Need advice on applying Slick Sand!

[Jacob]

Tried using a quart of slick sand today and couldn’t get it to spray thru my gun! I had opened the air ports per the #45 drill bit advice. Increased air to the max. The only way I could get it to spray was by adding some acetone (I know this defeats the filling abilities but was running out of time before it began to set up. In fact before I could get the quart sprayed it did set up. Air temp was 83. Should I use only a portion of the catalyst? I used the entire catalyst container.
Guessing at temps above 75 I’ll need to use less catalyst...any advice on what pressure at the gun I need?
Any help is appreciated!

[Gordon Levy]

You need to have a super big tip to spray slick sand even with reducing. I use a 2.0 fluid tip where most off the shelf guns have a 1.4

[Jacob]

Thanks Gordon...at this point I usually rely on amazon to bail me out!

[Gordon Levy]

Eastwood have a decent big tip primer gun for around $40.

[j.miller]

Like Gordon I use a big tip 2.2. Ok to thin 10-15% acetone. It will still fill just fine. Use the recommended amount of catalyst, don't short it....da bat

[Jacob]

Like Gordon I use a big tip 2.2. Ok to thin 10-15% acetone. It will still fill just fine. Use the recommended amount of catalyst, don't short it....da bat

Is acetone the best to thin?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Agree with da' bat and Gordon; you have to shoot it through a big hole with some oomph. Guns vary but I get best results at around 42-45 psi triggered.

Jeff

[Gordon Levy]

For slick sand acetone is what you use to reduce it.

[VD2021]

If spraying slicksand, reduced 10% with acetone, in an 75 degrees controlled climate is 10-15 still the amount of time needed before applying the next coat?

[Presto51]

I would say yes to the 10-15 time.

Of course I would guess that the controlled climate takes into account humidity ?

I would also suggest if your not used to spraying, shoot some on a separate test panel before committing to the car itself. That way you can adjust the flash times according to the environment.

Ron

[Presto51]

Tried using a quart of slick sand today and couldn’t get it to spray thru my gun! I had opened the air ports per the #45 drill bit advice. Increased air to the max. The only way I could get it to spray was by adding some acetone (I know this defeats the filling abilities but was running out of time before it began to set up. In fact before I could get the quart sprayed it did set up. Air temp was 83. Should I use only a portion of the catalyst? I used the entire catalyst container.
Guessing at temps above 75 I’ll need to use less catalyst...any advice on what pressure at the gun I need?
Any help is appreciated!

Agree with Gordon, Jeff and Da Bat on gun size.

Would like to add a mention for the air compressor that a lot of people tend to over look, so for what it's worth:

If your using a HVLP Spray Gun you can often need up to 20 CFM of air.

If you are using a conventional spray gun use somewhere between 10 – 15 CFM the higher the number, and the bigger the air tank, will help out big time.

While there are options available for low CFM spray guns, they will typically not provide as good of paint break up which can effect your finish quality.

Ron

[j.miller]

Time between coats is called "Flash Time" it is when the material goes from shiny to satin as the solvents evaporate. 10-15 has just always been a guide line. If you lay it on thin it's going to "flash" faster then laying it on thick. Better to be somewhere in between. To light of a coat (dry) will be grainy, hard to sand and poor adheision . To heavy and you'll be sanding runs, trapping solvents and wasting material. NOW! If your compressor isn't big enough to keep pumping enough air......Turn your air pressure down and your fluid flow down. The less material goig through the tip= les air pressure to atomize. I have used Slick Sand, G2, Feather Fill (all Polyesters) with a 1.4. reduced 15-20%, 20PSI, fluid turned in and moving very slow. It wasn't what I wanted to do....it was what I had to do as a work-a-round in a pinch. Soooo, Watch your flash times and DON'T LEAVE ANY IN YOUR GUN BETWEEN COATS. Look, yes I leave it in my gun for the first two coats. Then, I dump my gun, give it a good rinse before I load the 3rd coat (if you have had polyester in your gun for over 20-30 mins it can start to "go off" at that point it take about 5 mins to turn into a brick of primer in the cup.....well, that's all I have to say about that...da Bat

[Jacob]

Since my original post I learned to adjust my fluid flow and it went on without any issues.

[DetactGarageMech]

Jacob - good to hear you were able to finish without issues

For others reading this -- FYI --- some manufacturers of high solids paints will recommend you use only a primer gun and a nozzle in the range of 1.7mm-2.2mm.