Painting Question

[scheinerj]

I have a 42 that I am almost finished with.
I painted it back in the late summer/fall with the lusterless OD green alkyd synthetic enamel.
I used a $100 Husky HVLP gun. I had the PSI around 30 PSI sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower.
The prep was sanding the tub until smooth, and removed all rust, and priming bare metal that needed it.

I did use paint thinner to thin it slightly.

However it came out slightly 'dusty' looking, and if I feel the paint, it seems dusty.

Also, on one random spot a hole the size of a dime appeared in the paint (not in the tub).
It has been stored in doors all the time.

That being said. I plan on sanding it, and repainting it, how do I avoid this dustiness, and what should I mix with this type of paint, if anything, and what PSI setting for my gun?
The exact paint I used is this https://www.kaiserwillys.com/category/p ... eep-willys

Any help is appreciated.
Jordan S.

[dpcd67]

If you used anything but Gillespie 33070, thinned 4 to one with Xylene, then that is not good. Your dusty paint job is caused by "dry" paint hitting the surface, caused by too fast a reducer. Or too hot temperature. Or overspray. Now, others like the other paint brands, but I paint at least one MV per year and that is what I use for WW2 vehicles, Jeeps and Dodges. I use 23070 for early 50s stuff and 23087 for late M37s.

[Dave M38A1]

I haven't used that paint, but it being enamel, should be OK.
I have had the rough texture like that using primer and it is too thick and doesn't atomize well or dries and clumps up before hitting the surface.
This is an Alkyd Enamel like Gillespie paint and is reduced 4 to 1 with Xylene.

Try some test panels with different distances from the gun to metal and get the paint to flow well.
Sometimes I use cardboard to see how the gun is spraying.

I like to look at the paint running off the stir stick to check the viscosity of the paint.
It should run off in drips fairly close together. Hard to explain.

These Jeeps were not perfect, if your surface prep is good, the paint is properly thinned, and the spray pattern from the gun is good,
you should be fine.


Dave

[danover321]

Thin Alkyd enamel with mineral spirits 4:1 or purchase some slow reducer.

[Old Pal]

Your dusty paint job is caused by "dry" paint hitting the surface, caused by too fast a reducer. Or too hot temperature. Or overspray.

My thoughts exactly.

[Cal.Bar]

+1 on the proper reducer. Use Xylene or synthetic enamel reducer (not standard paint thinner). Also, could be that you sprayed from too far way etc. and got dry paint hitting it.

[scheinerj]

I have heard against using standard paint thinner, but why ? I went to try and get a bottle of xylene and it was extrememly expensive and only available in a gallon container for 70 dollars (from NAPA I think). I also just realized I could get it at Lowes for 12 dollars

I did however paint my windshield last night, with using traditional paint thinner, and it came out great and not dusty.

You were all definitely correct about paint drying to quickly causing the dustiness...

When I repaint my tub I am going to obviously get a bottle of Zylene.

Thanks for all of the help!
JS

[Bart1015]

I had the same frustrating issue painting the body panels on my 45 gpw.

My son, who paints vehicles for a living, came over and looked at the paint. He said I had the air pressure was set to high and the temperature was to high (95 outside) for the paint to cure correctly. He believes the paint that appears dusted was caused by one, or both of the following:

1 - The paint had dried in transit (to high psi) from the spray gun to the panel and/or
2 - the top layer of paint dried (outside temp) at a different rate compared to the rest of the paint.

I ended up sanding the "dusted" paint smooth and repainted it with a lower pressure and temp (70-75 outside). It came out perfect.

In the end, I used a Anest Iwata LP400 LVwith a 1.2 nozzle. Its important to have a decent size airline to maintain consistent pressure for the gun.

Brett

[scheinerj]

Thanks Bart!
One last question...
My pressure regulator randomly will not hold the pressure I set. I set the pressure, while pushing air through the gun, and when I stop pulling the trigger. It builds back up to max pressure again, eliminating the use of a regulator.
Is the regulator busted?
It was working fine previously.
JS

[Chuck Lutz]

Not enough thinner...
Too hot...
Too small a sprayer nozzle which allows smaller droplets to "dry" while on the way to the metal...
Too much air pressure....
Holding the sprayer too far away from the target...

A mixture of any/some/all of those issues will cause a dusty application. Like the guys posted above.

[Ralph]

Try for the three 70s...air temp/surface temp/paint product ... easier said than done but it's a helpful part of the process.
With all else ok,dusty=distance(too great)
Set all regulators,not just the one on the gun.Good advise from the other guys.

[Bart1015]

JS-

Assuming the compressor is ok and has the needed CFMs for the paint gun.

Are you saying the regulator is letting more PSIs past the valve than what you set it for?

Pending the clarification:

I would also look into the following:

What your experiencing might be a volume issue. The easy fix is usually done by using a shorter hose between the compressor and the gun, or get a bigger air line, or both. I would suggest getting the largest inside diameter hose you can fine at a reasonable price.

If you still have issues with keeping pressure as you paint, check the CFM on the regulator or replace it. It may not have ability to push the needed volume of air.

Brett

[scheinerj]

Brett,
Using a 12 CFM 80 Gal compressor so the the problem wouldn't stem from that. I ended up swapping a different regulator and it worked fine.
What was happening, was I would set a desired pressure of lets so 30 psi. I would set the pressure while holding the trigger. Then when I release, normally it stays at that pressure. This one was just climbing back up to full.
So the problem was when I would do my first spray in aftre 10 seconds of it climbing back up. It would be at 130 instead of 30.
Luckily all is good.

Resprayed everything with it properly thinned at it came out great.
js