Too much activator with OHW

NotSoFast

Today I tried to dip my synthetic pellet gun stock for practice. I over activated it a bit and got a few voids because of it. Plus, the seam came out crooked when I rolled it. The stock has the little raised dimple things all over it for grip. What's the best way to get it ready to dip it again? Clean with some sort of solvent? Sand/scuff it? My main concern is in and around the dimpled areas.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about.

airtimegrafix

just rinse it let dry rebase! and as for those little nubs your still more than likely gona get voids

Tsunami

Jason recommends a 1.3 or 1.4 tip for his base. I still use a 1.8 and just move real fast with the gun.You dont want it to glass all the way. A little rough is better. Sand like surface on the water. And yeah to what @airtimegrafix said.

Trouble

The raised areas catch air I usually touch up or black it out. Even seam takes practice for perfect results I tape half and use a 1/8 inch overlap of the pattern.

NotSoFast

So, the integrity of the original base coat hasn't been compromised from the over-activation? It's ok to just scuff and repaint over it? I was worried that the paint has been damaged and may cause problems in the future if not removed.

airtimegrafix

nope your good

NotSoFast

I scuffed the stock this morning, degreased, hit it with another coat of OHW (white), let it dry for about 45 minutes. Re-dipped using half the activator as yesterday (one pass on each half of the film) and it's worse than before. After activating, the film still looked "dusty", not glassed out fully. Just how precise do I need to be with this paint? I held the stock under the water for about 20 seconds or so before taking it out. Yesterday, it only had a couple of spots. Now it's all over one side. Too much in the overlapped area, perhaps?

GPi gun set up by @K2Concepts with the 1.4 tip. Liquid Concepts activator. Confederate camo. 88 degree water temp. 60 second soak. @onehitwonder Any ideas here?

Tsunami

Here is what I have found out about the white only. It is really hard to cover an existing dip with white. It seams to take a lot more paint than the other colors. Knowing this from previous projects I like to sand blast the film off and recoat with OHW. You still have too much activator as you can see. So If you do scuff and recoat you don't need even that much activator and it will work. Good luck

airtimegrafix

yup still to much activator! if you have round smooth looking voids its to much, if you have sharp edged voids its not enough!

NotSoFast

After this, I painted a speed shape and sprayed "a little less" activator than before and when I dipped it, the film stayed mostly solid and was very under activated. We ordered a gallon of Super brew today. Hopefully that will help. It seems strange that a medium pass is way too much and a very slightly less amount is that much under activated. I did 9 out of 9 unpainted speed shapes and they ALL turned out perfectly. The only variable is the paint. We really want to use OHW since it requires no primer or AP, but this inconsistency is quickly pushing us away from it. The second dip on the stock (pictured) was with the film still looking "dry" . How can you tell what the right amount looks like if looking dry still causes the print to run off the part?

Sorry I'd I sound bitchy, but a most of a whole day trying to convince my boss that this paint is well received by lots of folks here while not showing a good dip takes a toll on me. I've read JJ on here saying one medium to fast pass of activator is all OHW needs. One pass I would rate as a 5 in speed activates the hell out of it and the next pass I feel speeds up to a 6 leaves the film almost solid. Is it really that picky about the amount of activator you use or am I just that bad at judging my speed? I go a lot faster than my passes for unpainted parts.

Dallen

@NotSoFast if you have or paint cars you will have to relearn how to paint with OHW the more paint you put on the more problems you will have activating the best way to use is to dust it on if it didn't cover all the way let it dry the dust another coat on if you have problems pm me and we can find a time to talk and see if we can get it to work for you

NotSoFast

@dallen I've never painted anything before. I'm using a Devilbiss SRi pro with a 1.0 tip. My first coat is light. Maybe 50-60% coverage. The second coat is just heavy enough for it to not end up powdery or dry feeling.

It just seems excessive that one pass is too much and what seems like maybe 10 percent faster leaves the film nearly solid on the water. Is it like this for others or is it just me? I can't wait for the super brew to come in and try it.

Tsunami

It's only when you have to recoat it. I usually use less activator with OHW but you have a lot of it on there and that's what it does. It's like you have put 4 coats on there instead of the normal amount. The activator loosens it all up. If that makes any sense.

NotSoFast

@tsunami I see what you are saying about the recoating. I'll try to remove it all when I can and try it again. I know the first one was over activated. It was fully glassed out. Stupid me. I knew better but listened to Chris when he said "hit it again. It still isn't glassy yet" .

Dallen

It is touchy on activator at first but after you get use to using it you can get by with more activator I use a 1.8 tip on activator gun . I use both OHW and Aqaulacs most of the time the film gets activated the same depends a lot on the print that is where K2`s training helped a lot and dipping a few speed shapes with the paint and pattern gets you use to how much activator you need to use if you mess up on a speed shape its no big deal just start over with another till you get it where you are getting good hits then dip your real projects you will have less failed dips when it counts

onehitwonder

Let's see your activator gun pattern first of all - hang some cardboard on the wall, and spray a horizontal pattern for 2 full seconds without moving the gun. Keep the gun the same distance away from the card as you are from the water, and post a pic

NotSoFast

onehitwonder said:

Let's see your activator gun pattern first of all - hang some cardboard on the wall, and spray a horizontal pattern for 2 full seconds without moving the gun. Keep the gun the same distance away from the card as you are from the water, and post a pic

I'll do that tomorrow. It's a brand new GPi set up by Jim. I checked the pattern and it's looks great.

I used OHW silver on a few films on speed shapes and they all were perfect. The biscuit and white are all over activated while still looking sandy and dry. A slightly faster pass leaves it VERY under activated. Here's some I did with the silver.


Everything using biscuit or white turns out like the pics of the stock above.

NotSoFast

Has anyone used OHW with Liquid Concepts activator? I have some super brew on the way.

Trouble

I have used Liquid concepts activator with OHW. No issues. I also use it on Nason and Aqualac. Stir the OHW real good. Use a stick the pigments tend to settle on the bottom.

NotSoFast

@trouble Yes. I stir it very well. Paint stick in the half pint cans for a minute.

Ultimate_Finishes

onehitwonder said:

Let's see your activator gun pattern first of all - hang some cardboard on the wall, and spray a horizontal pattern for 2 full seconds without moving the gun. Keep the gun the same distance away from the card as you are from the water, and post a pic

A nice gun/setup will make a big differance.

NotSoFast

@onehitwonder This was shooting with a "zero, one, two" count. 18" away from the surface. The main pattern is a good 18" across. The dark spot on the first pic was already on the box.

WileECoyote

That doesn't look like a BAD pattern, but does look a LITTLE light. were you holding the gun vertical or sideways "gangsta" style?

NotSoFast

@WileECoyote Vertical with the air horns turned. I turned them for the test only.

K2Concepts

8" away...or 9"...not 18"...That is way to far away to get a good read on the fan but it should set up OK...I do not care for the LC activator...too inconsistent for me...and it tended to evaporate off the pattern. Lastly that Confederate Camo is a K2 Brew film...that film in particular is the only reason we had to come up with the K2 Brew...SuperBrew should work on it also...And don't beat yourself up too much...that is a tough film to work with...

NotSoFast

@K2Concepts 8" away. A count of "zero,one,two". Both horizontal and vertical fans.

K2Concepts

That's pretty darn close...I'm going to say it's not your fan...

onehitwonder

Turn the fan full open, and wind your fluid tip in 1/2 clockwise, and post another

WileECoyote

@NotSoFast hope I didn't insult you, but needed to make sure you weren't making a beginner mistake.

NotSoFast

@WileECoyote No problem, man.

NotSoFast

@onehitwonder Here you go. "Zero, one, two" with fan full open and fluid turned 1/2 turn in clockwise.