MAE Acrylic Enamel With Hardener Mix ?

General Discussion. Make yourself at home...read, ask and answer!

User avatar

Fully Engaged
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:12 am
Location: Central Texas
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:38 pm
I have some Razor Red Omni MAE acrylic enamel, and am not sure how to mix it.

I plan to dump both gallons in a 3 gallon container, then pour them back into gallon cans so the color will be the same. I need to leave enough room in the gallon cans to add reducer and hardener, then add paint so I will have sprayable gallons.

I presume that 8 to 1 means 1 pint of hardener to a gallon of paint, how much reducer do I use per gallon?

What's the best way to do this ?


Thanks,

Jim

User avatar

No Turning Back
Posts: 854
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2003 12:50 am
Location: Cleburne, TX
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 3:23 pm
Don't mix your hardener until you are ready to spray it. You must have a big project to need 2 gallons of paint.

Mix your reducer until you have a sprayable consistancy. Some paints give instructions on how much reducer to mix. I have never found these mix ratios to be correct. Experienced painters mix reducer until the paint runs off the mixing stick to their liking. It's not something that can be explained, just learned by doing.

If you must, mix some reducer, spray some, and see how it sprays. If it's too thick add more reducer, if it's too thin add some paint.

Personally, I very seldom add hardener to enamel. But then again, I don't use enamels anyway.

Frank Cox
Cox Custom Cars

User avatar

Top Contributor
Posts: 4273
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:43 pm
Location: Charleston,SC
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 3:56 pm
Davvet,,,There are 8 pints in a gallon, so when you mix up your gallon of paint you will add one pint of your hardener and one pint of your reducer. You will have five sprayable quarts. 8-1-1.

I always mixed mine one or two quarts at a time, because if something goes wrong,,,you wont waste any paint. Once you add your hardener,,,thats it. It will get hard.

If you want to get technical, use a #2 Zahn cup to measure the viscosity of your paint. If I remember right,,it should be 17-20 seconds.

Image
"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com



Top Contributor
Posts: 1665
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:31 pm
Location: Northeast
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:41 pm
ODG is correct with the mixture. Those Zahn cups are also a good tool for achieving and learning by eye the correct viscosity of the paint. Frank is also right, about the hardener, unless you don't mind having cans full of garbage. I've been using a lot of this stuff lately, for practicing on panels, and for small projects. It covers well with 2 coats.
Here's where to find the tech sheets:

https://buyat.ppg.com/refinishProductCa ... 9674801be7



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 6:01 pm
one of the resons for the hardener is if you have a screw up (and we all have screw ups now and then) is that it can be repaired the next day or so with a recoat. if you don't use the hardener most acrylic enamel will lift if recoated before it is fully cured, and then it may still lift. :)
they say my name is Jay

User avatar

Fully Engaged
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:12 am
Location: Central Texas
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:17 pm
Thanks, Guys --

I do have a large project, after a year of metal work and preparation I am finally ready to paint one of my Econoline pickups. It's been 20 years since I've attempted a full paint job.

I will mix the paint without hardener as advised.

Next question is this:

Lets say I have reduced the paint as advised, and it is back in gallon cans.

I now need to add hardener, and want to add the hardener to the 1 liter paint cup on my Iwata LPH 400 LVX.

(To keep from making errors, I want to add the hardener each time I reload)

How much hardener do I add to the 1 liter cup? 2 ounces ?

Secondly, I sanded down some paint I sprayed on the inside of a door that had too much orange peel. There are a couple small spots where sanding the paint went down to bare metal. How important is it to reprime these small spots? I also have a few small spots on the truck that have bare metal showing in the primer. I'm having a problem building them back up -- when I sand on them the metal comes back thru again. I must not be putting enough on, or sanding too much.

Jim

User avatar

No Turning Back
Posts: 854
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2003 12:50 am
Location: Cleburne, TX
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 11:26 am
Go to your local paint supply store. They have graduated mixing cups that have the marks on them for your 8:1:1 mixing. You can get these cups in pints, quart and 2 1/2 quart sizes. The quart size usually cost about 35 cents each. You'll be glad you did because it will take all the guess work out of your mixing.

Frank Cox
Cox Custom Cars



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 12:06 pm
davvet2 wrote:Thanks, Guys --

I do have a large project, after a year of metal work and preparation I am finally ready to paint one of my Econoline pickups. It's been 20 years since I've attempted a full paint job.

I will mix the paint without hardener as advis

Next question is this:

Lets say I have reduced the paint as advised, and it is back in gallon cans.

I now need to add hardener, and want to add the hardener to the 1 liter paint cup on my Iwata LPH 400 LVX.

(To keep from making errors, I want to add the hardener each time I reload)

How much hardener do I add to the 1 liter cup? 2 ounces ?

DO EVERYTHING IN OUNCES IF ITS 8-1 THEN ITS 8 OZ - 1OZ. OR 16 OZ- 2 OZ GET THE MIXING CUPS

Secondly, I sanded down some paint I sprayed on the inside of a door that had too much orange peel. There are a couple small spots where sanding the paint went down to bare metal. How important is it to reprime these small spots?

IS THIS PAINT YOUR TALKING ABOUT ACRYLIC ENAMEL THAT YOU PUT ON ? IF YOU PUT THE HARDENER IN I WOULD JUST SPOT PRIME THEN TOP COAT AGIN. IF IT HAS NO HARDENER YOU MY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LIFTING. YOU SHOUD ALLWAYS USE THE HARDENER IT WILL SAVE YOU IN THE END.

I also have a few small spots on the truck that have bare metal showing in the primer. I'm having a problem building them back up -- when I sand on them the metal comes back thru again. I must not be putting enough on, or sanding too much.

YOU'VE GOT A HIGH SPOT THERE, BUMP IT DOWN THEN REPRIME AND BLOCK WITH A GUIDE COAT :)

Jim
they say my name is Jay

User avatar

Fully Engaged
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:12 am
Location: Central Texas
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 8:24 pm
Thanks, Frank & Bad Six,

I'll get the cups.

Six, when you say to spray the hardened primer over the bare to metal spots; do I sand the primer or just shoot the hardened acrylic enamel over the primer without sanding?

Next, I had another problem come up today -- and hope I did the right thing.

2 days ago, I spot primed the blocked primer to cover up sand thru's. I had quite a few of them, today I started lightly sanding the spots and the spot primer came off in small balls and chunks -- it didn't harden even though I used hardener in the primer. It wouldn't sand off, was clogging the sandpaper and was scratching the primer, so I took lacquer thinner and rubbed & dissolved it off. The blocked primer seems to be OK, it's been on the truck for about a month and I did use hardener when I sprayed it.

The finish is now very slick, and I still have to re-spot prime the sand thru's. I plan to let it sit overnight, then scuff if up all over and re shoot the primer (using a new can of primer & hardener), so it's all covered in one coat -- then re-block it.

Hope I haven't killed it! :oops:


Jim



Top Contributor
Posts: 6731
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
Location: OREGON COAST
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 11:13 pm
davvet2 wrote:Thanks, Frank & Bad Six,

I'll get the cups.

Six, when you say to spray the hardened primer over the bare to metal spots; do I sand the primer or just shoot the hardened acrylic enamel over the primer without sanding?

I WOULD PRIME THE BARE SPOTS THEN LIGHTLY SAND THEM .THIS IS INSIDE THE DOOR AS YOU SAID. IS THIS PRIMER OR A/E ? WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS SEAL THE SAND THROUGHS WITH SOMTHING PRIMER WILL WORK.

Next, I had another problem come up today -- and hope I did the right thing.

2 days ago, I spot primed the blocked primer to cover up sand thru's. I had quite a few of them, today I started lightly sanding the spots and the spot primer came off in small balls and chunks -- it didn't harden even though I used hardener in the primer. It wouldn't sand off, was clogging the sandpaper and was scratching the primer, so I took lacquer thinner and rubbed & dissolved it off. The blocked primer seems to be OK, it's been on the truck for about a month and I did use hardener when I sprayed it.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT THE MIX OFF A LITTLE BIT. USE THE CUPS HERE TO !

The finish is now very slick, and I still have to re-spot prime the sand thru's. I plan to let it sit overnight, then scuff if up all over and re shoot the primer (using a new can of primer & hardener), so it's all covered in one coat -- then re-block it.

THATS GOOD, YOU SHOULD GET A TECK SHEET FOR YOUR PRODUCTS YOU CAN PROBIBLY GET IT ON LINE :)

Hope I haven't killed it! :oops:
ME TO, YOU'LL NEED TO DIG A BIG HOLE IF YOU DID :rotfl:


Jim
they say my name is Jay

Return to Body and Paint

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Drew, Google [Bot] and 101 guests