Deltron DC3000

[wishiwastorching]

At Bill's (Steel FX) recommendation I just braught some DC3000 for my clear coat.
I have no "spraying" background but it seemed easy enough. I baught a $20 sprayer from Harbor Freight.
I prepped my piece, coated with copper fx first, rinsed, force air dried and coated with DC3000. All went great but I noticed a fine texture to the clear. It looks good but I thought it would be more smooth. Were my coats not wet enough? I sprayed the piece hanging. Can I sand and recoat? Any tips, trick or critiques would be great!

[steelfx]

At Bill's (Steel FX) recommendation I just braught some DC3000 for my clear coat.
I have no "spraying" background but it seemed easy enough. I baught a $20 sprayer from Harbor Freight.
I prepped my piece, coated with copper fx first, rinsed, force air dried and coated with DC3000. All went great but I noticed a fine texture to the clear. It looks good but I thought it would be more smooth. Were my coats not wet enough? I sprayed the piece hanging. Can I sand and recoat? Any tips, trick or critiques would be great!

You can sand & recoat.
Check the following: 1.3mm fluid tip, air tip & needle?
Inlet pressure (at the gun) 12-18 psi?
Nozzle distance to workpiece about 6"?
Two coats about 10 minutes apart?
60-70% Overlap on each pass?

The fine texture you're describing is often called "orange-peel" and indicates not enough pressure, resulting in
a less than optimum blend of clear-coat & air-pressure.

One more thing...it really helps if you go over the Copper F/X, or any other patina, with a high-quality, lint-free
tack rag prior to shooting the clear.

Bill

[wishiwastorching]

Thanks Bill. I'll try that. Hard to tell on a cheap sprayer what the pressure is but obviously I need to increase it so I will. Orange peel is exactly what it is. What do you recommend sanding with? Fine steel wool or something else?

[steelfx]

Thanks Bill. I'll try that. Hard to tell on a cheap sprayer what the pressure is but obviously I need to increase it so I will. Orange peel is exactly what it is. What do you recommend sanding with? Fine steel wool or something else?

Depending on how much orange-peel there is, I'd use either 320 or 400 wet-or-dry. Deltron has a lot of solids, so it will
fill in the low spots nicely, but you've got to have your gun settings right or it will make you frustrated. The finish will
look like you've "dipped the piece in glass" if it's done correctly. Get a regulator & disposable dessicant/filter that you can put on the base of your gun. I actually set my inlet pressure at 18psi, even though the specs call for 10-12psi.
Those pressures are for HVLP and will vary from gun to gun.

Bill

[wishiwastorching]

Every thing I do is on a budget. Where would you recommend getting a regulator and desiccant dryer for my gun?

[steelfx]

Every thing I do is on a budget. Where would you recommend getting a regulator and desiccant dryer for my gun?

I suppose you could purchase those from HF, also. A regulator is about $30 & the disposable, inline filters are about $5.

I know Lowes or Home Depot has them, as well.

Bill

[wishiwastorching]

Ok, next DC 3000 question! How do I get it to dry the quickest between coats? Can I increase the activator? I'm getting 20-30 min dry times instead of the 5-7 mins like Bill mentioned. Can I change activators? Looking for a 10-15 min. Non tacky time. I will be in 80-90 degree weather and set up semi-outside for a booth I'm running for a week at a show. Bringing my whole shop in a trailer, wanting to do quick turn around stuff but I have to get this clear to dry even just a little faster. Thanks guys and gals for listening(reading)!
Matt

[steelfx]

Ok, next DC 3000 question! How do I get it to dry the quickest between coats? Can I increase the activator? I'm getting 20-30 min dry times instead of the 5-7 mins like Bill mentioned. Can I change activators? Looking for a 10-15 min. Non tacky time. I will be in 80-90 degree weather and set up semi-outside for a booth I'm running for a week at a show. Bringing my whole shop in a trailer, wanting to do quick turn around stuff but I have to get this clear to dry even just a little faster. Thanks guys and gals for listening(reading)!
Matt

In 80-90 degree weather, you should be using the Mid-Temp Hardener (DCH3085). Above 95 degrees, you would use the
High-Temp Hardener (DCH3095). You will gain no advantage using more of the activator...stick with the 4:1 mix.

Between coats should be around 8-10 minutes, depending on steel surface temp and air temp. It will still be tacky but you don't want it stringy (like spiderwebs) when you pull your finger away.

You can speed up the entire curing process by using an infrared dryer. The photo here is the exact one I use & it runs about $180 at http://www.toolsusa.com. I set up the heater about 3' from the piece i'm drying and time it for 9 minutes.
After the metal cools to room or ambient temp., you'll have a 99% cure-out. It will still harden slightly over the next
12-24 hrs. If you shoot both sides of your piece with clear, you'll need to run the heater on both sides for 9 minutes.
Don't use the heater between 1st and 2nd (final) coats. Just use it after you've shot the 2nd coat.
Works like a charm.

Bill

[wishiwastorching]

Thanks Bill! You are awesome!!!!

[wishiwastorching]

So I'm out at a show with my mobile shop and tried to clear coat. Obviously mobile is harder than in a fixed shop but are
There any tips on how to get the cleanest product for clear coat? Bill says to use Tack cloth. How do you properly use it and
Is there any other steps besides dabbing it on the steel. I tryed to make a port. Paint booth but it was pretty red neck. Any suggestions on port. Booths that you have had any sort of success with??? I just seem to get a lot of dimples or fish eyes in it when I'm on the road. Maybe it's just the nature of the beast.

Matt

[weldguy]

Fish eyes or dimples will be caused by oil.

I would get some 99% pure rubbing alcohol (or an auto body final wash) and wipe down your parts with lint free cloth soaked in alcohol then dry with another lint free cloth to eliminat the oily contamination.

Then take your tack cloth and dust the part with it, no pressure is required, just a dusting so the tack cloth can pick up any dust, lint,etc. You can also dust with the tack cloth between coats if you let the clear harden enough between coats.

This should help to produce a better finish.

[wishiwastorching]

Thanks to you and Bill both! This place is never shy of help.

Matt