in the middle of painting, ISSUES, desperate for help

so I've been working on a new paint job for weeks now, primed a few weeks ago and sanded the primer with 180 grit and then wet sanded with 320 grit until everything was ultra smooth, thinking that would help my topcoat stay smooth.
Well I just did 2 coats of a Urethane single stage topcoat, non metallic, and the first coat went on nice and smooth, but it said to do 2-3 coats so of course I did a 2nd and wish I left it at one.
When I put the 2nd coat on all of a sudden it had a ton of texture, kind of like orange peel but a little finer almost and even worse to be honest. There are a handful of spots that are still smooth but 90% of it looks terrible.
I have no idea what I did wrong. Did I put too little paint on for the 2nd coat?
I still have plenty more paint so while it's taped up and all would people with experience recommend putting more on heavier? (I have very little experience painting)
It almost looks to me like if a thicker layer was on there it would level better, but I have no idea.
I realize over the internet this is tough to help with but if anyone knows a typical rookie mistake that I may have made anything would help at this point.
Or just any advice on whether to do a 3rd coat or just accept what I have and sand for another 3 weeks.
I don't have buffing equipment or anything so I really wanted to stay away from sanding a topcoat.
It's been so much work thus far and I'm really disappointed in how it turned out.

I'm no expert, having shot only one car, but from what you've said you're shooting single stage, no clear coat. It sounds to me like you applied your second coat too light, or too light and from too far back with the gun allowing the fan of paint to partially dry as it was laying down atop the first coat. I would shoot the third coat, going for "wet" look but avoiding sags and runs. It's an art.

I'd agree with Mr. Spears. It sounds like you shot it "to dry". You'll need to go for the 3rd coat and get the gun closer and slow down, it is an art! Getting enough paint on without getting it to wet so it sags/runs. It takes practice.

It is easiest to see on the hood / roof / trunk lid, I tried setting lights to reflect off the sides so then I could see when it was "wet" enough. And I still shot some areas to dry.

ok, well that's kind of what I thought.
man it was stupid not stopping immediately because that was my first thought 10 seconds into the 2nd coat but I thought maybe that appearance just faded as it cured.
I have the fan adjuster almost wide open, that might be a problem too, just too much spread and the paint is halfway dry before it hits.
thanks for the suggestions thus far
looks like first thing tomorrow I'll be painting again

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Originally Posted by tcodi

....looks like first thing tomorrow I'll be painting again

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You may want to check the spec sheet for your paint, to see what they say about time between coats. On the paint I was shooting it was something like a minimum 15 minutes flash time before recoat, but if I waited more than a couple of hours then I needed to sand lightly to get some tooth for the paint to stick to. That's all from memory, but I'd check your spec sheet before you just wipe it clean and start shooting after this much time has passed.

Mine is 18 hours before sanding is required.
Just finished the new coat and it is way way better.
I reduced the fan width and sprayed closer and slower.
Night and day difference.
No show winning paint job by any means but for me its pretty good.

It's amazing what a color sand and buff can do for a so so spray job. Just a lot of work is all.

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Originally Posted by v8nutz

It's amazing what a color sand and buff can do for a so so spray job. Just a lot of work is all.

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Scuff and buff has cleaned up some of my goof ups as well, it really should be done anyway, it really cleans em up.

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Originally Posted by v8nutz

It's amazing what a color sand and buff can do for a so so spray job. Just a lot of work is all.

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Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

Scuff and buff has cleaned up some of my goof ups as well, it really should be done anyway, it really cleans em up.

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No disagreement about cut & buff being a good thing, but from the initial post,

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Originally Posted by tcodi

I don't have buffing equipment or anything so I really wanted to stay away from sanding a topcoat.

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Guess I missed that part. It's true if you have to buy it all from scratch I bet you'd have north of $300 in stuff.

exactly, and it's maybe once a decade I paint so I don't want to invest that much into the tools and supplies

I wouldn't get to concerned at all as long as you have enough paint on, it's cut and buff time. One of the best painters I know (street rod magazine cars) says he's not a good painter, he just can color sand and buff really well. If this is your 1st paint job you will figure out real quickly that's where the finish and shine comes from, not that some can't get away without doing it, but I have too! Borrow somebodies buffer (variable speed for not doing it before) and head to harbor freight grab meguiars 105 & 205 compounds use your coupons, as they are pretty cheap there, go to oriellys and get a Master pro wool pad and a black foam pad, some 1000 grit wet paper and 1200 and you can do a pretty decent job with that alone, I use more pads and compounds but with just that you can get as good as a factory finish at least. If no money, just wait till you can as most likely it will need done or resand and reshoot but that's more paint and more $$

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Originally Posted by tcodi

Mine is 18 hours before sanding is required.

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Ok, first off, unless your car is in an area with a minimum of 62 degrees at all times or warmer, then your time before you can wet sand (1,500 grit is the roughest I would go for single stage) is more than double, even triple the time the paint tech sheet is telling you. Who's paint are you using, what reducer did you use? What has the ambient temperature and humidity levels been like since you shot your first coat to now? Finally, how long did you wait between coats?

it was around 70 Saturday when I did it initially, then I did it again that evening and probably more like 60
It got colder overnight so by morning it was probably 40, but it was done at that point.
Humidity was relatively low when I started Saturday because I waited until 1pm after the sun had been out for a while
I'm thinking maybe I will have to bite the bullet and buff, I put so much time into sanding primer and then I feel like I ruined it with that dry coat the first time. The 3rd wet coat made it much nicer but it's orange peel city and there's even some areas that just look a little flatter.

Attachment 69671

pic attached

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Originally Posted by mrmustang

Ok, first off, unless your car is in an area with a minimum of 62 degrees at all times or warmer, then your time before you can wet sand (1,500 grit is the roughest I would go for single stage) is more than double, even triple the time the paint tech sheet is telling you. Who's paint are you using, what reducer did you use? What has the ambient temperature and humidity levels been like since you shot your first coat to now? Finally, how long did you wait between coats?

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and I got the paint from Eastwood

I agree, if it bugs you now you might as well bite the bullet and do it. I got my buffer from Harbor Freight for $25 several years ago and it still working although it does have a personality. Start with a more aggressive compound in a wool pad, and then use the fine compound with a foam pad and you won't know your paint job back again. I also agree I would just stick with the 1500 grit sandpaper, it Buffs out much easier

first off stay away from a wool pad. you will destroy your job with it. money bet is you have very little paint on it. let it cure some then reshoot it. you need at least 4 good coats to cut and buff. adjust your gun a a scrap piece or on paper before you start . slow down and pay attention to the fan hitting the panel . put a light at the end of the car so you can see the fan track. overlap 50% .

I've always started with a wool pad, because that's what somebody told me. But I promise you Shine knows a ton more about paint than I do so I would listen to him.:)

Well I'm definitely good to go in the light department. I have (5) 400 watt metal halides hanging from my roof. (it's open trusses not a drywall ceiling so they are way up on the actual underside of the roof)
But even with that I want more light sometimes believe it or not.

Is there any point in buffing without wet sanding first? Or is that a total waste of time?

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Originally Posted by DennyW

Pay attention to air pressure, tip size, paint mix. A practice piece, if you have little experience is the best way to go also. Last coat, I cut my paint again, because this helps in melting things together. This last coat is a more rapid application, but, again, unless you have done some painting, do not do that. And, like shine said, lights... If you can't see how the paint is laying down, you can't see the blending of the spray pattern. And with the color you are using, you need lights...

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and yes I did make sure to use a regulator on my gun and I dialed it right into the range it recommended at the gun (about 25), and I used a 1.5 tip and 1.3-1.5 was recommended.
I think just the speed of my hand, distance to the car and fan width were my major issues. Even just after reading some suggestions before I did that last coat showed a big improvement. I wish I could go back in time and start over.

ok
yeah I totally understand about the light from the side comment. I was wishing that while I was doing it. I can see why guys who paint in real booths have lights facing horizontally all around them.

Browser had not updated, so my comment is moot based on other posts.

Great thread. I'm learning a lot here. I've also been frustrated with last coat issues and it's seems to be too much air and not enough material combined with drying too fast. I really appreciate the wisdom, advise and all the little tips backed up by tons of experience. As mentioned, need to get a lot paint down and cut/buff accordingly. I second the wool pad caution(s) as in the hands of those less than professionals you can burn right on down to the primer in a heartbeat (ask me how I now this...)

Thanks all for the knowledge that you are sharing. I'm encouraged to go shoot some more paint!

Glenn

i sand all the way to 3000 . spend your time sanding out scratches instead of overheating the paint trying to buff them out. if you get paint to hot it will "leather up " on you . meaning it will be smooth but have a fine texture which will not buff off .

Shine is right on, I have luck with a wool pad, but I also hook a router speed control up to a buffer and slow way down, (I still sand out to 2000) and it takes a bunch of practice (aka ruining a paint job and repainting) to learn how to use it, also never run your buffer dry, that will heat it up quickly, when I start getting near a to dry situation or my compound drys out I use a spray bottle with water. Being safe and sanding up as fine as you can with abralon pads or equivalant is a sure deal. But I think the biggest key here is shooting a test panel and learning to color sand and buff on it first so the pads run off the edge and not onto it. Also I would always start sanding and buffing on a deck lid, or hood, something that if you are to thin and cut through you can reshoot easily, not your roof!! I also generally have 4 or 5 wet coats before cutting & buffing, if not scuff with a grey scotchbrite and shoot more. I have used Eastwoods paint and have had great results just be patient, if it was easy and no extra work sanding and buffing everybody would shoot there own!! You will be proud when done, and as long as you mixed the paint correctly, you have enough coats on and you sand and buff you will be happy I believe.

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Originally Posted by rspears

Browser had not updated, so my comment is moot based on other posts.

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A friend PM'd me and asked why DennyW was attacking again and I responded that Denny has been on my Ignore List for months, so I don't see any of his vitriol, nor do I get his pearls of wisdom (not sure how I will survive, but so far it's been OK). Have a good time, Denny. I'm not reading a word of what you post.

Professional, I have no idea.

But do you need plastic drop cloth for painting?