1 HUGE Painting Problem

HEY,
Using spray paint isnt your problem, nor is using auto primer. I use spray paint all the time and most everybody uses auto primer. Your problem with sanding the primer is your sanding it with high grit paper. Try using a lower grit. Yu should be able to get some at wal-mart or any auto place. When you paint, dont stop in the middle of the model, make sure to go way over the end, until the paint stops hitting the model. Start with a light mist to get started. Do like 2-3 mist coats and start with the heavy stuff, but not too heavy, you dont want runs. When it comes to the layers thing, you could paint a hundred layers and it would look nice if you did it right. Make sure to use low grit sandpaper and wet sand between each coat a little to get rid of the bumps and stuff. Finish with 2-3 or more layers of clear, snading between each layer, but make sure you wet sand or youll get sanding residue on your model. More people will give you more detailed and more understandable explanations, but this is just the basic things ive leaned. Dont worry, when i first started, i had no idea there was such a thing as clear coat.lol

Randy

Ah, thank you very much Randy. You're right, I use very high grit sand paper. I will try this tomorrow. when my messed up layer gets done drying :)

Like Randy said, using spray paint, even rattle-cans, isn't the problem. It's just in learning how to use them. Rattle-cans are not the easiest thing to paint with because the volume and pressure are so high. It's easy to get runs and areas where the paint is thicker or thinner.

I have found that when using cans it helps to be quick. Make your hand move quickly and don't let the spray hit one place for very long at all. Build up your paint in thin layers and don't try to get it covered in one or two coats.

As Randy also said, use very fine grit sand paper in between coats. I like 0000 steel wool or even plain old paper coffee filters (someone posted that hint here and it works great). You don't really want to remove much paint, just smooth the surface down so the finer the grit the better off you will be.

Also let your paint cure THOROUGHLY between coats. Just because it is dry to the touch doesn't mean it has cured. If it hasn't cured and you try to sand it then it will disappear in a hurry. If you aren't sure, smell it. If you can still smell the thinner then it isn't cured yet. Not a scientific method by any means, but it's usually pretty close.

Thanks a bunch, I will try these new methods thro the next weeks.

One more thing about spray cans, before you use them, sit them for a few minutes in some warm water.

I found this out some years ago, warm paint will flow better, and mist better than cold paint.
As you spray, the propellant chills the paint down.
Put a latex glove on, and spray some onto your hand, it gets pretty chilly.

Also the propellant will be more 'stable' as it flows through the nozzle.

As for sanding, all you want to do is remove the 'orange peel' effect, and for this a wet sand is good, like everyone has said, but using extremely fine sand paper will give you the reulsts you need.

What exactly is the 'orange peel' effect?

Orange Peel occurs whenever you spray paint onto snthing.
Have a look at any cars paint work, looking along the length of the body you can see the paint finish looks like the skin of an orange. Lumpy and full of dimples.

This is unavoidable, unless you take some measures to help minimise the effect.
Sanding between coats is the most common, you sand the cured paint finish with water, preferably flowing, a slow tap trickle is enough, this lubricates the surface and helps to prevent build up of sanded particles, also allowing a polishing effect with bits that have been caught up in the sanded off particles.

On the first couple of passes, you can see the high spots being removed, and the low spots stick out like a sore thumb.
Once this cannot be seen anymore, then it's ready for the next coat.
After all the sanding between coats, you make your last coat a nice even spray pattern, heavy enough to give decent coverage, but not too heavy so it runs.

Don't forget, while sanding, use a circular motion whenever possible.

Hope this helps

But, won't there be so much paint that the panel lines and details disapear?

QUOTE: Originally posted by TAG_LK But, won't there be so much paint that the panel lines and details disapear?

Not if you're careful. Don't lay it on so thick with each coat. That's the point of doing several lighter coats. They cover more thoroughly and evenly than one or two heavy coats splopped on.

Just take it nice and easy, and you should be fine. All that great advice from the folks above should really help you.

HEY,
Ya just take your time doing it, some light mist coats before the final big, but not sloppy, coat, and youll be fine. What we have posted here is alot of experience talking. Hell, it took me about a year to learn i was doing everything wrong, and when i first started using these methods, i was still doing it wrong. But after a few models you will find your spot, the speed you move and spray, the distance, everyone has a "spot". Just have fun and youll do great.

Randy

Another thing you might want to try that I have found helps me to stop paint cracking , which is not only a rattle can problem but has plaqued airbrushers as well is take a fine grit sand paper and sand your model before you ever start on it... this will help in taking off the release that is used at the manufacturer to pop the body of the model out of the mold. Not real hard just lightly so you won't sand away the finer details. Next you want to wash the body of the car with dish detergent and warm water.. This will prevent some cracking of your paint and help with paint adhering to the surface of the model better.

Start spraying here --><-------------------Model Body Unit----------------><--Stop spraying here

HEY,
Nice diagram rusty!lol

Randy

Hehehe it was the only way I could explain it....

HEY,
I tried to explain it in words but tthat didnt turn out to well.lol They should have a program so you can draw in posts.lol

Randy

Thanks a lot guys, this will help me a lot.