# PPG Pitt Tech Plus runs too much when sprayed from an airless!



## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Effin totally distressed! 

Painting some raised seam vertical metal siding today. About four thousand square feet at forty feet high. All logistics in place. Sixty foot boom, color match perfect, communications sent, barricades in place, pressure washing done.

Started spraying the PTP using a Graco 395 with a 413 tip (PTP recommends 13-19) on a twelve inch wand. Brand new Graco Contractor gun. Adjusted the tip to accommodate a vertical stroke with the wrist in police position, not gangster. 

Did everything I could to minimize the curtains that were occurring. Turned pressure down, quicker strokes, etc. Bottom line, I was betrayed by the paint, and I don't know why. Granted, it was the first time I sprayed this product out of an airless. I think it may have to do with the dark brown color I was spraying, and the humidity. But it wasn't any conditions I hadn't sprayed SW Shercryl in with better success. The only reason I didn't go with Shercryl, was the sheen was lower than the PTP.

It just pisses me off that I went through a lot of effort to provide a mediocre finish. Excuse me, I need to go have a good cry...over a couple bottles of Sierra Nevada's. Thanks to who ever gave up precious moments of their lives to read this.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

I have never had a problem with it running like you state I wonder if you got a bad batch. Spraying with a 413 definitely should have kept it to a minimum I have never used anything smaller then a a 517 with it.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Lambrecht said:


> I have never had a problem with it running like you state I wonder if you got a bad batch. Spraying with a 413 definitely should have kept it to a minimum I have never used anything smaller then a a 517 with it.


I hate to think I got a bad batch at twenty five gallons. The new Graco gun actually came with a 517 tip, but I thought the angles would just cause too much build and over spray.So I went with the 413. I think it may have to do with the very dark color I was going with. Actually, when I'd open a five after setting for a bit, and after I had boxed and mixed everything, there was a distinct magenta color float on top.

The work will pass, given the location, but I'm extremely disappointed with the results.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Do you think it might have had something to do with the wand? Wands will always leave a spit or glob at start/stops, so you've got a spit from a start right on top of your spit from the stop. Couple that with the other factors you mentioned, and it's the perfect storm. 

BTW, positioning gun, "like police, not gangster", priceless.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

Smaller tip for me
A .11 or a .09 for starters
Specially painting metal there is no forgiveness. Not going to suck in the paint at all. Steel. Whatever. Pans and handrails. Hollow metal doors and frames, metal I like to start .09 and go from there.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Oden said:


> Smaller tip for me
> A .11 or a .09 for starters
> Specially painting metal there is no forgiveness. Not going to suck in the paint at all. Steel. Whatever. Pans and handrails. Hollow metal doors and frames, metal I like to start .09 and go from there.


That may have worked. I might try that today. I have some fine finish tips but I was reluctant to stray from the PTP TDS recommendations. Probably because I knew I was going to have trouble. ( in hind sight, I should have thought of the "secret")


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Just reread your OP and seen the Plus at the end of Pitt Tech. I have not used the Plus version. Maybe the Plus stands for Plus Runs.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I lugged this over from another thread just to keep my personal online work journal consistent. Hope you're enjoying the story. look for some special effects and maybe a dragon or troll in the near future.




ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> The one that you messed up. I can't believe you are going to leave all those sags, runs and ****.  :jester:


LOL. I have no choice. No time to fix it. But fortunately, any time before 2PM, when the sun hits it, it looks OK. Color looks good, and sheen looks consistent. Any time after 2PM, it's like watching a dog suffer and there's nothing you can do about it.

I arrived at the site and will employ Oden's suggestion of a smaller tip. I'm also going to verify the 5-9 mil WFT recommendation with the 413 tip I'm currently using. I'm determined to keep the 12" wand on because my partner thinks I have lousy technique and I want to prove him wrong.

I really take these things personally because I'm am an extremely conscientious painter. Don't laugh. I'm serious. But if I were to do this again, which I have the opportunity, I think I'll be going with Shercryl, despite the lower sheen of their semi gloss.

At the end of the day, it will all dull out given the dust bowl we've become in California.

Back to your regular program


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Update on the PTP debacle:


Oden's the Man! His suggestion of dropping down the RAC orfice size from the recommended .013 (manufacturer recommended mimimum) to a .011 was the key to today's success.


Actually, I performed a quick test this morning before spraying the wall. I happened to have three PVC sign blanks at approximately 2' X 3' ea. The following results are based on a Graco 395 classic, w/50' of hose plus contractor gun at approximately 1,500 psi. 

Weather was overcast at 0900 hrs. PST. Ambient temps around 65 degrees F. with probably 65% RH : 



*Test results* (PTP TDS recommends 5-9 mils WFT sprayed 12" from surface):

1. *413 RAC tip*- 7 mils (Coating appears fine. Within two minutes coating begins to show signs of vertical stress. Five minutes in, coating begins to slightly sag. Ten minutes later coating overlap develops run. 

2. *414 RAC FF tip* -5 mils (Coating holds out longer than test 1., but begins to show slight stress after ten minutes. Runs do not form, but there is indication of uniform sagging beginning to occur)

3. *410 RAC FF tip*-4 mils (Perfect finish! The smaller tip gave me a little more time to build the coating to the minimum 5 mils. Had only few runs on the overlap high on wall where it is not noticable from the ground. Used less paint and completed about 1,650 sq. ft. in approximately 1.5 hrs. (One man operating lift and one man spraying)

Thanks again Oden. You helped restore my faith in PPG Pitt Tech Plus!


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## Stretch67 (Oct 7, 2013)

CApainter said:


> Effin totally distressed!
> 
> Painting some raised seam vertical metal siding today. About four thousand square feet at forty feet high. All logistics in place. Sixty foot boom, color match perfect, communications sent, barricades in place, pressure washing done.
> 
> ...


Does it seem real runny in the bucket? Thats what i like about DevFlex.... Can put it on plenty heavy enuf to cover and it doesnt run. It looks like its going to, but doesnt. Dries quick. And i spray with a newish 517 when in doing it. That way theres plenty of overlap, spray both directions, no holidays.

Not to say i havent seen some rookies spraying with runs all over the place, but I havent had any issues.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

bryceraisanen said:


> Does it seem real runny in the bucket? Thats what i like about DevFlex.... Can put it on plenty heavy enuf to cover and it doesnt run. It looks like its going to, but doesnt. Dries quick. And i spray with a newish 517 when in doing it. That way theres plenty of overlap, spray both directions, no holidays.
> 
> Not to say i havent seen some rookies spraying with runs all over the place, but I havent had any issues.


The PTP definitely doesn't need thinning. And as much as I'd like to blame PPG for recommending the .013 as a minimal tip size, it was my responsibility to test before spraying. And I didn't. 

And although a fix would require a man lift rental for two days, one day sanding out runs, and one day shooting a second coat for a total of two to three man days, most of the damage was done to my ego.

And BTW, I stuck with the police grip and proved to my partner that I actually do have skills!


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

So what is the real difference between regular Pitt Tech and the Plus version?


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Lambrecht said:


> So what is the real difference between regular Pitt Tech and the Plus version?


I just read the TDS, ( home now enjoying a glass of Napa grapes, and reading coating tech sheets like a real paint nerd) and it seems the plus is just a bit more solids. It also may indicate the goodness they add to make it VOC compliant. Yea right.


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