I just painted my interior, first time using automotive paints and a spray gun. The top of the dash came out great,
http://www.myairplants.com/pics/dashtop.JPG
but the front of the dash and the steering column have some kind of bubbles or pockmarks. What causes this?
http://www.myairplants.com/pics/pockmarks.jpg http://www.myairplants.com/pics/pockmarks2.jpg
I wet sanded the primer w/400 grit. Can I just wet sand again before reshooting the bad spots? Also, what grit should I use on the final coat? It's Martin Seymour Acrylic Enamel and was supposed to be GM Light Blue Metallic, but looks pretty dark now that it's on.
Thanks,
Ed

I think you forgot to add "fish-eye" reducer/additive...

Could be contamination on the surfaces (like silicon/vinyl protectant overspray, etc)...

Also, as for the color, just because the name says "Light Blue" doens't mean its the lightest blue... I got some carpet samples a few years ago, and there was a big bold note "WARNING: Despite the name, Medium Blue is brighter than Bright Blue." Damn if I hadn't already installed the carpet and spent $$$ getting new seatbelts to match...

------------------

"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."
TC #1366
Tony
The Chevelle (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleA.jpg)
Dual Quad 396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleC.jpg)
Side View (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleD.jpg)

[This message has been edited by 1966_L78 (edited 10-18-2002).]

Thanks for the quick response. I doubt if it's overspray from something since I've had the whole interior out for awhile. I did wet sand the bad areas just yesterday and used a different sponge to wipe. Could've been some contaminants on it.
I did not use fish eye reducer, is it always recommended?

I picked the paint from a chip book (GM 82-90 Light Blue Metallic), because it was the closest I could find to my new door panels. I didn't want to just buy "light blue" paint, but now think I'd have been closer getting spray bombs from OPG or NPD.) I held the door panels up to the paint and they look like they have a green tint to them.
--
Ed

That is a fairly bad case of fisheye. As already stated, it is probably some kind of silicon contaminant.

You need to really clean the surface with whatever Martin Seymour recommends. By clean, I mean you keep going over it with clean rags and cleaner until the rags come off the surface clean. Not just one wipe. Use one wet rag to wipe and another dry one to dry. Don't let the cleaner dry on the surface because it will evaporate and leave the contaminants behind.

And no, fisheye reducer is not always recommended. It just takes a really good cleaning to get rid of contaminants so that doesn't happen.

Peter

That is as common as the sun coming up. It is contamination caused by vinyl treatments like Armorall.

Clean as Peter said with Martin Senour number 6383 "Kleanz-Easy" it is a strong fast evaporating cleaner. You really need to follow Peters direction on wiping with a very wet rag and DON'T LET IT EVAPORATE. Wipe it off with a clean (or many) rag BEFORE it dries.

When you paint it, if it still wants to fisheye (which I will put money on it will) apply the paint drier and it will bridge across the contaminate.

------------------
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Aarrrg! Looks like mine. I'd used paint thinner instead of laquer thinner to clean it before painting. Fisheyes, and all sorts of nice wrinkles. I resanded the whole thing down, used laquer thinner, and it turned out good.

What a pain though! Don't feel bad, Mine took 3 tries to get right. I thought I was going to kill myself...

------------------
David Reinecke - aka - FINE 68
1968 Chevelle 300 Sport Coupe Deluxe
http://home.att.net/~thereineckes/

Hold the boat here David. DON'T ever use lacquer thinner as a wax and grease remover. You can clean the crud with it, but you must follow up with a REAL wax and grease remover.

The wax and grease removers stay wet MUCH longer than lacquer thinner and give you the time to wipe them off, WHILE the contaminate is still suspended up in the wet wax and grease remover and OFF your surface.

------------------
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Thanks for all the advice. I sanded the fisheyes out, had to re-prime a few areas, and cleaned it real good with lots of fresh water flushing. You were right MARTINSR, the fisheyes still wanted to come back, but following up the spraying with a paint dryer seemed to help - it at least made the fisheyes smaller and they covered up with a follow up spray.

I'm still not sure if it was all caused by contaminants and am attributing some of it to my technique, or lack of. I wasn't too sure of the gun adjustments, and may have been shooting too close. Could air pressure from the gun 'blow' them fisheyes into the paint?
--
Ed

No, your technique was not at fault. Other than your technique of cleaning LOL.
You could from the very beinging save mess like that by dry spraying the second and third coat after you see them on the first.

------------------
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"