Technical Trash in paint, getting ready to slit my wrists

I have been having problems with fisheye and what appears to look like sand in my primer/paint. I bought a $400 3 stage water/oil trap. No bueno. New hoses, fittings etc.

Here is a pic of
Some epoxy primer I just shot. Sanded to bare metal, wiped with oil/grease remover, shop was swept out and cleaned prior to spraying. This is the weirdest thing I have ever dealt with.

I have switched brands lately and I really don’t wanna bring a name into this. Especially if it is something on my end.

I just don’t know. It’s every single piece I sprayed. It’s too uniform to be trash. It acts like a chemical reaction or something foreign.

It’s a simple 1:1 ratio.

Anyone else ever had this?

 

Is that bubbles or grit? Maybe try brushing some on a clean piece of metal. Maybe you got a bad mix from the paint store?

Just conjecturing here.

 

Looks like Armoral has been sprayed in the area recently, try wiping the car down with "wax and grease" remover if you haven't already. Just my opinion...

 

Do you mix in a separate cup, then pour it into the gun with a strainer? If so, does the strainer catch anything? I know its an obvious question but gotta start somewhere.

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That should read "through a strainer". Also, do you blow your parts off before spraying? I know ive had dirt blow out of crevices before bit you said it's uniform so that seems unlikely. Bugs also seem unlikely. Picking a blister open might help narrow it down. Does it chunk up on masking tape or paper? What temp is your paint area?

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I had that happen once with bad / old catalyst mixed in my paint, filter didn't catch it but did it when it hit the fender.

 

Check the expiration date on the catalyst.
New and unopened is not the same as fresh.

 

Is it crap in the paint or bubbles? Looks like it could be solvent pop which would be the result of spraying too much material at once or not leaving enough flash time between coats. You said you changed products did you read the TDS for the new product and adjust how you apply accordingly or just stick with what you have always done in the past with a different product?

 

I have been using it for the last few months.
I don’t have a strainer at the gun. The new oil/water separator makes the air as dry as a popcorn fart.

I don’t think there is an expiration date on the catalyst that I have seen.

I mix the primer in a separate cup, strained through multiple filters.

I blew off all the parts and then wiped them down with the oil and grease remover made by the same company as the primer.

I sprayed a tack coat and then a medium coat.
This is just one coat. The tech sheets don’t say much, other than 2 medium coats. I quit after a tack coat and one medium.

 

There will probably be a batch code not an expiration date. You would have to find out how it is read, call paint jobber.

 

I have friends that spray this same product and they have no issues. Of course, I have never had issues with other product, so I am somewhat skeptical.

I switched from PPG, because I got tired of selling kidneys to buy material. Maybe there is a reason for the cost.

 

Did you buy a new air hose?

 

Yup and new fittings.

 

Look's like water to me... Possibly condensation in half empty paint can, winter turn heat up, done heat off, day later heat on...off.. Possibly?

 

Have you tried spraying two medium coats with the proper flash times like the TDS states? There is usually a reason companies specify a particular spray method.

 

You might try using a new hose, and run some degreaser through it first. It looks like contaminated air from the pics, silicone/Armor All induced fisheyes are usually larger than that in my experience, and will show sags on a vertical surface. When I have had your issue happen to me in the past, it was from contaminated air, but a trap/filter took care of the problem, and I like to use the little filters at the gun too. They are cheap cheap cheap in the long run. Let us know what you find, it will be most helpful.

 

Have you take this up with the place you bought the paint? Maybe the problem is their end, you seem to have covered everything?

 

The only time I've seen something like this was on one panel I had cleaned and wiped down with a rag that had been contaminated with something. Its hard to tell if that's contamination or dirt from the picture. Looks like a pretty heavy coat too but hard to tell. I've had problems with filters at gun and don't use them any more but a lot of people swear by them.

 

Yes, but I’m no wasting any more time on this stuff. It’s all going to get sanded.

I sprayed the cab a week ago from the same batch and no issues. It comes and goes.

I talked with the mfg and they tried to help. That’s why I bought the 3 stage drier.

This pic is from last Saturday. No issues.

 

I run a shot of lacquer thinner through the gun and run it dry before I shoot anything just to be safe. Might try that to make sure there is no contamination.

Also, I’ve had something similar before from getting in a hurry and not mixing properly.
So now I overkill the mixing and let it set up for a few minutes before I start blowing away. I also put a capful of generic fish eye eliminator as well.

One more thing... I painted a dash piece yesterday that has some trash in it that I hope will buff out. But, I shot it horizontally on a bench instead of hanging it up as I normally do. I think shooting things vertically keeps the dust from settling on it so I’ll be doing that from now on.

Hope it works out.

 

I disassemble my gun after every time I get done shooting. I clean all the pieces in lacquer thinner and let them dry.

I also hang everything vertically.

I’m gonna let it dry and try and pick whatever it is out of the primer. Maybe if I can identify it, it will give me a direction.

 

If it comes and goes then it is something on your end causing the issue. Products don't work one week and then not work the next. Was there a large change in temp, humidity, time of day etc on the different days you painted? Metal was all at room temp when painted?

 

That’s why I have not mentioned a name of the product. Not a lot of change in the weather. Metal was room temp.
I wonder if the Hardner may be going south? It was opened back in the summer. Can hardeners absorb moisture over time?

 

I've been using epoxy primer for decades. There is no exp. date on the catalyst from what I'm aware of. You have described a correct procedure as to I have sprayed for years and not seen the results you have. My thought is that moisture was in the bottom of your air compressor and came out when you 1st started spraying. That's just a guess. I live in an area with low humidity. If you have high humidity, that could be a contributing factor. Wish I was more help.

 

It could be especially if it was old to start with. Try searching online to see if there is any info on how to read the batch code. It will usually provide a date of manufacture when deciphered. It would at least give you an idea if it is old or not. Hardeners tend to go bad faster than the paint side of things and do degrade once open. A few months is usually not a big issue though unless there has been large temp swing etc which may lead to contamination from things like condensation.

 

old hardeners are a problem, most are only good for two weeks once opened.

 

sure looks like dust to me. I spray in an old barn, I clean, prep, blow off and tape the night before I spray. I come in the next morning when the dust has settled, with clean clothes, tack rag the items and spray.
dry winter air, heater blowing, wiping the parts with a rag.......static may be your problem.

 

I know this is basic, but you are using a paint strainer can to the cup, right?


Bob

 

Yep. 2.