The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Couple of Paint Questions

I have been using the ALK-200 paint supplied by Jim Carter. It does go on nice and glossy but the orange peel is unacceptable. I was able to sand out most or all of the orange peel. I have been trying to use different compounds to gloss it back up (3M, Turtlewax, Maguires), but it is leaving a hazy kind of shine. Anyone know of a product that will take out the hazy and put a nice shine on the paint?

Next question is wheel paint. Is there a product specific for wheel painting that will resist chipping. I don't really care to spend big bucks for the powder coating if I can help it. The 16" wheels that I found local were already a bit pricey because the guy I bought from knew they were hard to find.

What grit sandpapers did you use to get up to the point of polishing?

For rims, I just use standard automotive paint.

You should have thinned the paint a little. It's designed to go on straight from the can, but a little mis-adjustment of the gun can get you an orange peel finish. A little xylene helps. I wet sanded the orange peel areas on my paint with 1500 grit and then used a polisher with Presta Ultra Polish (recommended by a friend who runs a body shop.)

I was working with 1000 up to 2000 grit. I followed manufactures 8:1:1 ratio (thinner and hardner). Presta seems pricey compared to others, but if it does the job, I'm ok.

So wheels are free of chips and stay like new with automotive paint?

I'm confused.
You said you used ALK-200, but the data sheet says 15:1 paint to hardner and up to 10% xylene. If you used 1 part hardner (ALK-201) to 8 parts paint, that sounds like too much hardner, and that would be 12.5% thinner.

One caution about powder coating. If it does get chipped, rust will tend to grow under the coating and it will start to flake off in big chunks. I've seen that on items that came to me with powder coating. I had my wheels powder coated, but may wind up redoing them if they get too bad.
Regular paint can be repaired more easily.

Yes I've seen that data sheet. At some point, I had printed and followed "Restoration Shop" (I think TCP Global) for ratio of their acrylic enamel, even though I used ALK 200. I also use other brands for the high gloss acrylic enamel hardner and reducer. It all laid down shiny, just orange peeled, aside from some curvy areas acceptably smooth. I have not had any other issues with the paint thus far.

Good to know on the powder coat issue. I think I'll go ahead with a high quality automotive paint. I think Napa carries with built in clear (not sure how that works).

“ I had printed and followed "Restoration Shop" (I think TCP Global) for ratio of their acrylic enamel, even though I used ALK 200. I also use other brands for the high gloss acrylic enamel hardner and reducer.”

Are you saying you used different brands for data, hardener and reducer?

If so you are very very brave᠁.
Painting is fraught with ways to go sideways even when you are religious out the details.
Using a paint “system” is essential, paint, data sheet, and additives, it is all in the details.

Chuck

Orange peel is not the fault of the paint. As noted by others, there are many variables that can result in a perfect surface or an unacceptable job. Mix ratio, paint temperature, air temperature, surface temperature, air movement, humidity, gun pressure, fluid volume, etc. will all affect the outcome.

It's probably a single stage product.

I use ALK-200 that I get from PPG. Nice product. The orange peal is not a fault of the product but it's application. If you sand with 2000 grit, it will not have the shine of a paint that was sanded with something higher. The hazyness is a product of scratches left. Resand at 2500, 3000, up to 5000mthen compound if you like. Be careful though, use compound that is higher than 5000. You should then have a clear bright finish.

Mike

If you are looking for hardness for wheels, almost every paint/powdercoating is susceptible to rock chips. The only thing I found that is close to clear protective for wheels is Clear POR-15. 2 part.
I re-finished these rare wheels a few years back. Removed old factory clear. Repaired and re-surfaced the faces. Painted the inserts and polished the lip. On bare aluminum there is a etching spray to apply for 20 seconds then rinse, all in the shade to keep it from drying too fast and spotting. The POR is nasty smelling and it takes some time to totally cure. Depends on the humidity about a week, being it says the more humid without being direct water, the faster and harder it cures. I can't find anyone local that does clear powdercoating anymore, so this is the next go-to. As tough as factory clear, but I can't say how it holds up to winter. I don't drive this one in inclement weather either. I tried the silly wheel clear from the parts stores and it was just as bad as no protective clear.

I have found that paint chipping is a forever problem. Having a good enamel paint ᠁ I use ALK-200 ᠁. that can be touched up easily is a good approach. Using a small brush, a sharp razor blade and some high grit sand paper makes short work of a chip. If it’s a deep chip, a good enamel will let you add layers and fill the chip depression. Make sure you read the paints tech sheet.

Mike