Painting- Problems with my Clear Coat

[NiteSmoker17]

Im painting my case
Primer im using equipment grey
top coat is Silver alluminum
with a clear coat
All same brand

I've done the sanding, the primer (3) coats....4 coats of top coat all sanding between coats..600-1000 grit
24 Hrs between coats ....its 70F+ here in the midwest.

My problem is when i put on my clear coat ....it turns my Silver alluminum dull and crappy. Ive tryed it with and without sanding before the clearcoat.

Any help why it is giving me headaches????

One thing i have learned (started at a new job where we make satellite dishes) that i can bake the pieces in my oven on warm or lowest setting after my primer coat has set up for a couple of hours to help harden the primer)

 

[wannaoc]

It sounds like a similar problem I was having with painting a case. After asking some auto body painting guys they told me it was because I was using Enamel paint and to switch to Laquer. I can't say if it helped as I'm about 1 or 2 coats away from the buffing compound. It does look and sand alot better though, hope it helps.

 

[JDXNC]

auto body painting guys they told me it was because I was using Enamel paint and to switch to Laquer.

Could very well be the problem, I used laquer on myh case and had no problems at all, although I will say that the clear coat is the most difficult layer to make nice & even while spraying, when your paint underneigth is already nice and shiney its hard to tell where you been or not.

 

[wannaoc]

Just finished my top panel with laquer and it looks like a mirror. I guess that was my problem, what are you using?

 

[thorilan]

if you want to use enamal paints you need a professional sprayer. when done correctly enamel is much better but the problem is its much harder to apply evenly without using a high quality sprayer and still air like inside a booth.
laquer is less viscous when it starts its coat and so spreads more evenly with less pressure against the surface .

the problem with some laquers is they are not as hard as the enamel counterparts when it comes to the final coats so they scratch easyer ( and sand too)

 

[NiteSmoker17]

all 3 paints im using are of the same brand so there isnt a problem with a crossmatch. the paint that im using is enamel but the problem is that with the silver aluminum ..... the shiny silver floates to the top and as soon as i goto level the surface (1200-2000 grit) it causes scratches. As for a pro painting my case i live in a corn field and the only body shop in town has never painted a comp case and i called yesterday and he guessed around $75+ to do it, $30-$35/per pint of color $10 for clear coat and labor. and i was hopeing to do all the mods on this myself(pride thing).

 

[Pixelpunk]

On the enamel paint ive got, it says to recoat within an hour and 5 days before sanding. Might be the paint isnt fully curing before your sanding and recoating.

 

[NiteSmoker17]

mine can's it says 24 hours....but i have also been baking them after a day for at least 2-3 hours on low in my oven to help with the curing.

 

[wannaoc]

Well the paint guy I asked about the other problems also said that in order to get enamel paint to look good don't sand it in between coats. He said to sand the panel down nice and smooth and flat. Then paint it a good solid coat, let that dry for a day or two, then WITHOUT sanding spray the clear coat on.

After letting the clear coat dry sand that like normal 1500-2000-buffing-polish. This is where he said you get the car-like finish. It sounds weird and I never tried it but you might give it a shot. He said the only type of paint to sand in between coats is laquer.

 

[NiteSmoker17]

I would follow that advice but with my silver aluminum i dont get a good smooth finish before i put on my clear coat, it just looks bumpy and basicly like crap.....just the way the paint is falling on the surface. I am doing my case in my garage with all air stoped(as best i can) and dust free(plastic sheeting).

 

[340Duster]

Comming from someone who has painted alot with both a paint gun and rattle cans... with the clear... try a coat of the enamel... have the panel flat if you can, just lay the paint on thick... keep overlaping the paint and keep it "in the wet" that way it will have the best leveling and gloss. Just be careful to not put a big run in it Thats the best advice I can give you other than stripping it and staring over, which is no fun.