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Why is my primer giving me the fish-eye

Bucky66

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
552
I need a little help here. I am no paint pro by any means. I am working in the garage and outside prepping the doors and windshield frame to paint in a booth at school on Tuesday. Got the windshield frame down to bare metal and fixed a couple dints... Cleaned with wax and tar remover.... sprayed some SEM can etching primer and FISH EYE!. So, I sanded down again and wiped down with solvent. Spray the can again and DANG IT FISH EYE. I am wearing gloves and wiping till the solvent is gone. I think my problem is that it is 30 something here outside temps. I sprayed outside and inside but think it is just to cold out and I can't get the metal up to a good temp. I this more than likely my problem and why I'm getting the o' fish-eye?

Tomorrow I am going to sand down again to metal and just wait till im in a booth.
 

SSDDBRONCO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Messages
2,171
Loc.
Los Angeles
I pretty sure it's because it's too cold. Those spray booty are warm and it allows the paint to dry up nicely.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
 

jn2630

Jr. Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
Messages
237
Loc.
Silverthorne, CO
Yeah, the temp of the paint needs to be close of the temp of whatever you're painting. Find a heat gun or a blow dryer and try to warm up the metal. Also, spray one really light coat first (Almost a mist coat). Sometimes that helps with fish eyes.
 

allenfahey

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
Messages
2,672
Yeah, the temp of the paint needs to be close of the temp of whatever you're painting. Find a heat gun or a blow dryer and try to warm up the metal. Also, spray one really light coat first (Almost a mist coat). Sometimes that helps with fish eyes.

Yup that is why it's fisheyeing. You can not paint if it's 30 degrees out. Even if you do get the primer on without fisheyes it won't dry. You need it at least 60-70 degrees for painting of any kind.
 

Dbteak

Sr. Member
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
438
Along with the above recommendations you also need to wait until all the degreaser evaporates off. I have been bit by this before. I read as a rule to wait 30 minutes but I just use compressed air and give it 10 minutes.

Doug
 

allenfahey

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
Messages
2,672
Along with the above recommendations you also need to wait until all the degreaser evaporates off. I have been bit by this before. I read as a rule to wait 30 minutes but I just use compressed air and give it 10 minutes.

Doug
The proper way to use wax and grease remover (prep-solvent) is to use a lint free rag/towel with prep solvent on it and wipe the surface. You then use another dry rag and wipe it tilll it is totally dry. You don't leave any prep solvent on there to evaporate. That is how I clean cars here at work and I never get fish eyes. If I spray something in the shop when it's cold (below 65 degrees) it will fish eye. That is where your fish eyes are coming from.
 

75junebug

Full Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
587
Loc.
NW Houston Tx
You could also be getting oil contamination in your air supply depending on what type of compressor you are running. Cold temps can cause more than just fish eyes, it can also lead to delamination or peeling. I'm far from an expert, but I wont paint anything unless its 65 degrees F and rising.
 
OP
OP
Bucky66

Bucky66

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
552
parts are painted and good to go. It was just to cold out that day. Like I said, the first time was cleaned with wax and tar remover and then the second time was with a true solvent cleaner with similar results of fish eye. I waited for a warmer day and got in a booth and it those parts are all painted now. TAD-DA!!! Thanks for all the input.

;D
 

allenfahey

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
Messages
2,672
parts are painted and good to go. It was just to cold out that day. Like I said, the first time was cleaned with wax and tar remover and then the second time was with a true solvent cleaner with similar results of fish eye. I waited for a warmer day and got in a booth and it those parts are all painted now. TAD-DA!!! Thanks for all the input.

;D

Great, now where are the pictures!
 

Tedster100

Chairman of the Bored
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Messages
1,762
Glad you got it fixed, X2 on the pictures. Just another note on the ol' fisheye... While painting my Bronco I started with the primer on the bottom of the hood, we were spraying in the garage & going to a paint booth for the color. Anyhow, started painting and lots of fisheyes! Brand new fiberglass hood, sanded and prepped for the primer, should be no way it could fisheye. Wiped the primer off with solvent, prepped and sprayed - same thing. Good primer, good gun, good virgin air line with all the filters and a desecant pack at the gun. After the second try we just stood there and stared at it while drinking a beer and that's when it hit me! I was using some old towels from the house for wiping and cleaning. They were good and clean and that was the problem - fabric softener!! Screwed up the primer but good. Pulled out some paper heavy shop towels and wiped down with solvent and then hit with some wiping cloths and it spayed out perfect. Sometimes it's the less obvious things that bite you in the ass.
 

D ROCK

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
393
It just pays to be patient.

I was trying to paint something in the shop the other day and it was cold. I painted and sanded it about 10 times only to get the same results. I was getting PO'ed. I said the hell with it. About 2 days later it was about 65, painted it in about 10 minutes. Done! No problems.

Waiting is a beeooottch sometimes...:cool:
 
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