Paint? - Can oil based enamel be color sanded?

[Joey]

I sprayed my DK Jr cab earlier. It came out like shit. I used an oil
based enamel, and Penetrol (great product), that someone suggested.
Now, that wasn't the problem. I think that with the first coat, I still
had the paint too thick. It came out of the gun with large droplets,
really messy like, but started to flatten down. Perhaps my pressure was
off or the gun nozzle just didn't cooperate?

In the end, because of my inexperience and the many damn insects that
flew into the paint, I have several runs that Stevie Wonder would be
able to see.

I'm experienced with color sanding an automotive finish to remove orange
peel and runs. I already have a 3M rubbing compound, etc.

Does anyone know if an oil based enamel can be color sanded, after fully
cured (weeks if necessary)? I don't see why not, but not really sure.
If so, I should be able to make the finish on my DK Jr cab look good.

Lesson - Lay cabinet down (I had it standing up) and spray one side at a
time, if possible. Thin paint a bit more..

Thanks in advance,
Joey
joey...@hotmail.com

[Bret Pehrson]

As I'm sure you are aware, enamel can take forever to dry --
weeks/months...

If it were me, I'd scrape off the paint, sand to the wood, and start
over w/ a more suitable (quicker curing) paint. I know that you already
have a lot invested in it though, however I just think that as soon as
you start to sand it, it is going to gum up and end up worse than before
-- enamel is just a crappy paint to try and work w/ after laid down.

Good luck, regardless.

--
Bret Pehrson
http://www.vaps.org/members/nv/br...@classicade.com.html
mailto:br...@classicade.com
NOSPAM

[Joey]

Thanks Bret. After the many hours I've spent getting the surface free of
scratches/slick, it kinda makes me want to cut my losses and find a minty
orange Nintendo cab to stuff it all in. I thought I'd try a repaint project
once, and done properly, it 'could' have come out awesome. I knew before I
painted it today - it would either look excellent or like crap.

I either need to break out the D/A sander or find another cab. It's a sad day
for me, as far as vids go..arggggh!

Joey
joey...@hotmail.com

[Zinfer]

I think I missed the early part of the message, but were you by chance
using one of those Wagner power painters?
I bought one specifically for this and ended up returning it. Or were
you using a compressor and paint attachment?

[Joey]

I've got an HVLP paint gun, the type you would purchase for automotive painting. I
did some spraying with it on an auto restoration project, and had excellent
results. It's only a $50 gun, from Harbor Freight, but worked like a charm.

I also have a 60gallon/6hp compressor, 3 inline moisture trap/filters.

I've sprayed 3 different types of primer, and a 2 stage automotive urethane enamel
paint. With auto paint, you thin it so that it's so thin..like water or
something. I did notice that even after thinning more than the thinning agent
suggested, my oil paint was still a bit thick. Had I (a) thinned the paint even
more and (b) layed the cabinet on it's side, as to eliminate runs, I think it would
have came out close to perfect.

Lesson learned.. Gotta say, wish I'd used that foam roller that I bought..lol

Joey
joeycuda at hotmail.com

[Zinfer]

That's the only problem with an oil-based paint that turned me off to
spraying it on a cab or for that matter, metal parts. You can't go
back and just wash it off to try again. I think your right and that
sounds like it should have worked out well.
Belt sander may work the best now with a finishing sander afterwards.