Aerosols.

[stuffedpike20]

I bought two aerosols from ebay to paint a spare bonnet.
They were £13 each, and the seller claimed a gloss finish straight out of the can.
All I am getting is orange peel. I have sprayed about 7 coats now. Each time the wet paint looks promising, but dries to a dull orange peel.
I think I have wasted my money. Don't get caught out like me.

[Chipper]

You'll probably need to add a few coats of clear coat (lacquer) to get a decent shine, as with most modern paints; when spraying professionally, you primer it, base coat it then lacquer it. Then, de-nib and polish.

[svenedin]

Orange peel can often be caused by silicone contamination. Silicone is in modern car waxes (and also incidentally in spray furniture polish) and it is also used as silicone grease in polyurethane bushes and as an alternative to red rubber grease on rubber parts.

You will need to go back to the original surface you were trying to paint and then clean meticulously to remove all traces of silicone using panel wipe. Be careful that you don't just smear the silicone around. Wipe with a good quality paper towel soaked in panel wipe and then throw that towel away, then repeat with a fresh towel. Finally use a tack cloth to remove any lint or dust.

Stephen

[stuffedpike20]

Thanks folks.

The bonnet I am spraying is already painted with raw uncut cellulose that I painted last year, and flatted with wet and dry, so no contamination.
The advert for the aerosols said no clear coat was needed.
I use panel wipe before spraying every time.

I think the paint is no good. Don't be tempted.

[Chipper]

Maybe the aerosol paint isn't compatible with the cellulose underneath...

[stuffedpike20]

Maybe the aerosol paint isn't compatible with the cellulose underneath...

Thanks for the suggestion, but the aerosols are cellulose.

[Chipper]

Fair enough. Tbh, it's quite rare to actually ever achieve a decent finish with aerosols in my experience. I've done several bicycle frames, car wheels, etc. over the years with them and even if you obtain a decent finish, it's very thin and easily chipped, plus the paint being so thin runs easily.

[stuffedpike20]

My neighbour is now 80 years old.
He tells me that when he was a young man, he got great results spraying motorbike petrol tanks using a tyre as the pressurised air source for the spray gun, and cellulose paint.
I think the paint must have been MUCH better in those days.

[philthehill]

Back in the day my father resprayed his Ford Popular using a cylinder vacuum cleaner. The sprayer was attached to the vacuum outlet and the rush of air was sufficient to pressurise the spray gun. The result was quite good but not up to factory standards.

[OGY985K]

My dad also used a vacuum cleaner…in his case it was to spray Vauxhall Victor.

[myoldjalopy]

My dad also used a vacuum cleaner…in his case it was to spray Vauxhall Victor.

Nice, clean finish, I expect!