Paint Help= Close but no cigar

[adambrco]

Looking for some paint help from any experts out there.
I should probably have got a pro involved but this is my first build and I'm kind of determined to do it all myself.
I think I've made every mistake possible so far from not painting things on the inside first to wearing flip flops and having blue feet to too much psi etc etc....the list goes on.
I do feel I'm getting closer, I epoxied the bare metal, then filled and sanded, then 3 coats of urethane primer then blocked again.
Now I'm going for a sealer then single stage Valspar industrial enamel as the last stage.
My feeling is I need to thin the enamel, I'm just going 8:1 at the moment but it does say it can be thinned, would that fix my orange peel in the pictures below?(Hope I uploaded them correctly) I just feel its going on too thick.
These were shot 10 mins after the third coat.
Thanks

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[bronkenn]

https://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/perfect-paint-job
Lots of good info on this forum.

 

[1970 Palmer]

I cannot see your photos.

Painting is a very large topic, and I would not be your best source for all things paint. I do have some experience in just painting my EB in a single stage paint.

When you say it's seems "too thick" you need to thin the paint with a reducer. This reducer comes in different heat ranges based on the ambient temperature. For example in warn weather you use a slower (the slowest) drying reducer to allow the freshly sprayed paint to settle, and it will lay down reducing the amount of orange peal. You also want to pay attention to the MDS (material data sheet) and only shoot paint within their recommendations on surface temperature. If the surface temperature is too high, the paint will dry before it lays down and amplify your orange peal issue. You never paint in the sun, because the surface temperature is too high. Pay attention to the MDS, and the rest is easy.

 

[adambrco]

Thanks, I've followed the sheets meticulously but gives you an option of 0-30% reducer. I'm going to mix up some with 20% reducer tomorrow and spray an old door with wetter coats to see how it comes out. Seems trial an error goes a long way to getting all the variables lined up.

 

[navi]

I got a lot of help from the forum at autobodystore. but I never shot single stage.
http://autobodystore.com/forum/index.php
To reduce orange peel in my paint or clear I had to make sure I wasn't too close to the surface when spraying.
Also, the flow and fan knobs have to be just right.
It sounds like a good idea to do practice coats...I never did too many of those because the paint costs so damn much.

 

[Rustytruck]

0-30% reducer is listed that way because different spray guns have different flow rates you use to measure out the paint with a viscosity meter or flow cup, mix in the reducer and dip the meter in the paint and time the mix until the cup ran out. then calculate the flow rate. make sure you use the right reducer for the temperature you spraying at. dont get too excited and not allow enough tack off time. spray an extra panel to test tack off time with out touching your freshly painted body parts

https://www.gardco.com/pages/viscos...zy5GqktX1wTEmfIT5JKrWQBpiAd72RDhoCPpUQAvD_BwE