Paint Guys (runs in clear)

[blyota91]

I finished painting my truck last weekend.  First time I have a ever painted anything with a spray gun.  I started out with a high build primer, then used a basecoat, then a clear.  If it matters the clear is a urethane clear.  The primers and the base came of pretty good for having no experience or idea what I was really doing.  The clear came out great in place, not so great in others.  I've got some pretty nasty runs I would like to tone down at least, not looking for perfect.  What sorts of tools or techniques do I need to accomplish this?

Thanks
Andrew

[papa mike]

wet sand them out

[brainlessfool]

and then respray the clear.
also giving that you said this is your frist time spraying I've found that most ppl go a bit heavy the frist time, not a hole lot just a bit to heavy.

then the next two or three they go way to lite and get "orenge peal"

don't be afread to put it on, just watch for it to "gloss out". and then move on.

[blyota91]

I didn't have the best lighting conditions for doing the clear, some of it came of very nice though.  The worst of my runs are one of the first places I started out.

[Ruari]

I just painted my truck and I have areas of lots of orange peal and areas of lots of runs.  My friend used to work in an auto body shop and said to use a razor blade to carefully cut down the clear runs and then wet sand it with 1500 grit.

[brainlessfool]

  My friend used to work in an auto body shop and said to use a razor blade to carefully cut down the clear runs and then wet sand it with 1500 grit.

that's an old body man trick, you have to be good to use it.

[red]

i wouldnt recommend the razorblade work unless your experianced with painting. very, very easy to mess up and cut down all the way to the base metal. just wet sand and respray the clear coat. if its just a body panel or two tape off the other panels and wet sand the messed up panel, then respray that panel.

so if you messed up on the passanger door, tape off the body panels around that door, resand the door, then respray it. since you just painted the truck this trick will work (paint hasnt faded).

[Thomas P]

x4 ive had the same problem, but wet sanded and resprayed for a flawless finish

[86bobbedtoy]

How much thinner is everyone using?
The more thinner the less orange peel I use 5-20% depending on conditions
But it make it 10x harder not to get runs but on the otherhand you tend to spray less because there is less orange peel to cover up. I do 2 coats, But I have years of experience.
But yeah just let it completely dry and sand it out dry or wet but use wetdry paper.
good luck

[kneedownnate]

I just painted my truck and I have areas of lots of orange peal and areas of lots of runs.  My friend used to work in an auto body shop and said to use a razor blade to carefully cut down the clear runs and then wet sand it with 1500 grit.

I have a paint nibbler coming supposedly (been on order for atleast a month) that's for sanding the runs and drips.  It's a little block with little file like teeth set just below the edges.  I'd assume it's rubber so it doesn't mar the paint, but you just lightly run it over the run and it'll sand it down close to flat, then sand like everybody else is saying.

[Willy Mammoth]

The one I had was a little wooden block with a body file looking piece on it. They are ok, but you can do damage with it too.

If the paint is good and dry it shouldn't rub off or peal away from the base.

If you have a steady hand you can use a razor blade standing up on end at 90* to the finish, lightly scrape it along the length of the run back and forth. Just slowly take the high spot off till it is flush with the surounding aera. Keep in mind the high side above the run may not have as much thickness and may be easier to go through. If you didn't leave any cuts or skip marks you could buff the rest out, but a light sanding may be needed first with 1200.

Any pics of how bad they are?

[TheTransporter]

if your gonna use a razor blade, round off the corners at the ends of the blade with like 800 grit paper. it only takes a few seconds to do this and there is less of a chance for the edge of the blade to do more damage.

[Hyena]

You aren't suppose to cut the run with the razor blade.  you are suppose to scrape it carefully.  scrape it till it is flush with the paint, then wet sand it.

[Willy Mammoth]

You aren't suppose to cut the run with the razor blade.  you are suppose to scrape it carefully.  scrape it till it is flush with the paint, then wet sand it.

Scrape , cut   


If you hadn't waited till it setup you could have taped it out. 

I just had to do that with the inside of my hood when I got a little carried away on the first coat. 

[TheTransporter]

yes, scrape. you just take the edges off so there is even less of a chance to put small scrape marks in the paint

[kneedownnate]

[KDXSR5]

  I agree.

[blyota91]

I'll see if I can get some, kind of embarrassed    I shouldn't be as I've never painted in my life.  I don't have time to respray the clear as it's going to start snowing in the next day or two and I only have my truck and my motorcycle. 

[86bobbedtoy]

just sand them out and buff the hell out of it.

[Plekto]

I personally prefer the old-school laquer approach.  At least 6-10 coats of paint and clear mixed together and a buttload of wet sanding.  Expect it to take a week or more to finish.  Another dirty trick if you're *not* using metallic pain is to put a tiny bit of it into the clear to tint it and help blend the imperfections a bit.(I'm talking about a teaspoon or less per gallon - you should hardly see the effect)   Mercedes does this trick on their new cars and it looks great(they also matching tint the windows which is slick).