I am at my wits end here.

I will give you some background information.

I am trying to paint my 73 camaro, this is my first paint job so please bare with me.
I am using PPG base coat clear coat paint, Hugger Orange. Everything has gone pretty good, got the color on the car, then the clear coat, I had one really bad run on the body line of the drivers rear quarter panel so I sanded the run out but just above the run above the body line the clear was very thin and I sanded thru the clear which exposed the color coat. This part all happened two weeks ago, now fast forward.
Today I wet sanded the area with 1000 git paper and applied a coat of color on the area. This is when my problem began.
Around the edge of where I broke thru the clear the clear is pulling up and wrinkled.
What did I do wrong???
How do I keep this from happening again?????:mad:

Did you use DBU or DBC. DBU is much more aggressive than DBC. The solvent reactivated the basecoat. Sand it again, seal it and rebase. You have to sand it well enough because it's "live" again. Like you just painted it. This can be tricky. You have to put the sealer on dry and in multiple coats because of the aforementioned. PATIENCE. Stretching the time between coats is recommended. And if you don't like the texture of the sealer just knock it down a little with 6 or 800 wet. You can do it without sealing it but you really have to tickle it. Put anything on medium to full wet and your toast. A heat lamp would help you tremendously before and throughout the process. Interesting to see what Crazy Canuck will have to say next door. He's a Sikkens man but knows the woods.

So could this have been avoided by force drying the paint or waiting a week?

alan

So could this have been avoided by force drying the paint or waiting a week?

alan


It would have to be baked. Just like the factory or a better equipped shop. Inrared lights are king and better than heatlamps accelerating the repair process. Most shops have heatlamps but not infrared. I'm out of collision now but still have a heatlamp.

The solvents are pushing between the layer of base and clear, reacting and causing the notorious "lift" ring. This is what needs to be addressed and sealer will accomplish it. Carefully.

It also could have been avoided (possibly) by knowing it could happen and pre-empting the lift by dry application technique.

For one I use base coat hardener and it is best to dust the base in several coats to get coverage .Putting it on to wet causes this.

For one I use base coat hardener and it is best to dust the base in several coats to get coverage .Putting it on to wet causes this.

Not all bases require hardener. R-M does and will not warranty a repair if it's not used. It is because the factory uses waterborne paints and any problems associated with reactivity void reimbursements. After 25 years in collision I've seen my share or problems. Try addressing a problem when you have 5-8 cars to shoot in one day and babysit the help. Now I only have to worry about countless hours doing custom bike airbrushing and fixing problems associated with that.

So, can I sand down the edges (ring) and dust it really light?? Or use the primer sealer before I lay the color?
What about using a cold temp reducer? Would that help any??

So, can I sand down the edges (ring) and dust it really light?? Or use the primer sealer before I lay the color?
What about using a cold temp reducer? Would that help any??

You could ty it without sealer but you would be better off dusting a coat on. Note: all my posts refer to dry coats. The biggest thing in your favor is a solid color and no need to lay on a metallic to blend properly. If you use the sealer be sure not to use a reducer and if so use 860 instead of 870. Do you have any?

I don't have any 860 yet but I can get a quart if that would help tomorrow.

Can I use the sealer without any reducer at all??

What about using less reducer (860) instead of 1:1 something like 1: 1/2 or 1: 3/4????

Not all bases require hardener. R-M does and will not warranty a repair if it's not used. It is because the factory uses waterborne paints and any problems associated with reactivity void reimbursements. After 25 years in collision I've seen my share or problems. Try addressing a problem when you have 5-8 cars to shoot in one day and babysit the help. Now I only have to worry about countless hours doing custom bike airbrushing and fixing problems associated with that.

Sounds like you know more than me I will back off......

Sounds like you know more than me I will back off......

I always learn from others and being out of collision even for a short time I have to because products, systems and tech change. Fascinating and sometimes frustrating industry. Chemical variables can pose challenging obstacles.

If I have a cutthrough, I will usually just shoot some epoxy on it as a sealer/barrier coat and leave it sit awhile, knock down the epoxy (not absoulutely required if in epoxys open window time, usually 3 to 7 days depending on brand). This is usually quicker at least less nerve wracking then dicken around dry spraying the base, although I've had to dry spray base often in the past. It happens most with unactivated base, but even if activated it can happen as well.
Its not uncommon for a cutthrough to lift when you go to rebase. What is happening is with the clear cutthrough and the edge thin, the harsh solvents in the basecoat get under, attack and lift that edge, leaving a ring of lifting around the cutthrough. The reason you dry spray the base its to put as little solvent on, till a barrier is built up and it no longer lifts. Then you can spray and blend your base as normal (if dry sprayed a metallic will often be lighter then if sprayed normal) And if the base is dry sprayed, there is a possibility the adhesion could be compromised, at least somewhat. But once you get a barrier built up either with epoxy sealer or dry spraying base and the base stops lifting, the rest usually goes off without a hitch, and applying the clear will not lift anything.