Setup help with my Iwata lph400

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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 1:06 am
Hello, I have a iwata lph400lv 1.4, and I am spraying Omni plus Gem Green metallic, I am running 25 lbs of air pressure, full fluid, fan 1 turn in from full open, 50% overlap on passes, my speed on the passes is somewhat slow I'm trying to keep it wet without flooding, and I sprayed 2 coats of color ,I am painting my 69 chevelle and I am a hobbiest painter,
So far I painted my jams, trunk lid and hood, the trunk lid and jams came out great but my hood came out streaky , mottled.
My question is , #1, what maybe am I doing wrong with my technique?
#2 is my iwata to slow to paint my whole car? If so what would be a good gun to get
#3 if the iwata is ok to spray my car should I buy the orange cap? Or will the LV (silver cap be ok) I also have the 1.3 tip.
Thanks in advance

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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 8:48 am
First question would be is your compressor putting out enough CFM to handle the spray gun?
Next question is what speed activator and reducer are you using?

I have done many complete car paint jobs with the LPH400 silver cap used for epoxy, base and clear. I use slow activator and reducer in all my paint jobs.

Not a fan of Omni paint. I used it one time and swore never again.

Stripes on the hood are normally from tipping the spray gun while trying to reach too far.
Gun must be kept perpendicular to the surface and the distance from the surface and the overlap consistent.

Personally, I have never seen the need to buy the Orange Cap.

Setting the gun up. I normally open the fluid knob all the way and then hold the trigger full open while turning the knob in just until I feel it start to lift the trigger. I then release the trigger and turn it 1/2 turn farther in.

22-25 psi at the gun with the trigger pulled full open is good for epoxy primer and base coat. Up the pressure to 26-28 psi for clear coat.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 9:06 am
When someone says that they have sprayed this much of any project and things went well....I first, always question the gun technique (speed, distance, reach) when it comes to what is the largest flat panel of most any whole shoots. And, if you combine that with Omni you can easily get a "different" look to that hood. You might end up needing to do somewhat of an old style drop coat to get that hood to even out.....
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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 11:02 am
A lot of painters up the PSI for the Iwata to fight that very problem.
I don't use my Iwata for base for that very reason, my other guns
base easier so I only use the Iwata LPH400 for clear.
JC.

(It's not custom painting-it's custom sanding)



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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 11:59 am
streaking and mottled are caused by applying your base coats to wet. if your base is mixed right and your useing the correct reducer temp ( not to fast ) it should go on smooth with medium wet coats. it may take 2-3 or more coats to get good coverage, maybe more with the Omni.
Jay D.
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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 1:20 pm
Thanks for the help,, my compressor I picked up at Lowes a couple yrs ago. It's 60 gal kobalt 2 stage 3.5hp, that at first it couldn't keep up, then I changed the pulleys to speed up the pump now I get plenty of air, I use ********** slow reducer, as one of the reply's mentioned too wet of the coats will cause mottling I'm guilty of that I just gotta find a balance of not to wet but not dry, I have done my other cars, a Ford escape rear quarter and Ford fusion front fender my neighbors hood, all metallic with good results, I paint my chevelle hood and it looks like crap, now that I'm getting ready to paint my chevelle body after 2yrs of body work,, I'm getting nervous,, I have a auto body shop next to me that the owner was giving me advice and he used my gun and said it was to slow with the 1.3 to do a complete, so I got a 1.4 tip, he said I can use one of his guns, he has a few, a supernova, a SATA 4000, and more, would it be worth while to use one of his guns? It's just that I'm used to using my iwata,, Im not sure if I want to paint my chevelle with a new gun that I'm not used too, but I'm afraid of the mottling I might get,, Does drop coats work? thanks guys



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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 5:04 pm
i do drop coats with S/S met. paints. but i have never had to with base coat i use quality products and i think that has a lot to do with it. drop coating on base coat may cause problems with your color,( more blotchy looking spots.) i think your problems are from trying to apply it so wet, so it looks smooth and glossy. on your first coat if your seeing your primer through the color on your first coat that's how it should be sprayed. i'm not sure what your referring to about dry spray? when we do a blend we bring the tail of the blend out to just a dusting of the panel its dry but lays down smooth. what we call dry spray is like when your useing a fast reducer on a warm day or holding the gun back to far. the paint is drying to much before it hits the surface and therefore goes on dry and rough looking. Old Dupont Guy had some good pictures of how your base coat should look at your first and later coats.
Jay D.
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PostPosted: Sun May 16, 2021 7:50 pm
I had good results when I using the 1.3 tip. Then I switched to the 1.4 tip for the first time with the fluid wife open, maybe I should go back to the 1.3, but I'm not sure if the gun would be fast enough to do the whole car, does anybody have advice on what tip I should use? Or I can borrow a different gun if thats the way to go,, thanks guys

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PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 8:49 am
My first reply stated that I used the Silver Cap.
That is a 1.4 tip and as stated I have painted a number of completes with it.

Most recently this tri-stage blue spruce pearl:
Door Left Rear View.JPG

Hood Buffed.JPG


This dark red:
IMGP0010.JPG


Current project:
Fender Right Front Cleared 1.JPG


The gun will handle the job.
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2021 9:13 am
That looks killer!! Where do you set your fan setting at? are you doing 50% overlap on your pases? and what is the distance from the gun to the panel?
I was at like 5" but I think on some of my pases, my speed slowed down or I got to close because I flooded paint on a couple passes I think I gotta speed up a bit and cut back on the fluid knob,, this **** ain't easy but I spent 2 yrs on bodywork and I told myself I'm going all the way and paint it myself,, i gotta go for it,,. thanks again, you guys are great
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