No.73: The Road to Spray Mastery

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Guide to Mastering the Air spray Gun – Part 3 

Key Points Note 

• The base coat containing aluminum and pearl powders should be applied thinly and evenly, ensuring the brilliance materials are in a stable arrangement to enhance luminosity.
• Ensure to paint thinly and evenly to avoid unevenness.
• Priming with a primer surfacer is an indispensable process after putty repair for a flawless finish.

1. Painting Technique for Base Coat and Clear Coat 

1-1. Base Coat Painting Method 

When the aluminum and pearl powders in the base coat align parallel to the surface, they reflect light, giving the painted surface a brilliant shine. However, to bring out this beautiful luster, it is crucial to follow the correct painting method. 

Key Points in Painting

• • First Coating: Apply lightly in a mist form to achieve a semi-gloss finish and wait until it dries to the touch.
  • Subsequent Coatings: Apply even thinner layers to increase glossiness, waiting for touch dry after each application. Repeat this process twice.
  • Final Coating: Add approximately 20% thinner and then apply uniformly to achieve a semi-gloss finish.

After each coating, you can speed up the drying process by blowing air over the surface with an air gun to evaporate the solvent. If there are no unevennesses in the finish, the base coat painting process is complete after three coats. 

1-2. Clear Coat Painting Method 

Clear coating protects the paint film and enhances the beautiful gloss. 

Key Points in Painting

• • First Coating: Apply in a mist form, blow air to disperse the solvent, ensuring the brilliance material stays in place, and wait for it to dry to the touch.
  • Subsequent Coatings: Apply to accentuate the glossiness, using air to aid in drying as before. Repeat this process twice.

Typically, the clear coating process is also completed after three applications. 

2. Priming After Putty Repair

Priming with a primer surfacer after putty repair is a critical process that affects the overall finish. After repairing with putty, follow these steps for priming. 

Key Points in Painting

• • After sanding the putty, apply the primer surfacer three times, gradually reducing the amount of application each time.

Mastering this technique will reduce dry mist around the painted area, resulting in a smoother and more moist-feeling surface.