Does the paint deity hate me!?
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 430
Likes: 1
From: Hampton, VA
Not to mention the bare metal temp. If you can't warm up the room, warm up the lowers and the cans at least. The lowers are probably 10 deg colder than the air temp as the bare metal gets damn cold. What epoxy are you using cause the brand matters and the age of the paint matters too.
Last edited by Failz; Mar 23, 2010 at 03:39 PM. Reason: I forgot the age!
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 682
Likes: 0
From: fallbrook, socal
+1 on advice given - you have alot of temp variations going on - warm paint, cool ambient, cold metal - generally speaking you want all three as close as possible and around 70 deg low humidity
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 11
From: Palm Harbor fl.
I remember in the cold of last year, I noticed a little paint had come off a small area of my engine. I grabbed my can of BBQ paint and went to touch it up. Sprayed it and all it did was fisheye and run. The engine was really cold from being in the cold garage all night. I learnt my lesson, so I cleaned the area off, ran the engine up to get warm, then touched up the spot and it came out smooth as butter.
Last edited by rounder; Mar 23, 2010 at 04:14 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 257
Likes: 2
From: Jersey Shore
Failz, I was having the same issues as you are. First time I did it they came out great, super glossy, except for one tiny speck of dust that got under the paint while I was spraying. I sanded and shot another coat, this time the temp in my garage was about 55 degrees, much colder than first time and much different results. I followed the advice I go here on the board that the temp may have been the issue. I re-sanded and sprayed under much warmer temps and...success. Stick with it man, If I could pull it off, you can too!
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Waldorf, MD
Failz, sprayed my lowers last week when it was nice out up here in MD. Did the same prep work you did, but i let the forks sit overnight and the next day while I was at work and just wiped them with alchohol right before I sprayed the rattle can. Force yourself to use a timer to spray no more than 5 minutes between coats, watch your distance from the forks. I would say at least 10-12 inches. Start up past the top and spray past the bottom by a couple of inches and keep the can moving smoothly. Only do no more than 5 coats (5 coats 5 minutes apart = 25 minutes) this gives you 5 minutes fudge factor. If you cant get the coverage you want you have to wait a couple of days for the first coats to cure before you clean it up. Hope this helps. Mine came out like liquid black glass. I also practiced on a few other pieces last year with this stuff, that might have helped me. Again I hope it helps.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 493
Likes: 0
From: Newfoundland, Canada
How much cheaper can you get than a rattle can?? All you need is practice, as with any painting.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,197
Likes: 708
From: (Toronto) Canada
I guess I am biased since I owned an industrial paint business for 24 years and have done this stuff many times.