Try setting your gun this way:
With gun empty back the fluid knob all the way out leaving just a few threads engaged. Pull the trigger full open and turn the fluid knob in until it start to lift the trigger. Let off the trigger and then turn the fluid knob another 1/2 turn in.

Tape a piece of 16" masking paper on the wall about 24" long.

With paint in your gun pull the trigger just far enough for the air to come through but no paint. Set your PSI at the gun to Iwata's recommendation range. I would say 32 PSI would be a good place to start with your gun.

Now hold the gun about 6" from the masking paper and pull the trigger full open for one second. I say 1/1000 and then let go. Look at the pattern on the paper, it should be cigar shaped and have full coverage throughout the fan pattern.

If the paint starts to run, turn your fluid knob in 1/2 turn and repeat the 1 second blast.
Remember to keep checking the PSI at the gun and keep it solid at 32 for the time being.

The goal is to get consistent fine droplets of paint throughout the fan pattern. Remember you will be overlapping your spray by at least 50% so there will be twice the amount of paint on your panel than what is on your paper.

This should get you close and you can adjust further based on your speed of spray.

Another thing to do is set a yard stick on a table and move your hand over it pretending to be spraying. You should cover about 12" per second.

'68 Coronet R/T wrote:Try setting your gun this way:
With gun empty back the fluid knob all the way out leaving just a few threads engaged. Pull the trigger full open and turn the fluid knob in until it start to lift the trigger. Let off the trigger and then turn the fluid knob another 1/2 turn in.

Tape a piece of 16" masking paper on the wall about 24" long.

With paint in your gun pull the trigger just far enough for the air to come through but no paint. Set your PSI at the gun to Iwata's recommendation range. I would say 32 PSI would be a good place to start with your gun.

Now hold the gun about 6" from the masking paper and pull the trigger full open for one second. I say 1/1000 and then let go. Look at the pattern on the paper, it should be cigar shaped and have full coverage throughout the fan pattern.

If the paint starts to run, turn your fluid knob in 1/2 turn and repeat the 1 second blast.
Remember to keep checking the PSI at the gun and keep it solid at 32 for the time being.

The goal is to get consistent fine droplets of paint throughout the fan pattern. Remember you will be overlapping your spray by at least 50% so there will be twice the amount of paint on your panel than what is on your paper.

This should get you close and you can adjust further based on your speed of spray.

Another thing to do is set a yard stick on a table and move your hand over it pretending to be spraying. You should cover about 12" per second.

badsix wrote:

kace wrote:i've spent some time thinking about the root causes of orange peel, but the best I can come up with is the air/paint ratio is too heavy on the paint sde of the equation. Too much air or too little paint and you get dry spray. Too much fluid and not enough air and you get peel. Move even further in that direction and you get runs and sags.
So, f you have peel either reduce the air pressure or up the fluid control a touch. Of course air pressure should always be at, or above the guns recommended minimum.
The trouble is distance to the panel and travel speed are two more variables that have to be right to get a nice job.

If it were easy, everyone would do it!

you should up the air press. and or come down with the fluid. O/P is caused by may things or a combination of things. and your right its not as easy as you might think but when you figure out how to adjust your gun, mixture and spray technique it becomes easier. it just takes practice!
Jay D.

I Agree with you Jay!

Thank you all!! I did have a good cigar pattern but it did run on my test/set up. I will do the practicing this weekend, I work all weekend 12hr shifts so I can do my homework and get ready to paint again next week. I have a little bit of sanding left but got it flat before it hardened too much. I am so grateful I started with the bed which is much more manageable than the body of the truck. I appreciate the help!

badsix wrote:

kace wrote:i've spent some time thinking about the root causes of orange peel, but the best I can come up with is the air/paint ratio is too heavy on the paint sde of the equation. Too much air or too little paint and you get dry spray. Too much fluid and not enough air and you get peel. Move even further in that direction and you get runs and sags.
So, f you have peel either reduce the air pressure or up the fluid control a touch. Of course air pressure should always be at, or above the guns recommended minimum.
The trouble is distance to the panel and travel speed are two more variables that have to be right to get a nice job.

If it were easy, everyone would do it!

you should up the air press. and or come down with the fluid. O/P is caused by may things or a combination of things. and your right its not as easy as you might think but when you figure out how to adjust your gun, mixture and spray technique it becomes easier. it just takes practice!
Jay D.

Oops, thanks for fixing my post! Yes, that's what I meant to say. LOL

no problem
Jay D.

I had a few area I sanded through so I reapplied the epoxy to the areas and have wet sanded the entire bed and tailgate with 400. My question is I applied the epoxy Tuesday and wet sanded yesterday. The tech sheets say 5 day window to apply paint, I wont be able to get back to this Monday/Tuesday next week, since I wet sanded everything yesterday would I still have to sand again if outside the 5 day re-coat window?