# spraying gloss oil enamel through hvlp orange peel affect (help please)



## stevesonsiteservices (Jan 24, 2012)

I always go on this site if i have a question about a new paint I am trying and everybody has been extremely helpful. I am getting into refinishing furniture and want my painting skills to improve greatly. I am working with an oil enamel paint from Sherwin Williams that is Ferrari red with a gloss finish and spraying it through my hvlp onto a practice table. What is happening is that I am getting orange peel affect. I am using a # 3 tip size but I think I thinned the oil to much. Can thinning oil enamel to much cause orange peel effect? First time I know I sprayed it to thick with large orange peel and the second time I sprayed after re sanding I applied it in a thin coat and still orange peel but smaller. Could this be from over thinning the oil enamel that is my question. The crazy part is that I refinish cabinets with amazing result with oil but never tried oil enamel. Thanks for reading my post.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Try more air flow and less product flow so you get better atomization.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Tip set too big.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

What are you using for thinner? When we switch from airless to HVLP with oil enamels, we usually switch from Vanish Makers' and Painters' to regular mineral spirits. Sticking with the"hotter" solvent, combined with the warmed air from the HVLP, can lead to more problems with orange peel.


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## stevesonsiteservices (Jan 24, 2012)

Gough said:


> What are you using for thinner? When we switch from airless to HVLP with oil enamels, we usually switch from Vanish Makers' and Painters' to regular mineral spirits. Sticking with the"hotter" solvent, combined with the warmed air from the HVLP, can lead to more problems with orange peel.



I am thinning with regular 1 gallon paint thinner from lowes. I did add about 5% penetrol but don't think that would make a difference. I do apologize for writing another post about orange peel as there are probably a million post about orange peel. It was just driving me nuts just one of those things that is another learning experience. I also did turn up the air pressure and turn down the material flow to test and still orange peel. I will switch to mineral spirits and give it a try. I just have a funny feeling that I added to much thinner and its just drying way to fast when spraying. I thinned it so much that the paint is almost like water haha. Can thinning to much cause it to dry fast and cause the orange peel effect as well? Thanks for your reply's greatly appreciated.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

stevesonsiteservices said:


> I am thinning with regular 1 gallon paint thinner from lowes. I did add about 5% penetrol but don't think that would make a difference. I do apologize for writing another post about orange peel as there are probably a million post about orange peel. It was just driving me nuts just one of those things that is another learning experience. I also did turn up the air pressure and turn down the material flow to test and still orange peel. I will switch to mineral spirits and give it a try. I just have a funny feeling that I added to much thinner and its just drying way to fast when spraying. I thinned it so much that the paint is almost like water haha. Can thinning to much cause it to dry fast and cause the orange peel effect as well? Thanks for your reply's greatly appreciated.


What product exactly are you using?
Perhaps you did not sand your surface smooth enough, and it is telegraphing the underlying orange peel from previous problems. Try wet sanding it with a rubber sanding block and 280 to level it out.


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## BhamPainter (Mar 6, 2013)

stevesonsiteservices said:


> I am thinning with regular 1 gallon paint thinner from lowes. I did add about 5% penetrol but don't think that would make a difference. I do apologize for writing another post about orange peel as there are probably a million post about orange peel. It was just driving me nuts just one of those things that is another learning experience. I also did turn up the air pressure and turn down the material flow to test and still orange peel. I will switch to mineral spirits and give it a try. I just have a funny feeling that I added to much thinner and its just drying way to fast when spraying. I thinned it so much that the paint is almost like water haha. Can thinning to much cause it to dry fast and cause the orange peel effect as well? Thanks for your reply's greatly appreciated.


Thinner should prolong your dry time, not shorten it. When I have orange peel with HVLP, more often than not the culprit is too thin a coat--make sure you load it up!


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