Hi all,
My first post. Thank you for all the info I have stolen from your site over the years.
I have recently attempted a switch from post cat to wb lacquers.
I have gone through several gallons of the stuff mostly canlak's aqua-syl amongst others and have not been able able to develop a consistent finish and or develop a reliable application schedule.
The biggest problem I have is getting the top coat to flow out with out cratering or developing fish eyes. Haven't yet been able get that just like nitrocellulose flatness that the salesmen are promising.
I have cheated low gloss finishes by minimizing application volume and deliberately leaving a very fine almost dry orange peel rather than apply a full wet coat. The manufacturers have not been a great deal of help and I am going to beat this dead horse one more time.
Method: (best results so far)
Stain (ample dry times over night or better)
Seal with light wet coat (most are self sealing canlak does not offer a wb sanding sealer)
sand 320 (light as possible)
coat 2/3 - shade tone with 10% max of wb stain to lacquer
light to med wet
sand light as possible 320
coat 3 or 4 (Top coat) - light coat as possible barely wet
usually have to block out and apply light almost dry coat to hide the craters.
Application:
HVLP with 1.4mm tip
pot pressure 15 psi
shop temp. 20deg
ambient humidity 35% - 45% (durring time of trials)
out of can viscosity 20-25 sec.
Vertical application when possible
Guaranteed failures achieved through experience:
Reducing more than 5% (fisheyes)
Adding flowetrol or other wb retarders (greys/hazes)
applying more than 4 thin coats or any thick coats (craters you can loose change in)
Reducing with acetone
shop temp below 15 deg
2 mm tip
1 mm tip
wet on wet application
warming paint pots
So if you guys have any more ideas I would love to hear the ones that work and yes my guns and substrates are clean.
My first post. Thank you for all the info I have stolen from your site over the years.
I have recently attempted a switch from post cat to wb lacquers.
I have gone through several gallons of the stuff mostly canlak's aqua-syl amongst others and have not been able able to develop a consistent finish and or develop a reliable application schedule.
The biggest problem I have is getting the top coat to flow out with out cratering or developing fish eyes. Haven't yet been able get that just like nitrocellulose flatness that the salesmen are promising.
I have cheated low gloss finishes by minimizing application volume and deliberately leaving a very fine almost dry orange peel rather than apply a full wet coat. The manufacturers have not been a great deal of help and I am going to beat this dead horse one more time.
Method: (best results so far)
Stain (ample dry times over night or better)
Seal with light wet coat (most are self sealing canlak does not offer a wb sanding sealer)
sand 320 (light as possible)
coat 2/3 - shade tone with 10% max of wb stain to lacquer
light to med wet
sand light as possible 320
coat 3 or 4 (Top coat) - light coat as possible barely wet
usually have to block out and apply light almost dry coat to hide the craters.
Application:
HVLP with 1.4mm tip
pot pressure 15 psi
shop temp. 20deg
ambient humidity 35% - 45% (durring time of trials)
out of can viscosity 20-25 sec.
Vertical application when possible
Guaranteed failures achieved through experience:
Reducing more than 5% (fisheyes)
Adding flowetrol or other wb retarders (greys/hazes)
applying more than 4 thin coats or any thick coats (craters you can loose change in)
Reducing with acetone
shop temp below 15 deg
2 mm tip
1 mm tip
wet on wet application
warming paint pots
So if you guys have any more ideas I would love to hear the ones that work and yes my guns and substrates are clean.