Somebody tell me about Clear Coat

[BadHabit]

This is my first shot to working with clear coat,I have always used acrylic enamel paint and could easily make it shine with depth.
I have tried unsuccessfully for the past 3 days to Clear Coat my hood.The 1st time.it just came out rough..Sanded it down and did it again,wound up with mucho orange peel.sanded it down again and coated it a little heavier and wound up with orange peel and (dust?)
I have tried 2 light coats and one wet coat,2 light coats and 2 heavy coats..adjust air from 25 to 45 lbs,
I am using a Ingersoll-Rand gravity feed gun(have used it with much success for about 3 years) with 1.6 fluid tip
PPG Clear coat and catalyst with a 4 to 1 ratio

any advice would be appreciated

BH

[USDM-GTO]

found some info. Hope this helps you out. Probably as detailed as one can get without being there with you.

Orange Peel

Condition : Uneven Surface Formation - much like the physical appearance of orange peel. Results from poor coalescence of atomized paint droplets. Paint droplets dry out before they can flow out and level smoothly together.

Causes

Improper Gun Adjustment and Techniques


- Check for low air pressure.
- Check for wide fan spray patterns.
- Check the distance of the spray gun from the surface when spraying. You should always hold a paint gun at right angles to the surface being painted from a distance of 6-10 inches. Spraying at excessive gun distances causes droplets to become too dry during their travel time to the work surface and they remain as formed by gun nozzle.
- Check the spray gun was setup properly using the correct tips and spray cap.

Extreme Painting Environment Temperature


When the air temperature is too high, droplets lose more solvent and dry out before they can flow and level properly. The ideal temp to paint at is 22.5 degrees centigrade.

Improper Drying


Gun fanning before paint droplets have a chance to flow together will cause orange peel.

Improper flash or re-coat time between coats


If the first coats of enamel are allowed to become too dry, the solvent in the paint droplets of following coats will be absorbed into the first coat before proper flow is achieved.

Wrong and/or too little thinner or reducer


Under-diluted paint or paint thinner with fast evaporating solvents causes the atomized droplets to become too dry before reaching the surface.

Materials not uniformly mixed


Many finishes are formulated with components that aid coalescence. If these are not properly mixed, orange peel will result.

Alternatives


- Check the smoothness of the substrate surface.
- Check if the imperfection is specific to the one color.

Prevention

Use proper gun adjustments, techniques and air pressure.
Schedule painting to avoid temperature and humidity extremes. Select the thinner or reducer that is suitable for existing conditions. (The use of a slower evaporating solvent will overcome this.)
Always allow sufficient flash and dry times. Never dry by fanning.
Always allow proper drying time for undercoats and topcoats. (Not too long or too short.)
Select the thinner or reducer that is most suitable for existing environmental conditions to provide good flow and leveling of topcoat.
Reduce to recommended viscosity with proper thinner/reducer.
Stir all pigmented undercoats and topcoats thoroughly.


Solution : Compounding may help with removing orange peel from paint - a mild polishing compound for enamel, rubbing compound for lacquer. In extreme cases, sand down to a smooth surface and refinish, using a slower evaporating solvent at the correct air pressure.

[enigma]

I'd say that your ratio of 4 to 1 sounds incorrect as it seems like its drying out before it can flow out propery, the ratio is not mandatory and is only a guide depending on temps at the time of spraying you can change the ratio depending on the temps at the time during cold weather I add more hardener, all the 2k lacquer I have used has always been 2 to 1 ratio, I usually I do 1 light pass (light full coverage) and leave it for up 10 minutes depending on temps, do a finger test on an edge to see how tacky it is and when nearly dry do a full coat pass, the 1st pass when nearly dry will give the full coat something to hang on to and stop running or drooping.
Before polishing I leave mine for 24 hours to allow the solvents dry out a light rub down with with 1200 with soapy water and then machine polish with a non amonia compound such as Farecla G3 or a 3M product
I was clear coating my front bumper and wing car last week outside and drying times were about an 60 minutes to be touch dry but still soft! will post some pics later!

Tony

[colt45 gto]

ratio should be 2:1 2 parts clear 1 part activator/catalist/hardener.

you have the mixture wrong clear is quite thick so the catalist will thin it. it will also go harder faster. try the 2;1 mix and come back with results.

[BadHabit]

O.k., I think I see what I have done wrong..My mixture ratio is wrong and I have not been waiting long enough for it to dry.I had to get this done so in the meantime I had painted the hood in acrylic enamel. In the next 2 weeks ,I have another to do and will try these recommendations at that time and will follow up with the results .Actually ,I think I will practice a bit before then.
Thanks so much for the replies
BH