Thread: Paint Question

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I am attempting to paint a headlight and grill shell using PPG Duracryl DDC Acrylic Lacquer. The reducer the paint shop sold me is Duracryl DTL 876. I had problems with my old gun Saturday so I went to Harbor Freight and bought a HVLP gravity feed gun. My problem is finding the right combination of air pressure, paint viscosity, mix, etc. The best air pressure I've found so far is 35 lbs and I just kept thinning the lacquer so my final viscosity is unknown. The finish is "pebbly" to the touch. It wet sands down but it's just not right. Any advise will be appreciated

More thinner.... or move the gun closer.... or open the feed knob....or slow down your speed, to stack the paint up a little more.

Any of these will help get the paint on the surface "wetter". For Lacquer you should be moving about 1 foot per second, and be about 6 inches away. If you are getting runs or sags, reverse this combination a little.

If i remember PPG's Lacquer was a 150 % mix ratio ( 150% thinner , 1 part color ) , sounds like you may have it to thick .
And if your mix ratio is correct any of the suggestions HRP mentioned should work .

pebbly="orange peel" texture- classic too thick paint

won't take too much more reducer to flow out

too much thinner will yield a dry spray on lacquer
and a funny noise coming from the gun

If you are using the HF "Purple" 43430 gun. there are some copies of that POS that will need lots of pressure. The one I had - 45+psig at the inlet. Then you are also painting everything in sight/on site with overspray. I sold mine and got a good gun for primers as well as a great gun for BC/CC.

These HF guns can and do work well once you have them figured out, but at the cost of lots of paint product not sprayed on the car.

befor you start painting parts try painting a piece of cardboard or plywood so you can get all your adjustments done and the air pressure right. You will waste some paint but you won't have to sand as much. Strech your thumb and pinky away from each other and that's the distance from from tip to piece being painted

Thanks to all for your help. I'm no painter, just have to do my left headlight every couple of years when the hood gets dropped on it. I was guessing too thick on the paint so appreciate you all confirming that. Dave, it is the purple gun. Actually it is better then the POS I was using. Do you have a brand and model of a moderately priced gun for a very occasional user? Thanks again to all!