Time to Freshen-Up

[joe]

Mark,

I've heard of that technique. Haven't tried it but I guess the advantage is the drying time. Does the paint flow out evenly when drying? Thanks for the hint.

Another techniques, which can be used with any gun, is to vary the amount of clear when blending. For years I tried reducing airflow and it kind-of works but any mistake and you start all over.

Keep up the good work.

Joe

[kurt_rose]

Thank you Joe for reminding me I own a Critter gun. And all the wisdom you provide via this forum.
Instead of water to thin the latex or acrylic, I use winter windshield washer fluid (blue). It is almost all alcohol so it evaporates and leaves just the finish. It has not altered the colour of the paint either. I use about 2oz to 12 oz of latex @ 40 psi and it lays beautifully.

Regards
Mark

Wow Mark! Thanks for that tip. I'm gonna use it today. Who would a thunk it. Wiper fluid. This should really cut down on drying times.

[curtiss]

What do you use to thin the small bottles of acrylic paint you can buy at Hobby Lobby ?

About how much of what is needed ?

Any general directory of what kind of paint to use for various tasks ??? Strong and weak points of each type ? Thanks

[joe]

Curtis,

You need to search the forum which is rich with information on this topic.

[Mark Owen]

Joe,
With windshield washer fluid it flows fine and does appear to speed up drying time.
I also took a hint from the European automotive painters who by law have to use low VOC paint. They use infrared heaters pointed at the car panels and use air movement to speed drying. So, I setup my Lee Valley infrared heater in my basement spray booth and point it at the drying rack. I get the cross flow air from the exhaust and incoming filtered air.
I also use Floetrol (spelling) on my satin paints to take some of the sheen off, especially black.
I should state, I am trying to perfect painting/priming techniques for raw MDF using low VOC paint.
My favorite primer is BIN but the cost of shellac has pushed the price to $90 Canadian. My fallback is Zinnser Cover Stain (oil based) as it builds fast and sands like BIN. And I also have good results with PPG X-Shield WB.
Top Coat, I am using PPG Breakthrough. Expensive but tough. The only downside is that it only come in satin finish.

[joe]

Mark,

Thanks for all the good information. I'm clueless about MDF since it's not used for exteriors.

I wouldn't be too concerned about a satin finish. Last week I need a semi-high gloss on my Nova paint. That was accomplished with MM's gloss varnish. Although I seldom use gloss finishes.

Have you ventured into adding textures to your finishes? That combined against a smooth surface can be impressive. Most of my work is done this way. I'm a true believer. It does take a little masking.

Joe