Cutting down paint?

Post by **moggiemadman** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:00 pm

Hey guys,ive just finshed spraying dolly,but need a easyer way to cut down the paint,as its dull and orange peal effect! is there like a machine for this? if so anyone got one they could borrow me? currently at the moment using cutting paste and cloths,HARD WORK.I was hopnig to speed up the process to make it nice and shiny for the next birmingham brance meeting.

Cheers
John

Post by **chickenjohn** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:09 pm

Use very fine wet and dry sand paper to take the lumps off the orange peel/runs/ Start with 1200grit briefly to get the worst of the lumps off, then 1500, 2000 etc all used wet. Finally polish with cutting compound. You will need to have sprayed a good thickness of paint to avoid going through to the primer.

Far better to improve your technique and get a good finish out of the gun IMHO!

Polishing- buy a mop/polishing machine to use with cutting compound. Something like this:- there are various brands available.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:20 pm

Yes - 'wet and dry' paper used wet with soap will flat it down - but as CJ says - it's all too easy to rub through the paint. Only use the cuttiung compound after the orange peel etc is flatted out with fine paper. Many thin coats is the best way to avoid orange peel - and the gun held not too close to the job!

Post by **Dominic** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:40 pm

Many thin coats is the best way to avoid orange peel - and the gun held not too close to the job!

Thanks BM - saved me asking the question!

Post by **MGFmad** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:43 pm

If you are using a cutting compound such as Farecla with the polishing mop, be very carefull at panel edges where the paint is likely to be thinner and have a water sprayer handy to keep the panel wet while compounding.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:32 pm

Watch how it's done on 'Overhaulin' etc !

Post by **chickenjohn** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:12 am

bmcecosse wrote:Yes - 'wet and dry' paper used wet with soap will flat it down - but as CJ says - it's all too easy to rub through the paint. Only use the cuttiung compound after the orange peel etc is flatted out with fine paper. Many thin coats is the best way to avoid orange peel - and the gun held not too close to the job!

in addition to that-

Try and spray on a warm dry day (or best of all in a booth), use a decent spray gun- set the fan right and set the pressure right (30-50psi for celly) better guns do give a better finish- and learn to move the gun in the right way- not too fast or too slow, need to keep a wet edge going without having runs.

Experiment on some scrap that you've primed and experience is the only way to learn.