Solvent Pop Issues

[syxxstring]

Thanks guys.

The regulator and "cheater valve" look very similar, but I think I have the cheater valve.

Sounds like maybe buying a proper regulator and finding a smaller nozzel may be worth trying.

Thanks!

Tricky aint it. Also put it right on the gun so you really know what your getting at the gun.

[RAI6]

Any updates?

[Foggy]

I run about the same on my compressor and gun. I also use a Iwata LPH400 for clear but it is overkill on something like a guitar ora bike frame.

DGW - I think that a 1.4 tip may be your issue. You would need to move pretty quick to not build a really thick coat. I use a 1.0 in my Sata Mini Jet and this allow me to slow down which really helps in the tight areas that get overlap. I am guessing that you see the most pop in areas that get overlapped while clearing and the flatter areas that get sprayed thinner are better.

Ther are a few ways to spra thinner coats - Thinner clear or move faster or both . Adjusting the gun to each method is important but I would not usually go down on air pressure to spray a thick clear thinner. once you get the gun spraying correctly leave it and learnhow to spray with it. I have used the same settings on my gun for about 4 years and it always works. I would suggest that you start doing some practive spraying and get as much gun time as possible.

Just read through this thread so coming into this late in the day, but I think DGW maybe has your solution here. I suffered the same problems that you're having now when I first started shooting lacquers and I completely understand your frustration. Like yourself I went through EVERYTHING to try and get rid of the problem and was actually becoming completely paranoid about shooting lacquer coats at all.

Not going to go over everything that's already been said here, but I always use a 1mm nozzle for shooting laqcuers on guitars, at 50psi pressure from the (second) moisture trap in my booth and adjusted further on the gun itself as I spray. I shoot one very, very, light dust coat of lacquer to mist the surface of the guitar, leave it for two or three minutes, then shoot a slightly heavier, but still very light coat over the guitar again. This is then left for roughly ten minutes and then shoot another slightly heavier coat (I have shot up to five light lacquer coats with a ten to twenty minute stand between each coat this way with great results). With the Octoral lacquers I use I've never had a problem, in fact I've never had a problem with various brands of lacquer I used over the years using this method. I don't use any solvent to thin the lacquer, just shoot it as it's mixed and it works perfectly. Just ensure you never have your lacquer 'swimming' on the surface and use the minimal pressure at the gun you can to get the necessary atomisation (too much pressure is not good). I tried umpteen different methods of applying lacquer prior to this one, with different mixes of solvents at different pressures, different temperatures and different nozzle sizes, but this is the one that worked for me.

Hope this is some use to you.

Edited August 23, 2008 by Foggy

[DGW]

I run about the same on my compressor and gun. I also use a Iwata LPH400 for clear but it is overkill on something like a guitar ora bike frame.

DGW - I think that a 1.4 tip may be your issue. You would need to move pretty quick to not build a really thick coat. I use a 1.0 in my Sata Mini Jet and this allow me to slow down which really helps in the tight areas that get overlap. I am guessing that you see the most pop in areas that get overlapped while clearing and the flatter areas that get sprayed thinner are better.

Ther are a few ways to spra thinner coats - Thinner clear or move faster or both . Adjusting the gun to each method is important but I would not usually go down on air pressure to spray a thick clear thinner. once you get the gun spraying correctly leave it and learnhow to spray with it. I have used the same settings on my gun for about 4 years and it always works. I would suggest that you start doing some practive spraying and get as much gun time as possible.

Just read through this thread so coming into this late in the day, but I think DGW maybe has your solution here. I suffered the same problems that you're having now when I first started shooting lacquers and I completely understand your frustration. Like yourself I went through EVERYTHING to try and get rid of the problem and was actually becoming completely paranoid about shooting lacquer coats at all.

Not going to go over everything that's already been said here, but I always use a 1mm nozzle for shooting laqcuers on guitars, at 50psi pressure from the (second) moisture trap in my booth and adjusted further on the gun itself as I spray. I shoot one very, very, light dust coat of lacquer to mist the surface of the guitar, leave it for two or three minutes, then shoot a slightly heavier, but still very light coat over the guitar again. This is then left for roughly ten minutes and then shoot another slightly heavier coat (I have shot up to five light lacquer coats with a ten to twenty minute stand between each coat this way with great results). With the Octoral lacquers I use I've never had a problem, in fact I've never had a problem with various brands of lacquer I used over the years using this method. I don't use any solvent to thin the lacquer, just shoot it as it's mixed and it works perfectly. Just ensure you never have your lacquer 'swimming' on the surface and use the minimal pressure at the gun you can to get the necessary atomisation (too much pressure is not good). I tried umpteen different methods of applying lacquer prior to this one, with different mixes of solvents at different pressures, different temperatures and different nozzle sizes, but this is the one that worked for me.

Hope this is some use to you.

Glad you chimed in Foggy.

I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had a chance to try anything out, but I wanted to tomorrow.

I have a decent Devilbiss touchup gun with a 1.0 nozzel ... is this cool to use?

Should I reduce the psi at my compressor from 80 to 50?

And try to reduce the psi at my gun as well (currently 20psi)?

And what type of fan spread do you look for and how far away to you hold the gun from the body? (bare in mind I'll be using a smaller touchup gun)

I've gpt a body ready for clear but I'm really, really paranoid about shooting the clear.

I've ruined so many really nice paintjobs and wasted so much time ... I really hope this works.

Edited August 24, 2008 by DGW

[Foggy]

Glad you chimed in Foggy.

I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had a chance to try anything out, but I wanted to tomorrow.

I have a decent Devilbiss touchup gun with a 1.0 nozzel ... is this cool to use?

Should I reduce the psi at my compressor from 80 to 50?

And try to reduce the psi at my gun as well (currently 20psi)?

And what type of fan spread do you look for and how far away to you hold the gun from the body? (bare in mind I'll be using a smaller touchup gun)

I've gpt a body ready for clear but I'm really, really paranoid about shooting the clear.

I've ruined so many really nice paintjobs and wasted so much time ... I really hope this works.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Foggy

[DGW]

Jim,

Your suggestion with using a 1.0 nozzel worked like a champ!

I immediately noticed better flow and the smaller nozzel allowed me alot more control.

I first shot a couple dust coats, then I did about 6 more light coats in 15 minute intervals.

The finish has a little orange peel, but I can knock that off with a little wet sanding before buffing it out.

Before, the solvent pop wasn't noticable until I would wetsand.

They weren't bubbles trapped in the clear.

They were tiny crator that had surfaced.

Then when I would wetsand, the residue would get trapped in these crators causing tiny white dots.

I eventually learned how to spot these tiny crators before wetsanding.

I can tell this time around (before wetsanding) ... no tiny crators, no solvent pop ... SUCCESS!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Edited August 25, 2008 by DGW

[Foggy]

Jim,

Your suggestion with using a 1.0 nozzel worked like a champ!

I immediately noticed better flow and the smaller nozzel allowed me alot more control.

I first shot a couple dust coats, then I did about 6 more light coats in 15 minute intervals.

The finish has a little orange peel, but I can knock that off with a little wet sanding before buffing it out.

Before, the solvent pop wasn't noticable until I would wetsand.

They weren't bubbles trapped in the clear.

They were tiny crator that had surfaced.

Then when I would wetsand, the residue would get trapped in these crators causing tiny white dots.

I eventually learned how to spot these tiny crators before wetsanding.

I can tell this time around (before wetsanding) ... no tiny crators, no solvent pop ... SUCCESS!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge.

No problem at all, pleased to be able to help out