Boy, did I botch up this paint job!

sak00 · 03-26-2013, 01:11 PM

I am new to painting with a spray gun. I am using all PPG materials with a base/clear coat system. I had one of those days where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I not even sure where to start. I have read a lot of the threads here about painting and thought I was ready to go. I put 3 coats of builder primer on the body. The body is fiberglass with gelcoat repairs. I started by wiping down the body 3 times with grease and wax remover. I had a quart of paint with a quart of reducer. I started spraying the base coat on and the paint seemed a little thick so I backed the spraying distance off some. It didn't help. By then I had the first coat on. I started seeing some stress cracks in the fiberglass gelcoat in certain spots. I went over this thing with a fine tooth comb. And with the builder primer, where did the **** cracks come from. Ugh! Anyway, well more bodywork to do on that piece. I attempted to put a second coat of base on the other pieces when I ran out of paint. REALLY? Crap!
On the pieces that got the 2 coats of base on, I decided to shoot the clear coat. The clear came out thick too. By time I figured out what I was doing wrong, it was too late. So now I have a thick clear coat with major orange peel. I believe I got confused on the adjustments on the gun and was spraying more material at one time than I needed. I now know how to back off the spray pattern, but the damage is done. Time to ask for a little advise.

I have started to sand the clear coat to knock down the high orange peel. I started with 600 grit wet sanding. I know I will have to go with a higher grit count here soon. So here are some questions.....

Can this be saved?
Have I sanded the clear enough (last pic) or does it have to be smooth again? I didn't know if a couple of more coats of clear would help?
Do I just scrap the whole thing and start over?
On the base coat, should I have to put a dust coat on last to pop the metallics in the paint? This is a factory ford color.

I guess experience is the best teacher. I'm not discouraged. I will learn how to do this even if it kills me. I would appreciate any help I can get. Half of the body has to be redone anyway so I didn't know if I should just redo everything.

I trashed the trunk lid with the major run. So that has to be redone.

rib33024 · 03-26-2013, 03:07 PM

yeah you need to sand till it's smooth, as long as you don't sand in to the base coat to far you don't need to spray more base, wet sand more till smooth,, you can use 320 , to knock it down easier, and then finish with 600, i would use 100 grit, but you have to be careful because it is easy to sand in to the base to far with 100,, get it all smooth and wipe it down again and spray the clear,, practice on some thing a little, to get the feel of the gun, before you spray the body, did you mix the paint like it says on the back of the can,

sak00 · 03-26-2013, 05:28 PM

Did you mix the paint like it says on the back of the can,[/QUOTE]

Yes, I sure did. It was an adjustment problem. I hated to waste material, but in hind sight I could have bought more. Live and learn I guess. Thanks for the info. I guess I'll sand and try not to break through the clear. Worse case is a reshoot of base.

sak00 · 05-04-2013, 08:20 PM

I can't believe its been a month since I started this painting project. Yes, I had my problems but after a month of sanding, I think I got a decent job.
I guess I should say after a month of sanding, couple of trips to the paint shop, and shooting paint and clear coat (a few times) and still fixing screw ups. This is what I ended up with.......

I still don't know what I'm doing, but I am learning.

essness · 05-05-2013, 06:51 AM

That looks great Sak

03-26-2013, 03:07 PM	#2
rib33024 ...................... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FT Lauderdale FL. Posts: 16,416	Re: Boy, did I botch up this paint job! yeah you need to sand till it's smooth, as long as you don't sand in to the base coat to far you don't need to spray more base, wet sand more till smooth,, you can use 320 , to knock it down easier, and then finish with 600, i would use 100 grit, but you have to be careful because it is easy to sand in to the base to far with 100,, get it all smooth and wipe it down again and spray the clear,, practice on some thing a little, to get the feel of the gun, before you spray the body, did you mix the paint like it says on the back of the can,

03-26-2013, 05:28 PM	#3
sak00 What was I thinking? Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brooksville, Florida Posts: 577	Re: Boy, did I botch up this paint job! Did you mix the paint like it says on the back of the can,[/QUOTE] Yes, I sure did. It was an adjustment problem. I hated to waste material, but in hind sight I could have bought more. Live and learn I guess. Thanks for the info. I guess I'll sand and try not to break through the clear. Worse case is a reshoot of base.

05-05-2013, 06:51 AM	#5
essness Not your usual outlaw Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Near Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 20,054	Re: Boy, did I botch up this paint job! That looks great Sak

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