Fuzzy or rough paint

[Inspector71]

Money, time, and other challenges necessitated me painting the underside of one of my cars in the garage...with spray cans. After I sanded down the entire underside from torsion bar cross member to the rear valance panel, and I mean every nook and cranny, by hand with the use of hand tools (again, had no choice), I had it all down to bare metal. I hit it with about 3 coats of paint, after 2 coats of primer. It came out okay but I took too long and it is darker/lighter in some areas. Anyway, problems arose when I hit it with the coats of clear. Looks okay, but in some places, white lines appeared and in others, the paint is rough to the touch while most of it is as smooth as glass. What made some of it fear rough (like sandpaper almost) or kind of look fuzzy as if brushed by cotton balls? It was a very clean and clear environment. Can I buff it out? Underside of car?...I'm a perfectionist. Thanks for the help.

 

[TekHousE]

Sounds like you had varied the distance you sprayed at. The further away the drier the paint will be when it hits the metal. This is most likely what happened. Another reason could be dirt being blown onto the surface as you sprayed, but that's a long shot, I am sure you blew all the nooks and crannies out before you started painting, right?

If you put enough paint on though, fixing it will be easy..Just wet sand with P1500 then if you really want to P2000.

 

[Photon440]

Rough paint is often from applying at too great of a distance, like TekHousE has said. If it's too warm out it'll do that too, as the paint starts to dry before it smooths out on the surface. Also, your spray nozzle may not have been completely clean from a previous paint job.

White lines in clear coat is often an indication of too much moisture in the air.

 

[coloradodave]

Commonly called 'orange peel'...

 

[Propwash]

Sounds like a shopping cart full of issues going on. Distance, paint-clear overlap, environment, prep. How about scuff it back down with 1000 till there's no sheen and respray the clear?

-Keep a consistent distance
-Keep a consistent overlap & coats (spot spraying will create noticeable differences in surface texture & flow)
-If possible, use a gun with adjustable spray pattern, adjustable tip pressure and 2k mix (much more rugged)
-Don't spray in adverse climate (be it cold, hot or high humidity)
-If possible, formulate an attack plan for where you're going to start spraying and where you're going to end. Try to make the environment as least restrictive as possible, so not to hamper or complicate positioning when spraying.

Good luck

 

[coloradodave]

Prop, Do rattle cans come with adjustable spray patterns and pressure? LOL

 

[Photon440]

I do have a few rattle cans with adjustable spray patterns - they come with two different tips, and one has a rotatable fan pattern. I also have a couple of cans that allow the spray button to turn, giving the option of low, mid or high volume spray.

 

[coloradodave]

Guess I better check out my local NAPA for new products; I had no idea...
Thanks, Photon440.

 

[Propwash]

Prop, Do rattle cans come with adjustable spray patterns and pressure? LOL

You bet Dave! Like Photon mentioned, you can get cans with an adjustable nozzle. You can also get cans that are a two part (2K) with a punchable hardener chamber built right into the can as well. Pretty slick stuff eh? Pressure...well, like mentioned you'd still need a gun for that aspect

 

[TekHousE]

You bet Dave! Like Photon mentioned, you can get cans with an adjustable nozzle. You can also get cans that are a two part (2K) with a punchable hardener chamber built right into the can as well. Pretty slick stuff eh? Pressure...well, like mentioned you'd still need a gun for that aspect

I used exactly this type of can, with the punchable hardener vial inside, on the argent silver grill and headlight surround on my 67 recently. Once it's punched you better use it though. It will not keep.

 

[Inspector71]

I wish I had read all these posts before I did it again. This is the best advice I have ever received. I did it again. I painted the front clip, from the torsion bar cross member forward (the front fenders/nose cone are off) and most of it came out okay. Got some fuzzies again and one part of the frame rail looks like someone dragged light cotton balls over it. Yep, I did all the things you said not to do. Too far away, it was not hot but it was a bit dry and the temp dropped kind of fast from 64 to 53. Also, I had built a painting tent around the front of the car. It worked in the sense that not even the smell got out to the rest of the car. But, I had one fan on the floor parallel to the right front door and one on the cowl above the firewall. Somehow these fans found every bit of dust, lint or whatever else, and there wasn't much, but that was a problem. The primer on flat surfaces, engine side of the inner fender, came out rough. I was able to smooth it with 600 grit sand paper. When I turned that fan off, no problem. This is my first time and I have so much to learn. Number one, paint really really is fussy about how it is applied. But, all in all, for a rattle can, it came out okay. In some places, it came out fantastic but most of them will end up hidden under fenders. I got greedy with the clear. I had a perfect shiny firewall, decided just a dab more clear (where the wiper motor goes), I had NO runs in the paint and hit it again with clear. Got some runs in the clear. My stupid fault. Anyway, I am printing all your posts and making an instruction book for me. I will read and re-read what you have written until I get this right. It may be a while, but I have some more smaller jobs to do (trunk) and will report back if I have cleaned up my act and got it right. By the way, I love doing this kind of work.

 

[Runner 68]

Wetting the floor down before you spray will help keep the microscopic dust down.
Is it on a lift or are you doing it on your back?

 

[khryslerkid]

Practice makes perfect! That's how we learn. Under the car is a great place to practice!

 

[Inspector71]

The car is up on floor jacks and I am on a creeper. Didn't realize how much his would antagonize my bad back either. But I am done. Not perfect, and the paint was not applied as evenly as I hoped but, due to my circumstances, this was my one option. I have done the entire engine bay, inner front fenders (which are off) radiator/grille area (nose cone off) you name it. Came out better the 2nd tme but still running into trouble with application of clear. Either too much or too little. Over the weekend I painted the front and rear leaf spring hangers, shackles, you name it. I took them off the car and ground them all down to bare metal. Much better job but no one will see them. No runs, no hits, no errors and look good.