Sanding down spray paint crackle/bubbles?

Manischewitz_Papi

Manischewitz_Papi

New member
Hi, all!
I only started building last July, and have been excitedly lurking around this forum for the past few weeks. Going to finally start on Leprechaun and Super Heterodyne Receivers this weekend. My question here, though, regards the unfortunate results pictured here. I think it was due to the temperature in my garage, as Seattle's absolutely in the cold times right now, and I hadn't before had to account for that. Can I sand this down? If so, what grit sandpaper would be ideal? Before my aborted second spray session, I'd previously done like ten coats of Krylon gloss yellow, and let the enclosure sit for 48 hours, for what's worth. Thanks in advance!

17369142810835346024968856570871.jpg
 
I use 220 or 120 grit depending how much I want to take off. I would use 220 just to take the texture off. If you hit the bare enclosure that’s ok. You’re going to spray paint it anyways. In the winter months you can kiiiiind of get away with keeping the enclosure inside to get to room temperature, taking it into your spray area (I’m assuming it’s a garage) for a quick spray (use very light coats), then taking it back inside to dry. I let mine dry in the basement where no one goes and the smell goes away in a day. If it’s super cold this technique might not work and you’ll have to wait for that weird, warmer day.
 
What Buddy said.
Also, don't spray cold paint. Sit the can in a bath of warm water for 10-15 minutes before spraying. You may need to swap the water if the paint is really cold but I would just bring it inside the house the day before.
You can also rest the enclosure in front of a space heater before spraying. You don't want either hot but warm to the touch is fine. Warm paint flows much better.
 
From what it looks like you probably sprayed too heavy and too close.

Sand down to smoothness with 220, clean it, dry it, and paint again. Make sure both can and box are at room temperature at least - a good trick is to put the can in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before starting to spray.

Start spraying with a clean noozle next to the pedal, keep the spray and cover the pedal with relatively slow passes, 20-30cm away, making your turns NOT above the pedal. Don't overpaint. Better to do a decent coat, let it dry and do another one than do lay one big fat one and have orange peel and wrinkles on it ;)
 
if you are looking for a smooth finish, I would consider stripping that with paint stripper and starting again. Sanding down to smooth might be more work, and you’re going to have to paint it again anyway.

Cold paint spatters. Warming the can in water works. Cold paint also takes longer to mix, so you’ll be shaking longer.
Many very light coats is better than few thick coats, unless you want texture. Then a few light coats to build a base, followed by progressively thicker coats.

For hammered look, put on a thick coat, then give it a roll with a textured paint roller.

For smooth, wet sand with paper in the upper 100s grits. Layer, sand, layer, sand. I use 700 and higher, depending.

If you get something in the paint while its wet, don’t remove it. Its easier to sand out when its dry then tey to pull it out when its wet. Ask me how many times it took for me to learn this.

Edited to say-i think that texture looks awesome. I would keep it. Happy accidents are so much of art. Its crazy how many people accidentally do something and it becomes a core part of their style. Same with music I suppose.
 
Atom ant said:
Edited to say-i think that texture looks awesome. I would keep it. Happy accidents are so much of art. Its crazy how many people accidentally do something and it becomes a core part of their style. Same with music I suppose.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. And if you are half decent with a paintbrush, make it a feature - drybrush a metalic silver on top for highlights and it might just be a kickass look. Look up "WH mini painting tutorials" on youtube, there is a lot of info on how to make texture and details pop.
 
Manischewitz_Papi said:
Hi, all!
I only started building last July, and have been excitedly lurking around this forum for the past few weeks. Going to finally start on Leprechaun and Super Heterodyne Receivers this weekend. My question here, though, regards the unfortunate results pictured here. I think it was due to the temperature in my garage, as Seattle's absolutely in the cold times right now, and I hadn't before had to account for that. Can I sand this down? If so, what grit sandpaper would be ideal? Before my aborted second spray session, I'd previously done like ten coats of Krylon gloss yellow, and let the enclosure sit for 48 hours, for what's worth. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 88757
Click to expand...
Thats actually a really cool texture you got going on there :)
 
Damn, thank you all for such in-depth replies!

I don't hate the texture in and of itself, but the thing is I prefer to make decals with a b&w laser printer and label paper. Usually I buy pre-painted enclosures. In this instance, I fucked up on the two yellow Tayda ones I'd ordered and resorted to using a bare enclosure from my parts stash. I recently discovered that paint pens used on the underside of the label paper works great for adding additional color. I did up a graphic themed after a giallo I love, Torso. The underpainting is just going to be white, to imitate this old poster design:

torso-poster.jpg



I'm just worried the raised texture in the paint is gonna cause air bubbles when I apply the decal.

Regarding painting environment temprature: I do spray in a garage, but I live in a condo, not a house, so there's some delay in my going to and from my unit to the garage, letting a given project dry for a few minutes, etc. So I guess my hunch is maybe to wait for the odd, warmer day to do my spray stuff lest I just cause further paint/enamel issues.
 
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Manischewitz_Papi said:
Hi, all!
I only started building last July, and have been excitedly lurking around this forum for the past few weeks. Going to finally start on Leprechaun and Super Heterodyne Receivers this weekend. My question here, though, regards the unfortunate results pictured here. I think it was due to the temperature in my garage, as Seattle's absolutely in the cold times right now, and I hadn't before had to account for that. Can I sand this down? If so, what grit sandpaper would be ideal? Before my aborted second spray session, I'd previously done like ten coats of Krylon gloss yellow, and let the enclosure sit for 48 hours, for what's worth. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 88757
Click to expand...


DON'T SAND IT DOWN!

That looks freq'in' cool!

Save it for another project, if you must, or I'll trade you one of my own enclosures.








Here’s a hella-cool effect, frost January 14, but two years back — that's the roof of my brother's car and the pic doesn't do it justice.

F3304B56-54A9-452C-9685-55BF18E43C3C.jpeg





Asdrael said:
Sir. I don't have the funds for 2 kids, WH, pedal + guitar + amp building and a credit.

My dick won so I went for kids instead of WH. Probably saved money there, not sanity though.
Click to expand...

I still haven't figured out what "WH" is... my computer's safety setting won't let me search sites with "WH", but...
I at first thought it was a typo for "WD" — World Domination. I tried to do that, but my Dom told me I wasn't allowed...
 
@Feral Feline Thanks for the kind words! That's a dope ice texture for sure. I guess I could hold off using it for now and wait a few weeks to order a fresh grip of Tayda yellow 125Bs. Would be open to a trade for sure, just know that the texture doesn't cover the entire face of the pedal. I just wanna assemble the whole thing, featuring the damn Dirt Dessert kit I built like a month ago already! Such a fucking wild sound, it's already lame enough I have to wait a while to do spray work on my builds...
 
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The safety-filter is throwing up even bigger alarms for "WarHammer 40,000" than when I searched for the "BigFist 2000".

And I just thought of what I might have mistaken it for, previously, if I'd thought about it. WH could = Way Huge.
More alarms.

🚨🚫⛔
 
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