Hi Guys,

Big trouble in the garage...a real kick in the testicles to be honest. After so many hours of prep on my car, I was finally ready to lay down the primer. I'd epoxied the bare metal areas and let that sit for 2 days while I finished some little areas. Probably 40 or 50 hours of prep. So I mask off the car, clean up the garage, wipe everything down, get the fans set up...then I mix up a few gun loads of this primer. It was about the consistency of syrup when mixed...a simple 4:1 ratio. I didn't even think about loading it into my Iwata, so I put it in my cleaper gun with a 1.7 tip.

What a joke, I couldn't get this to spray at all. The fan at max open was about 3" and I cranked up the pressure and my big 2 stage compressor was running flat out (with my Iwata, it turns on once in a very long while). The primer turned out sort of like ceiling texture (well not that bad - but lots of texture). It took an hour to cover the car! No overspray (gun couldn't atomize it).

So I'm back to my supplier tomorrow first thing to see what the heck is up with this product. I'm either looking for a different primer or a different gun. I'm thinking about knocking it down a little with 220 grit then spraying on a second coat.

Has anyone else had this problem? What gun should I get for shooting primers? I'm definately ditiching the Eastwood gun that I bought last year (never had anything go right with that gun).

Oh, here's the car...

ok, first thing, did you remove the filter in the cup of your gun? that will restrict thick primers. make sure the vent hole in your cup cap is open as well. #2 it may need a little reduction esprecially for a 1.7. thats not a real big tip for a high build primer. some thinner primers will work fine through that but thick ones usually need a 1.9 and up. a little reduction will probably make a world of difference. block the car down with 220, add like 15-20% of a good urethane reducer to the primer and hit it again.

I think Jim covered most of it, only other thing I can think is a dirty gun from a previous job maybe. I think the 1.7 should still spray better then what your describing, I usually use anywhere from a 1.5 to 1.8 for most of my urethane priming. Sounds like how our shop priming gun sprays after a few guys lazily clean it.

Good points!

Primers tend to kick a bit faster and can clog the gun (nozzle) easily
after a pass; you probably noticed the build up around the air horn.
And after each coat, i pour out the remainder back into mix, then clean
out the gun for the next coat.

On a positive note, a second priming session is not a bad idea at all.
As a matter of fact, it's a good thing! Especially for an allover job.
You'll get a slicker finish as the first priming session will fill in
minor imperfections that you may have missed.

Thanks Guys,

I went to yell at the bodyshop supplier this AM and it turns out that to shoot it at 4:1 you need a 2.0 tip! Jeepers, who has one of those kicking around. I didn't want to play chemist last night, but you guys were right, 10% reduction gets me spraying with the 1.7. I'm meticulous about cleaning, and this gun was fully stripped before I sprayed this coat. Lesson learned. I'll head out and block it and squirt another couple of coats, then wet sand and try to get the colour done tomorrow (I don't think there is any way I can get all that done in one day!).

Unless you have to dont push it so much, block, re-prime and then wait a few days then re-block and paint. Its better to let the primer sit for a few days (or longer) if you are able to.

I'm pretty sure I've used the same primer, it was a Upol direct to metal it came in a green can not sure the number. I sprayed it with a 1.8 tip and it sprayed fair. My beef with this primer wasn't in it's spray but it did not live up to any of the promises that the supplier gave regarding workability. But thats more the salesman putting it on a pedestal to make a quick sale which he's done several times since. Now he hates me because I don't trust him as far as I can throw him

We have been using that primer for 3 years the number on the can should be 20:25,or S2025.It is very hard to spray even with a 2.0 tip,we spray it mixed 4:1:1 or even a 10-15% and it works fine.We have a tech sheet that says you can mix it either way.I would board it out with 180 and then put on 2-3 coats mixed4:1:1 with a 2.0 tip,if you need a gun I could lend you one so you don't have to buy another one.It says right on the can you need a 2.0 or 2.2 to spray it,it is an excellent primer surfacer.

Thanks for the offer Jayson, I should have checked the forum. I thined it 10% and it came out OK out of my 1.7...but a 2.0 would have been much better. It still needed a lot of sanding to get it straight. Tomorrow I'll shoot the colour and see how it goes.

Craig