The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Orange Peel surface with PPG DP50LV

Years ago I used PPG epoxy primer, DP50LF and did not use a reducer. As far as I remember it flowed very well.

This year I am using PPG DP50LV because the DP50LF is not available in Canada any longer. I have an HVLP gun and I am using it to paint tractor parts that have been sand blasted, washed and de-waxed/de-greased. I have the gun material feed wide open, as well as the air flow. I tried the recommended 10 psi at the cap, about 20 on the regulator. I tried increasing the psi, but it didn't help much. It came out orange peel. I went and picked up some DT1845 reducer and I'll mix a test batch tomorrow. However, anyone have any tips on using this primer, I would like to hear from you. I forgot to mention the tip is 1.5. mm.

1.5 is small for a high build primer. Most use 2.0 or even 2.5 for high build primers. 1.5 is going to be slow process on large panels.

More pressure ( within reason for that gun) more thinner, high temp thinner might be need if it's hot. Low flow or fast dry is the main cause of Orange peel.

Stick with your 1.5 tip... epoxy isn't high build primer.

The reducer should help. But raise the wall pressure up to full open and regulate final pressure at the gun.

Thanks for the info. The data sheet does say 1.5mm is good. I'm going to go out and try the reducer this morning.

I feel like I should mail you some DP50LF. My paint rep gave us a gallon to try and I thought it was not good at all. He said some guys liked it some guys didn't. It was just too thick.

I would suggest you keep reducing it until you get what you want. Think about reducer as a tool that helps you get the product on and evaporates once it dries.

Good luck and I'll ask my painter tomorrow if he ever got it to lay down like the DP50. I know I couldn't get it to!

I added some reducer according to the data sheet. It's a little more tricky to lay down than the LF. It's hard to get the flow right so I don't get runs. I may try less reducer. It's okay though. I can wet sand any drips. It's a lot better than the orange peeling. My skills are not great with a spray gun, so I am not going to bad mouth the paint, because some of the parts I am painting are coming out great. I used the DT 1845 reducer.

The Canadian LV or Low VOC laws have made it tricky in some products. The manufacturers can't suggest more reducer because it puts the VOC too high even though the product requires more reducer.
My suggestion is same as someone else's. .reduce to satisfaction. Dry times will be affected but not much else.

Hi what size of air line are you using hvlp guns need a lot of volume. Even if your using 3/8" line with 1/4" fittings its like using 1/4" line, although your getting the proper pressure it may not be getting enough cfm, try using high volume fittings, also your compressor has to be able to supply enough cfm for your gun to work properly, I had similiar problem with a different product and these are some of the things I had to address and are only part of getting a good paint job