A little worried about shooting sealer

Slofut

Promoted Users
I'm getting closer to paint day on my corvette. I've shot white spi epoxy several times and there's a short learning curve to shoot it without craters, namely don't shoot it heavy (and I have a heavy hand). I've found that light wet coats are the best way to avoid cratering, but I haven't shot it reduced as a sealer yet. So as I get to the point after literally hundreds of hours of sanding, to ready to seal and paint, I'm concerned about the chances of the sealer pin holing or cratering or something nasty as I'm under the gun to base. I'm sure it'll need to go on pretty light correct? And I think itll be pretty much transparent? No hiding to speak of? I'll have a few spots that I'll prob need to hit with a couple extra coats prior to the overall sealer coat just to even the color a bit. As the car will be completely in white epoxy sanded to 600, what would be the best reduction for sealer?
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Thanks Tex, I'm spraying orange metallic so I need the white primer. I'm concerned about getting craters etc... which would be a disaster at that point. I'm hoping that the reduced epoxy wouldn't be nearly as susceptible. I guess if I had a problem I could wet sand it out after an hour and spot it back then base?
 
I do one of 2 things - if I feel I need more consistent coverage (even) I will spray a full coat and then sand my epoxy with whatever grit and paint - if I feel I have even coverage already ( looks like you do) , I will mix 1:1:1 and just spray quickly and lightly to avoid any craters - it’s a transparent coat - just for adhesion
 
aren’t craters problem of proper cleaning than coat thickness? i used to spray first coat dry to avoid any craters or little fish eyes, but after evolving my wax and grease skill i put a nice wet sealer coat without any craters.
 
have you thought about using the white 2k sealer? its much easier to work with since you can sand out dust nibs or defects in about 5 min. it will cover better and give you that solid white that you need under a bright orange. also fills in block sanding scratches much better than epoxy. i do like epoxy but each has their place. when i was painting bikes i was always using the 2k sealer.
 
Jim can I put the 2k sealer over fully cured and sanded (to 400) epoxy? The epoxy has been on now for six months (no direct sunlight to speak of). Are you talking about SPI 2k?
 
If epoxy has been on for 6 months, a respray of thinned epoxy would really be good for maximum adhesion between layers, even if going back over with SPI 2k as a final sealer.
 
If I was going to shoot reduced epoxy over the cured, Why would I not want that to be my sealer coat? White epoxy is available.

John
 
If I was going to shoot reduced epoxy over the cured, Why would I not want that to be my sealer coat? White epoxy is available.
John

Just trying to get a smooth coat of sealer on John. I'm prob way overthinking this. I haven't shot epoxy as a sealer yet but have sprayed epoxy with crater issues at times, I think from overloading.
But yes, the whole car is in white epoxy that has been on for 6 months. I was concerned about getting a smooth coat of epoxy sealer without the chance of craters and John suggested 2k for its ease of sanding soon after its sprayed, allowing touch ups just before basing. But that was before he knew the primer had been on for 6 months. I'll need to put a couple coats of epoxy sealer on now before base and if they go on well that'll be it, ready for base. Can I seal over 400 grit for bright orange metallic base?
 
Strum, if that's the case I'm good. Bmenard and Tex have made me feel better too... I desperately need to shoot this damn car, I could block it and fix tiny imperfections forever.

I just three weeks ago spent 5 days in ICU from an intestinal tangle. Thought I was gonna die, they removed 18" small intestine that was dead. They let me out on sunday and tuesday I was back at work as I had office work that had to be done. Saw the doc at ten days and he said I was in the top 1 percent of recoveries from this, but he was concerned I may overdo it and get in trouble. So I laid off the bodywork until yesterday, blocked some guide coat on the drivers door and I hope today I can get the door finished and then finish up the hood. I pretty much had to rebuild the hood and I have a ton of hours in it. I need this bitch to be orange... :rolleyes:
 
LOL, Glad things are working out for you.

Generally the problem with craters in the epoxy are due to loading it on during the first coat. I only had it happen once and by shooting the first coat wet but not loading it on problem solved. I just personally think the reduced epoxy makes sense for the place you are at. If need be some minor de-nibbing can be done before base.....Sealer and base can be done same day.

John
 
If you are worried about the white epoxy, then seal it with any color epoxy and just add white basecoat to your list to get white under the orange metallic.

Spray what you are most comfortable spraying, just give the reduced epoxy a chance.
 
Can I seal over 400 grit for bright orange metallic base
I always finish sand with 600 under a metallic base if you're not sealing. If sealing, 400 is fine, and if you need to sand the sealer, use 600. Never had any cratering with reduced epoxy. Maybe turn the fluid knob in a little, and keep your speed and distance consistent. Mix some reduced epoxy and spray a practice panel until you get a smooth, crater free surface. Normally the craters occur when you slow down, get too close, or double coat an area.
 
Strum, if that's the case I'm good. Bmenard and Tex have made me feel better too... I desperately need to shoot this damn car, I could block it and fix tiny imperfections forever.

I just three weeks ago spent 5 days in ICU from an intestinal tangle. Thought I was gonna die, they removed 18" small intestine that was dead. They let me out on sunday and tuesday I was back at work as I had office work that had to be done. Saw the doc at ten days and he said I was in the top 1 percent of recoveries from this, but he was concerned I may overdo it and get in trouble. So I laid off the bodywork until yesterday, blocked some guide coat on the drivers door and I hope today I can get the door finished and then finish up the hood. I pretty much had to rebuild the hood and I have a ton of hours in it. I need this bitch to be orange... :rolleyes:

Good Lord man! That's awful. Glad you are feeling better but don't push it too hard. It's just a car, can't enjoy it if you are dead.:)
 
Bumping a month old thread...sometimes when I've had those craters, they are superficial enough that I can just sand them out.
It might be overkill, but I always shoot unreduced epoxy and wet sand the entire thing with 600 (because I'm usually spraying metallic), then shoot base. When you're less than perfect like me, 600 gives you a perfect substrate for base, allowing a chance to remove all dust nibs, any minor peel, and any little craters that might have happened.
 
Bumping a month old thread...sometimes when I've had those craters, they are superficial enough that I can just sand them out.
It might be overkill, but I always shoot unreduced epoxy and wet sand the entire thing with 600 (because I'm usually spraying metallic), then shoot base. When you're less than perfect like me, 600 gives you a perfect substrate for base, allowing a chance to remove all dust nibs, any minor peel, and any little craters that might have happened.

I often do the very same procedure.
It makes for a quality paint job.
 
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