93rev2sev
SHO Member
Clearcoat application failure analysis:
I've got all the bugs and nibs out of that first clear coat. I knocked it all down with a very light 400 grit on a block. In doing so, I've found a couple of places that want more base coat; like the passenger rocker panel near the rear tire and under the upper door seals and windshield drip rail. All the things will be covered in the end, but still - they're getting all your base while I have the opportunity.
As for having to sand everything again? I don't blame the bugs. I blame my inexperience. I should have been prepared to pick out bugs between coats. I could be driving it right now.
The first time I sprayed the clear, I just tried to spray everything and sweep across the car from front to back...trying in vain to maintain a wet edge as I went. It was impossible to keep the spray pattern consistent because I had to slow down and hit corners....remember where I left off, start back up and try to blend back into the pattern I left...it makes perfect sence now that I've done it once and I'm sure I've read about it but tacit knowledge trumps all.
I was afraid that if I shot the corners and then came back to shoot the panel, I'd have problems getting it to flow, and that I'd be spraying over that dust. The truth is that there's plenty of time to shoot the hard to reach places (on the whole car) and then come back over it, panel by panel. The final pass will just melt right in. Even ten minutes later. I was surprised how well it flowed back out even when I was done and started to pick out bugs. I shouldn't have given up, actually. I should have been prepared to pick bugs out between coats and after. I had no idea I could pick out a big ass mosquito and it would flow back so nicely for so long after the clearcoat film had been setting up. I picked a lot of bugs out even a half hour after cleaning my gun and there's only a few legs left in there.
This time, I'll go front to back spraying corners, edges and those hard to reach spots that I added basecoat to and once I get to the back, I'll start forward again with a nice solid "panel to panel" strategy that will allow me to keep the gun at the right distance and angle for the entire length of the panel. When I get to the front and I'm done, I'll shut off the fans, close the doors and pick out any bugs I see.
Oh and next time, I'll toss the gun in the trash and immediately start to pick out bugs LOL. We're all going to see what a rookie can do with a $30 Harborfreight HVLP gun. Someone on this forum once said it was such a crappy gun he wouldn't shoot primer with it...or something like that.
I've got all the bugs and nibs out of that first clear coat. I knocked it all down with a very light 400 grit on a block. In doing so, I've found a couple of places that want more base coat; like the passenger rocker panel near the rear tire and under the upper door seals and windshield drip rail. All the things will be covered in the end, but still - they're getting all your base while I have the opportunity.
As for having to sand everything again? I don't blame the bugs. I blame my inexperience. I should have been prepared to pick out bugs between coats. I could be driving it right now.
The first time I sprayed the clear, I just tried to spray everything and sweep across the car from front to back...trying in vain to maintain a wet edge as I went. It was impossible to keep the spray pattern consistent because I had to slow down and hit corners....remember where I left off, start back up and try to blend back into the pattern I left...it makes perfect sence now that I've done it once and I'm sure I've read about it but tacit knowledge trumps all.
I was afraid that if I shot the corners and then came back to shoot the panel, I'd have problems getting it to flow, and that I'd be spraying over that dust. The truth is that there's plenty of time to shoot the hard to reach places (on the whole car) and then come back over it, panel by panel. The final pass will just melt right in. Even ten minutes later. I was surprised how well it flowed back out even when I was done and started to pick out bugs. I shouldn't have given up, actually. I should have been prepared to pick bugs out between coats and after. I had no idea I could pick out a big ass mosquito and it would flow back so nicely for so long after the clearcoat film had been setting up. I picked a lot of bugs out even a half hour after cleaning my gun and there's only a few legs left in there.
This time, I'll go front to back spraying corners, edges and those hard to reach spots that I added basecoat to and once I get to the back, I'll start forward again with a nice solid "panel to panel" strategy that will allow me to keep the gun at the right distance and angle for the entire length of the panel. When I get to the front and I'm done, I'll shut off the fans, close the doors and pick out any bugs I see.
Oh and next time, I'll toss the gun in the trash and immediately start to pick out bugs LOL. We're all going to see what a rookie can do with a $30 Harborfreight HVLP gun. Someone on this forum once said it was such a crappy gun he wouldn't shoot primer with it...or something like that.
