Got some Red paint on yesterday.

TJ in KY

Member
I was able to get some painting done yesterday, mostly small parts. It went pretty well and the Breathe-Cool supplied air system worked well. I recommend it to anyone painting with hardener.
I had some trouble with paint running on the battery box and starter. I think I was too close, trying to get at all the nooks and crannies. I was surprised at how thin the paint was and how hard to get in all the tight spots without running. I was using PPG Omni MTK with hardener and reducer in a 4-1-1 ratio.
My gun had a 1.4mm tip, I have a gauge at the gun and set it to 43# with the gun empty and full open. I cut back the fluid flow and varied the pattern from fan type pattern to a close to circle pattern on some small stuff. You can see some areas of primer on some of the pieces, mostly in seams and cracks
The recoat window per the spec sheet is 24 hours, raining here right now so I don’t know if I will be able try to get another coat before then. The way I understand it is after 24 hours I need to scuff or sand it before recoating, but I am not sure what grit or pad color to use.
Any tips would be appreciated. I do have a smaller gun with a .55mm tip as well as a small touch up gun with a .6mm tip.
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You can see incomplete coverage at the bands around the starter and generator and runs on the starter
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You can probably just shoot more paint without scuffing judging by the small parts you have hanging.How did you get the 43psi spec?
 
It was stamped on the gun. the book list the range as 30 to 43 psi. It does have an air adjusting knob on the gun. The gun is an Alltrade Trades Pro Model 837074. I adjusted my regulator at the compressor using the guage I put on the inlet of the gun.
I have read thru a write up by Rod (NH) that I had printed off as well as other post on here and other sites on how to adjust the pressure to get the proper pressure at the cap.
I think I got it adjusted ok, I got a good pattern on cardboard. but not sure about how to set it up to get into all the hard to get to spots on a tractor. Would lower pressure and fluid flow be better??
 
Not sure . it depends on how well you are atomizing. If you hold the gun too far back the droplets rejoin each other ,get larger ,and more run prone. You want to hit the work in the most atomized section of the spray pattern.Your results look pretty good so far. You are pretty dialed in right now.
 
I painted my pickup with MTK. I used used half the reducer so 4:1:.5. The paint is definitely on the thin side. It was the first time I used automotive urethane paint so I don't have a comparison. On my next project I will probably try something else to see if it is better. If you are using Ommni epoxy primer you can get it in black. Working with a darker final color like red it will help hide the little places you don't get good coverage. Makes them stand out less than gray primer. It is easy to get a run. Put on 3 or 4 lighter coats trying to get all of the primer hid. Don't worry about each coat getting coverage on everything square inch. Once all primer is hid one final coat heavier but don't try to get it in all the nooks and crannies. Just the final show coat on what you really see.
 
Duane WI, This is the first time I have used automotive paint also, so it has been a learning experience. I think I was trying to put too much on with each coat so I will try 3 or 4 coat approach on next batch and the tractor. I looked at some videos on line about adjusting the gun and I think that helped. I was able to get another coat on today. Just curious, why did you cut back on the hardener?
 
I have used Omni since 2002 and have had only a few problems with it. Mixed it 4-1-1 is not too thin as far as I am concerned. I use a small gun on everything except the chassis. It works fine. If I get runs it is because the gun is held too close. I do not mess with the adjustments on the gun, they are set the same way each time. Use the pressure value given on the gun. To adjust the volume of the paint, turn out the main adjustment until almost out then pull the trigger on the empty gun and turn in the main adjustment until you feel the trigger being moved. Leave it alone at that time or maybe turn it in a quarter turn. Do the same turn out and in with the pattern adjustment. Then leave them alone. You will use more paint on small parts that way, but the adjustments will be correct.
 
How small of a gun do you use on the small parts. I have one with a .55mm tip, is it too small. Thanks for the tips on adjusting the gun. I played with it a little bit today, after watching a video on Eastwood site, and it seemed to get better. I will double check the settings the next time I do some painting, hopefully next week, weather doesn't look to promising here for next few days.
 
I cut back the reducer to .5 not the hardner. Maybe I should have said 4:.5:1. This was on the advice of the guy at the paint shop who mixed my paint.

I agree on one of the other comments. Figure out a gun setting that works for you. Then write down all of the settings and use them every time the same way.
 
Not sure, it is out in my shop, I think it is 1.0--it is a Sata, one of the expensive ones, I agree that .55 is too small. A cheaper one should be ok, just be sure of the tip if you buy it.
 
You should be able to put a coat of paint on, wait 30 minutes and another coat. Repeat as necessary. No need to wait 24 hours.
 
My concern was if I have to wait for more than 24 hours (i.e. weather conditions) do I have to scuff it before putting another coat on.
 

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