Self Etching Primer

[Lowrider1984]

Are you using cheap rattle can stuff, or real self etch primer? If you stripped the hood down to bare steel, that should be done with 80 grit, and left in 80 grit, 320 is for blocking your first coat or two of primer surfacer. Spray your etch prime (I like PPG's DPX, stuff is nasty, never spray it with out a respirator) let it dry, then use a high build primer surfacer to hide the 80 grit. With the dpx as long as you stay with in the stated time frame you do not have to sand it before recoating, or coting with primer.
Side Note: This advise applies to using automotive grade products, not off the shelf rattle can.

The only reason why i'm using the self etching primer out of the can is beacuse don't have money for a air compressor and I seen videos and pics of people using this stuff and got good results so I thought I would try it and see what happens. Because after I sprayed the hood I went to check on it the next day and some spots were smooth and some were rough and now most of the hood is rough so now sense that happened I have to wet sand it right? If so what size grit would u use so I can throw a layer of filler primer? And the brand I used was Dupli-Color

 

[Oldsmoletick]

I know what you mean, compressor, gun, yada, yada, yada is expensive, used ones sometimes go cheap though (for future reference). Usually a good grit to wet sand with, is 320. The problem is, it is very hard to get a good base or good cover with spray paint. It takes multiple heavy coats to equal one coat with a spray gun. So depending on how much etch you have on there I wouldn't sand it too much, I'd be more apt to get a green scotch brite pad (Don't steal the Misses') and scuff it before laying down your primer, probably would be better for you than wet sanding. Get the High build Duplicolor primer, you'll probably need about 6 cans or more, that way you can build up a good base, and have some thing to work with (wet sand - 320). For your final coat, wet sand with 400-600 grit, depending on the paint (check their recomondations).

 

[Lowrider1984]

I know what you mean, compressor, gun, yada, yada, yada is expensive, used ones sometimes go cheap though (for future reference). Usually a good grit to wet sand with, is 320. The problem is, it is very hard to get a good base or good cover with spray paint. It takes multiple heavy coats to equal one coat with a spray gun. So depending on how much etch you have on there I wouldn't sand it too much, I'd be more apt to get a green scotch brite pad (Don't steal the Misses') and scuff it before laying down your primer, probably would be better for you than wet sanding. Get the High build Duplicolor primer, you'll probably need about 6 cans or more, that way you can build up a good base, and have some thing to work with (wet sand - 320). For your final coat, wet sand with 400-600 grit, depending on the paint (check their recomondations).

On the video I watched they said you don't need to sand the etch primer and before I sprayed the primer I sanded the hood with 320 grit instead of 80 grit. Do u think I should redo it and sand the hood with 80 then spray the etch primer?

 

[Oldsmoletick]

Did you sand the hood down to bare steel? If you did, the etch primer will have a hard time sticking to it being only 320, bare steel should be sanded with 80 grit. If not and you just color sanded with the 320, you should be fine.

 

[Lowrider1984]

Did you sand the hood down to bare steel? If you did, the etch primer will have a hard time sticking to it being only 320, bare steel should be sanded with 80 grit. If not and you just color sanded with the 320, you should be fine.

I used air craft stripper and after that what ever was left I used my drill and this black like sponge tool and did the rest. So by talking to lots of people I will take it down to bare metal again and sand it with 80 grit and then spray the self etching primer then add the filler primer.

 

[Lowrider1984]

Ok last night I took the hood down to bare metal again and then I cleaned it with some prep spray and after I let it dry I threw a coat of self etching primer on it and after that dried I through a coat of filler primer on it and I went out the next morning and I looked at the hood and some spots look like it has black under the surface but when I sprayed the self etching primer I did not see the stuff I seen today. But I read my book and it said it could have some dirt under the paint but I don't see why I didn't notice it the first time so if someone can tell me why I see this please let me know

 

[Oldsmoletick]

It could be caused by a number of things. Are you doing this inside or outside? If outside, well that's what happens. If inside, keep in mind any time you move or move something you kick up dust. Clean your garage, and no I'm not being a wise *ss, lol, I've painted a few vehicles in less desirable areas, one of which was an old dirty barn. I spent hours cleaning the barn, removing dirt and dust from all the nooks and crannys (150 years worth, haha), hanging tarps on the ceilings, and draping the walls to kepp dirt from getting into my primer, and paint. Any time you open/close a door where you are working, I would bet a little bit of debri falls from the ceiling onto your hood, which is why I always hang out with whatever I'm priming/painting until it basically dries (this is where the beer and radio comes in handy)...Also get yourself a tack cloth if you don't already have one, that will help you too.

 

[Lowrider1984]

It could be caused by a number of things. Are you doing this inside or outside? If outside, well that's what happens. If inside, keep in mind any time you move or move something you kick up dust. Clean your garage, and no I'm not being a wise *ss, lol, I've painted a few vehicles in less desirable areas, one of which was an old dirty barn. I spent hours cleaning the barn, removing dirt and dust from all the nooks and crannys (150 years worth, haha), hanging tarps on the ceilings, and draping the walls to kepp dirt from getting into my primer, and paint. Any time you open/close a door where you are working, I would bet a little bit of debri falls from the ceiling onto your hood, which is why I always hang out with whatever I'm priming/painting until it basically dries (this is where the beer and radio comes in handy)...Also get yourself a tack cloth if you don't already have one, that will help you too.

Yea I didn't even put any tarps up or clean the garage and where can I get one of those tack cloths at? And I guess I will have to start over again

 

[Oldsmoletick]

You can get tack cloths pretty much anywhere they sell paint or body supplies, they also may call it a cheese cloth, I know Advance Auto carries them (that's where I get mine). You may not have to start over completely, You may be able to block the dirt out of it, try some wet 320, and see what happens, be careful not to sand though your etch prime though.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Hardware stores will sell the tack cloth as well.

Something else you can do in combination with cleaning your garage/barn is before you get ready to spray, wet down the entire floor around everything. This will help keep the dust down to a minimum as well.