masonbrian

I'm having problems with tiger striping in my paint. This is my first time spraying a metallic paint. My gun is a hvlp I'm running about 35psi at the gun. So any tips I can get spraying metalics will be very helpful. Any tips guys am I set too high psi holding the gun too close spray gun not set right etc. I'm using the same technique painting I do with any other paint left to right or up and down.

13611

Most likely a pressure issue. What kind of gun are you using? Before I take my first pass on any vehicle, I adjust my gun on a huge piece of paper that I tape to the wall. Hold it at the distance you're going to spray and do a quick trigger pull. I'm betting when you do that you'll see that you're heavy at the top and bottom of the pattern based on what the issue is you state you're experiencing. Drop the pressure down a little and do it again... again... again, until it's right. IF you're getting to a point where you feel the pressure is too low and it's still heavy at the top and bottom, bump the pressure up a little and close the flow down some and go through the pressure steps again. Metallics and pearls can't be hosed on like a solid color can. Also, after you've got the required coats "to cover" on, you HAVE to do a drop coat. If you get your gun dialed in on the wall and still have tiger stripes then it's time to talk about technique. However, based on what you wrote I'm assuming you know how to properly move a gun around. We love pictures here

masonbrian

Using a cheap gun from Walmart. What is a drop coat?

DUB

Need MUCH more information.

Such as what size is the needle or fluid tip? Is it a 1.3 or a 1.5 or larger???

Also..need to know how many turns you have your fluid adjustment set at. Which is also the same adjustment that limits your trigger travel.

Keep in mind that there is NO set 100% correct standard to setting your paint gun due to some many different types of paints out there that are completely different in the way they get atomized and how they are intended to be applied.

The choice of reducer or thinner grade for the air temperature you are shooting at is ALSO CRITICAL. I know the paint I use wants me to use one grade SLOWER than the actual air temp so I can apply the basecoat and it can stay wetter, longer and flow and level out and be as slick as glass. While other paints I have shot do not fair so well when I apply this practice and no matter what...there is a lot of overspray and I am fighting to keep a 'wet bed' so the basecoat will melt in when I switch sides of he car while painting.

I fell what is meant by a 'drop down' coat is a coat that is applied right after the coat you applied at a possible further distance so the metallics can lay on top of your 'wet bed' of paint you just applied to get the zebra stripes to go away. SO if you applied the paint in a front to back motion. The you would stand in front of the paella and do an 'X' pattern...or a pattern like this when standing at the front of the car ///// then this\\\\\\. Which would create an 'X'. AS stated...it is about technique.

Distance from the panel is also critical along with your travel speed.

One thing is for sure is that you have to get your spray patter correct or anything you do is a waste of time. And even if you do get the spray pattern correct...if you tilt your gun incorrectly while spraying and allow the head of the gun NOT to stay perpendicular to the surface. Your perfect spray pattern will not matter due to you are now allowing the spray pattern to apply the paint with a heavy side and a very light side.

What color is this paint. Such as a light silver blue or dark burgundy, etc???

DUB

masonbrian

1.5 nozzle not sure how many turns duplicolor paint shop finish system for paint deep blue metallic.Lacquer base paint doesn't like Louisiana humidy I think it dries too fast for a drop coat to stick when you paint a panel and finish you can touch where you started. I don't arc the paint gun try to keep my wrist locked. It's a ready spray paint no reducers. I'm running 35psi I'm not a pro but do a good job with reg paint this is also my first base coat clear coat paint job I'm using a 2 part urethane clear. I'm holding the gun about 5in from the surface.

68notray

Don't mean to insult but sounds like you are trying to spray the cheapest paint know to man out of a throw away gun - good results might not be possible. Good paint runs several hundred $ a mixed gallon and good guns are $400 plus. Do you have enough compressor? What moisture trap? Dedicated paint-only air hoses? All $ spent on these improve the finish quality

masonbrian

I know it's a cheap paint but this is a work truck paint doesn't have to be perfect I just don't want the tiger striping. My usual paint is ppg single stages I've used this setup with ppg non metalics with good results. This paint can't be worse than when a friend got me to spray his truck with rustolem didn't look too bad till the sun faded it. The duplicolor doesn't look bad where I got no tiger striping just wondering how to get rid of it.

When I spray my corvette I'm using ppg black and renting the local body shops paint booth. Work truck don't have to be perfect just good.

DUB

If this paint is drying that fast on you and you cannot add any more reducer to it...you are going to be fighting an up hill battle on it.

With the paint already reduced. You are stuck with the grade of reducer they put in it...and also the viscosity of the paint.

If eth reducer in the paint is set up for ambient air temps (70-85F) and you are shooting at a much higher temp. This is why or partially why it is flashing off so quickly.

You are going to have to play around with your volume control on your gun and other spraying techniques to try to stop this zebra striping effect.

Raising the gun head further away from the panel when you spray may help but it also can cause for some serious dry spray and possible pebbling of the paint.

DUB

csherman

Couple hints to help avoid tiger stripes
- your too close
- your moving too slowly
- the fan is set wrong - meaning the spray pattern - use a piece of paper and test your fan pattern - look at the layout - it should spray evenly across the pattern -
- Too low of pressure
Check your air pressure at the cap
Which Walmart gun ?

You can achieve decent results - just need to set your gun up right....

2tired

If you're spraying metallic base coat at 5" and using a 1.5 tip, you will never eliminate the stripes no matter you adjust the gun..

Gold Dragon

Tighten up your overlap in the spray pattern.

masonbrian

Then what is the correct way? I have a gun that has a 1.8 tip

DUB

This is going to be really hard due to that needle size is not designed to shoot paint. It can but it may want to flood it on heavy.

The only thing you can TRY is to reduce the amount of trigger travel...so you only let out a little bit of paint when spraying and HOPE that it will work due to you can not it seems that you cannot add any more reducer/thinner to the paint to make it more 'watery'...if that is the problem with it al all.

So playing around with the fluid setting and how much air pressure...distance from the panel and travel speed ...your fan setting on the gun is something you have to figure out.

I would start with ONE full turn out on the fluid setting and go from there. Just guessing at that also.

I know if the stuff were here I could set it up so it would work...or maybe I could not due to the paint itself. Can't say for sure.

DUB

masonbrian

So I should use the 1.5mm gun? What overlap should I be at? Also what distance is best for metallic and size of the fan?

DUB

1.5.. I guess would be better....possibly a 1.3 would even be better than that.

You have to understand I do not shoot the type of paint you are shooting so I am 'flying blind'.

I know how to paint and how to adjust a gun...but not knowing how the paint reacts or gets atomized due to the fact you said you can not reduce it. I have no clue on what is happening when you pull the trigger. Hence...'flying blind'.

For the last time...you have to test it out and find what will work. OR...contact Duplicolor directly and let them help you out....and tell them the problems you are having.

DUB

Gold Dragon

The mark of a good painter, is knowing how to fix your mistakes. You have already begun so you are on your way. Dub has given some good advice that should be taken. A lot of the techniques you are asking about are acquired skills and require time and patience to learn.
When I refer to overlap, I mean the pattern of paint that is applied. These patterns of paint need to overlap correctly or you will have stripes or streaks regardless of pressure. Depending on what type of material you are using you could try to spray your patterns closer together. Almost over one another. Tighten up

2tired

Because of the paint product you're spraying, vs. what we spray, I might be comparing grapes to grapefruit here. My shop uses PPG DBC (Deltron Base), and it's recommended to overlap spray passes 75%. That helps reduce the chance of streaking and mottling with metallic colors.

We also use slow reducers year round.