Hot Rods Paint problems - I'm restoring old steering wheel

This has happened to me before and it sucks. What am i doing wrong?
Put 3 coats Krylon spray can gray primer on and 3 coats of Krylon gloss black spray on. Coat #4 started shrinking on me and pretty much wrecked 2 out of the 3 coats of black. What should i do now?
Thank you,
Guy in Dallas

 

Well, your going to ha to sand it off until you get to material not wrinkled or shrink checked. Perhaps you didn't leave enough time for the aromatic chemicals to evaporate causing trapped solvent....put a coat on and let it DRY....repeat!

 

I'm in a hurry ...shoot...paint is an impatient man's dilemma.
Thank you.

 

I'd say follow the directions on the can . Some tell you to re coat within a certain time frame .If you take too long between coats you get the shrinkage or wrinkles. I spray a light dust coat for first coat then let it flash off , then progressively wetter coats letting them flash off until just tacky till you get complete coverage....then let it thoroughly dry until you can't smell the solvents coming out. That can take a couple days with some spray bombs.

 

Just a question but why 3 coats of primer? HRP

 

Wet on wet will probably work best. You might try a different brand of paint also. The solvents in the paint are attacking the previously applied coat that is dry.

 

You using paint MADE for plastic?!.....(Of course you are)
Whats that super-duper paint for plastic???.......Simco 100 or some such?.
6sally6

 

I used Dupli-Color gray filler primer on my steering wheel followed by VHT Epoxy gloss black paint.
https://www.vhtpaint.com/specialty/vht-epoxy-all-weather-paint
All coats of the Epoxy black were applied within an hour. After 2 hours you need to wait at least 2 days before applying anymore coats. Whatever paint you use it's very important to adhere to the wait times listed in their instructions.

 

You did sand the primer before the color coat didn't you?

 

Are you sure it's shrinkage? Shrinkage at failure level usually happens long after the paint dries.
Describe better or post a pic.
Are you sure it's not wrinkling?

 

I must bear the patience of Job, then. I bought this aftermarket wooden tiller and hated the crappy stain job. So refinished it and laid down 8 coats of marine varnish. Took me two months, even with using Japan drier to speed the drying process.

 

Try using real paint and a real paint gun. That's the way we paint steering wheels.

 

You have my attention. How has the black Epoxy held up?

 

Also, how are the wheels being prepped? Old steering wheels get a lot of grease and skin oil soaked into them over time, which will also make paint lift, much like trying to paint a greasy engine or anything that got penetrating oil on it.

Also, 3 coats of primer seems like a lot, unless you're spraying a coat or two, letting it get fully hardened, sanding it, and spraying the next coat. Sometimes thickness will make paint lift, because the solvents can't all get out. I have the best luck with spray paint in direct sunlight and high temps, which I'm guessing is due to how much solvent is in it vs. solids.