Taking a step back before I base and clear...

A

abarli65

Spraying SPI white epoxy reduced 1:1:1

I have read that some guys will finish their 2K with 320 grit if spraying solid base. I will be spraying Prospray red base coat followed by SPI universal clear.

So far it is looking great on the under sides of my panels. As for the money side, I notice that I can still see the 320 sand scratches in my epoxy sealer coat...


At this point, do I:
1. Spray my base as the 3 coats should cover in those scratches.

2. Spray more coats of reduced epoxy until it fills the 320 scratches.

3. Spray full strength of epoxy to fill scratches, wet sand with 600, then shoot again with reduced epoxy.



Shooting epoxy with Finex 3000 1.4 tip at 28lbs at the inlet and 2.5 turns out full fan

Shooting base with LPH400 1.4 tip with orange cap at 16-18 lbs at the inlet 2.5 - 3 turns out full fan

Shooting clear with LPH400 1.4 tip with silver cap at 16 - 20 lbs at the inlet 3 to 4 turns out full fan


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I usually finish my primer, whether it's 2k urethane or epoxy with 600 grit. I rarely use a wet on wet sealer. I would rather have less solvents to deal with upon the refinishing steps. If using SPI I will finish my turbo primer with say 400 grit, then apply two coats of epoxy at a 1:1 ratio. I will let the epoxy dry overnight sand with 600 and then base coat. The epoxy is still in the 7-day window for chemical adhesion and also offers a mechanical scratch and a smoother finish as a result of sanding before applying activated basecoat...not sure this is the best way to go, but has worked well for me.
 
i finish with 400-600 before sealer myself, not a production shop so ide rather take the time to make sure im not gonna have scratches down the road when everything cures out. the 1:1:1 wont fill anything. if your shooting a solid color you SHOULD be fine but if it was me ide wet sand 600 before seal :encouragement:
 
If it's a solid color shoot it, metalic you might want to hit it with 600 and shoot one more coat of sealer.
 
Bob, I noticed when I shot the underside of my panels, the base is pretty thick. Are you saying it will cover those faint scratches?
 
If it's a solid color it will be fine. Even if you see some faint scratches in the solid color base after it's applied and flashed off you will not see them once the clear is applied. Metallic colors are the opposite and will show all scratches-with a metallic if you see any scratches showing in the base you will also see them when the clear is on because metallics and pearls reflect light and because of this they will show any texture irregularities that are there. What color are you using?
 
Thanks Bob. I was looking specifically in this forum yesterday and found this thread in 'Sealers'. http://www.spiuserforum.com/showthread.php?1689-Final-grit-before-sealer

I am shooting Ford's original Candy Apple Red via ProSpray brand. It does lay down rather thick. Almost like a single stage, but there is no hardener. (side note: I have colored and cleared the lower grille support and had two clear drips which I razor bladed and sanded... ended up sanding through, and could not tell where the clear ended and the base began. Weird.) So yeah, makes me wonder if it is basically the same thing as their single stage, but without using hardener?

I will go with it. My biggest fear is seeing good scratch when all said and done. I saw the nicest paint job at a show and noticed a really good sanding scratch right in the middle of the trunk lid. It was metallic paint though, so feeling a little easier about it now.

I know I will not achieve perfection on my very first paint job, nor on my 5th or 6th possibly. But I do strive for perfection. (part of why it has taken me 6 years to get this far)

I will update when complete.

Dan, Air, Bob,
Thanks for the info... greatly appreciated
 
If you take your time and sand everything smooth there is no reason you cant get expert results the first time.
 
I end with 320 on everything I do. mixing the epoxy 1:1:1 is too thin. you do a 10-20% reduction and the sand scratches will go away
 
Haha... Thanks for the vote of confidence Dub.... Yes, I can prep for perfection, but it will all depend on how well I setup and spray.

We had rain in the forecast today, so I went ahead and wet sanded everything. Did not get through all the panels, but the trunk and doors were sprayed with the wrong pressure, so it really orange peeled on me. My fenders and hood layed really smooth, but I am going to hit those with 400 wet as well to get rid of the 320 scratches. Not totally needed, but I have to scuff and seal again anyway as I am outside of the window.
 
Got the car and all panels sprayed... color and clear. Not easy to say the least and a total mind drain. I liken it to shooting 1000 rounds at the range... I was spent after each day.

I was so afraid on the body after shooting my 3 coats of base that I could still see scratches. Did some more reading and figured that I would at least shoot 1 coat of clear and reasses. But low and behold, Bob you were absolutely correct! They disappeared and I could not find them at any angle with the light!

Now, as far as my spraying went... Not having awesome lighting was slight factor as my roof was probably the smoothest, but laying down perfect clear is tough. I have already repaired a few runs and already started to sand and buff. Very happy with my body work... everything looks great.

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The passenger door after sanding and buffing
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I had the same worry painting a friends spoiler for his 68 camaro. But they all disappeared after clear
 
see I told ya so LOL! Glad it went well, Ford candy apple red it looks like? Looks good!
 
Thanks, and yes, your color calibration is spot on.

I am totally over my skis on the color sanding and buffing... I have read and watched countless hours of text and video, but until you put your hands on this stuff, you really don't know... I should have practiced on something, but why do that when you can create yourself some resprays!!! Caught two edges on my door with the super fine pad. (3M perfect-it 1 system) Did my deck yesterday and burned through one of the lines every so slightly with the 5000 grit pad. I had a few very slight runs on that panel which totally showed up after the final buff. I hit it hard with 600 wet and will try again, but it may just be a total respray.

The areas that are perfect, are freakin' PERFECT. I love this!
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There is a learning curve to the colorsanding and buffing for sure. Avoid the bodylines and edges, tape them if needed. Buffing is about sandscratch removal, polishing is for removing the compound scratches. Make sure your buffer contact area is spinning off of an edge instead of into an edge and you won't create damage. Knowing when to stop with each sanding grit is also important.
 
Looks really good by the pictures..

The single stage has a completely different set of binders in it.. And you can add a ounce or so of clear coat activator to the base to activate it if you like, you may gain some adhesion this way.. The single stage does however use the same toners.. With that being said it shouldn't really spray thick but I have found in the past a few solid colors that do spray just a touch thick.. It's not to often but I have came across this.. I add a small amount of reducer if i notice this. A little bit goes a long way.

- - - Updated - - -

And sanding runs out can become a art form.. One at which I have become pretty good at.. lol.. With the SPI clears I found that you can get away with a lot more.. I usually sand a run starting with 320 grit, working my way finer all the way to 2000 grit.. If it's a very minor one I sometimes start with a finer grit.. Up to 1000 grit depending on the run.
 
Thanks Chad,
I am spraying pro-spray that I got from a local jobber, and then added a half gallon from you. I mixed them both together really well, and then reduced with slow reducer 1:1. 3 coats of red before clearing. I did 4 coats of SPI clear on the body, but then ran low on my panels... I got 3 on the deck, hood, and one door. The rest got 2. (1 door, fenders, valances, headlight, and quarter extensions). I did lay it down pretty thick, which accounts for a few runs.

So I got two panels sanded and buffed, and two panels with issues. :)
Door edges - hit these with the buffer in the wrong direction. I knew better... rookie mistake.



Not sure what happened here... it appeared as I was buffing... maybe a boo boo during painting or had something on the pad?


Burned through two spots on the deck with the 5000 pad, but I had hit it with 3000 slightly, ugh.



And then the one that makes me really sick... Need more space!!
 
Try not to get to frustrated, we all have stuff like this happen.. not sure what happened in that first one,, looks like a chip or as if something got pulled out of the paint..
 
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