posted
Here is a good question for all you old schoolers....
When hand painting, especially large letters, or 2"-3" stripes, how do you prevent the paint from sagging? How do you go about laying the second coat of paint, if in a hurry? I was told to catch it for a second coat when the paint has tacked up a bit, thinning the second coat a bit.
-------------------- The Word in Signs Bobbie Rochow Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-6471
thewordinsigns@alltel.net Posts: 3485 | From: Jamestown, PA 16134 | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged |
When THAT is impractical, say on a wall or a sign that is already up . . . you gotta wait for that 'flash' point or tack-up time . . .
I mean, yer sayin' 'in a hurry' . . .? You aint even got time to wait 30 minutes or something for the second coat? Lot's of things affect that tack-point too ya know . . . if it's really sunny and perty - tack-time is no question, but humidity or whatever makes tack-time unbearable.
Go to lunch or go shopping or somethin' - it might be ready when you get back, LOL
HEY, HERE'S THE DEAL: Don't forget to add a few drops of hardner (activator) to the paint - always helps speed things along a tad . . .
I love you and miss you.
'Til that next awesome MEET . . .
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi Bobby, The idea is to make sure the coat of paint is the same thickness all over the project, if its thicker in some places and thinner in another then it will sag, I would only add a little thinners to the paint and brush it on in an even coat as possible then brush it out vertically and then horizontally until the paint looks to be an even surface, this also helps the finished paint to shine.
-------------------- Brian the Brush brian the brush uk Yorkshire, UK www.brianthebrushuk.com Posts: 123 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Always end with a vertical stroke. If possible, do 1 heavy coat, not 2 thinner ones. If using hardener, mix your color, but don't mix hardener into the whole batch. Use another container to paint from, add hardener to the lesser amount, as it tends to congeal, then you'll keep adding thinner every 10 minutes, and this defeats the one coat effort. I have a turps container that allows me to dispense the liquid by the drop. When going for one coat, thin very little. The trick is in careful palletting, keeping fresh paint between the bristles. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much control you have, because while the paint IS thicker, you can now load more on the brush, so flow doesn't become the problem you would suppose it to be.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought the title of this post "Preventing Paint From Sagging" had something to do with the reason OP went veggie on us. Instead, it was about work and signs. Silly me.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
For a three inch stripe using enamel, tape it off with fineline, mask the edge with 3/4 masking tape and use a small 4" foam roller. DO NOT reduce the paint. You can keep working the paint with the roller until it looks sprayed.
For brushing when doing stripes or large letters, use as big a brush as possible and try to work straight out of the can.
In thirty five+ years in the business, I could count on one hand the number of times I have put a second coat on anything. If it's a problem color like primrose yellow on black I use a mask of some sort.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
Mixing and or stirring your paint in the can is probably the most important thing you can do before you start your project. The correct consistency will make for less problems and less coats. There is a huge difference between thinned paint and paint ready to use. Reducers and flow enhancers are different in such a way where one should wonder why one would want to restructure something which differs from its opacity to begin with.
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic