful.

But you've already painted several parts that came out, so there's no reason to believe you can't get a good result on the rest. But you're gonna hafta go slow.

keep us posted. Most members aren't working with a big compressor. I've had my little one for a long time and it's pounded off a lot of axle nuts (takes a while) and painted several cars. It's a good thing and part of the culture that you don't have to have a million dollar shop and tools to get a good result.

doc