Spraying silver basecoat

RosharonRooster

RosharonRooster

Promoted Users
Looking for advise on techniques for spraying a silver. Ive never done a silver. Ive done a couple metallics and solids. The car is a 62 impala and its an overall. I plan on telling the owner to not cheap out on basecoat. I plan to spray 2 coats of reduced epoxy over 400 grit entire car. Should i go 600 grit? Higher psi? Or just shoot it as if it was a solid color? Gun is. Lph400. Orange cap. 1.3. I also have a 1.4. I usually spray color at about 18psi...thanks in advance
 
Spraying the base even is the key. Pretend you're a robot and really concentrate on keeping the gun at 90 degrees and the same distance from the surface. Overlap is very important, also. Most of the time when you see streaks in silver it is from not overlapping enough or gun not at 90 degrees, causing it to shoot heavier at the top or bottom. Mottling is usually caused from not getting the base wet enough, or way too heavy. A nice even wet coat is what you're after. Use of a slower reducer helps, also. Why the 2 coats of reduced epoxy? One coat over 600 grit is fine. If spraying over 400, I would put 1 coat unreduced, then scuff lightly with 800 or finer the next day. I never use my LPH 400 with metallics, but I don't have an orange cap. I'm sure it will work, just check your pattern on a piece of paper, and adjust fan to make it even.
 
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I'll let one of the other guys give you specific settings on the Iwata as I only use Sata's.
You should always seal when spraying a metallic. Final prep before sealing with 600 grit. Keep all the scratches going in one direction. Do not use too fast of a reducer. If it's 70 when you spray use SPI 885. This will allow the metallic to orient itself correctly as you are spraying. Draw straight lines on the body in your mind and spray in straight lines. Don't follow body lines,curves, etc. Keep your overlap consistent at about 60% or so. Overlap should be more than 50% but less than 75%. Keep the gun oriented correctly. Meaning always have the nozzle parallel to the panel. Don't allow it to tilt in one direction or the other especially when you are reaching for the middle of a panel. Walk the side of what you are painting. Don't panel paint.
Spray light-medium to medium coats. Don't spray it heavy. Count on 4 coats.
If you are having trouble you can use what we call blender and reduce the base with it. Good place to start is reduce your RTS base 1:1 with blender. This will help if you are having issues with striping orientation etc. SPI intercoat can be used as a blender with any basecoat. Only use the blender on your last coat or two (if you are really having trouble).
 
great advises from guys .just my 5 cents : get extra amount of paint. im not great at base, so if i see difficult metallic i order extra pint for last coat. by the time i cover the color, usually its 2nd-3rd coat, i adjust pressure and speed of lap to get best result. on difficult colors i have to spray 4th or 5th mist color just everything to be even. and always can get good result if i have enough of paint
 
One other thought on metallics. Most new painters tend to try and lay the base coat on like they would a single stage. Slick and glossy. The base needs to go on wet or you will loose adhesion but it does not need nor should be laid on super heavy and it is designed to be somewhat flat until cleared.

Good coverage and even application is what you are striving for, not a super slick finish.

John
 
and make sure you will get your sealer the right color. you dont want it straight black and you definitely dont want it to be straight white. usually im doing my sealer one shade darker than actual color. do you have paint code ?
 
Sprayed the silver yesterday just wanted to update. Cut it in about a week

Iwata purple cap 16 psi 3 coats after sealer.
 

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yep, iwata purple with low pressure does it perfect. everytime im not sure on color, i take lph purple and it does it all. pretty easy to blend with it also
 
Good stuff.. I now have purple for metallics. Orange for solid and silver for clear 1.4. Im happy with the results
serjik911 said:
yep, iwata purple with low pressure does it perfect. everytime im not sure on color, i take lph purple and it does it all. pretty easy to blend with it also
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lph400 1.4 silver, 29 psi, 2 and 3/4 fluid out(not 3, exactly 2 3/4) and fan 2 turns out from closed with universal clear- gave me best clear coat result i ever had in my life
 
serjik911 said:
lph400 1.4 silver, 29 psi, 2 and 3/4 fluid out(not 3, exactly 2 3/4) and fan 2 turns out from closed with universal clear- gave me best clear coat result i ever had in my life
Click to expand...
Move fast or slow with the gun? Ive used 29 psi 3.5 turns on fluid with good results
 
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