Auto Air - Weird Result When Sanding

[jeanseb]

Hello,

I painted my helmet using Auto Air paint, semi opaque brite white on top of an Auto Air coat sealer.
When I (dry) sanded the brite white using grit 1000 I noticed no dust but eraser like pieces coming off. All in all the surface is smooth at the end, but the paint seems to have a rubber consistency. This comes after 2 days of drying, at around 22-23 degrees Celsius. I tried with grit 800 and I got the same result.

What's happening? What should I do?

Thanks!

[Frog]

Why are you sanding it ? I know AA dries with a rough texture especialy if sprayed on a little to heavy, but it is not advisable to sand your artwork.
Better to spray some Transparant base over or reducer to help level it before clearing.

Michael

[jeanseb]

Hello,

I thought this was recommended in another thread... Anyhow, is what I am seeing normal? Or is anything wrong with either the paint, the way I spray, the way I thin it, the way it dries?....

Thanks!

[Clinton]

Should never sand Auto Air unless your removing it for some reason. It dries to an open pore finish so the clear can adhear to the underlaying surface.

[jeanseb]

Should never sand Auto Air unless your removing it for some reason. It dries to an open pore finish so the clear can adhear to the underlaying surface.

How should be then when it's dry??? Should it be hard or soft as I am seing here?

[Frog]

Nothing wrong with the paint, Its acrylic which is basicly a plastic, what you are seeing is normal. I sanded a couple of practice pieces off the other day and the paint comes off in little rolls n lumps.

The secret with aa is build up slowly to full cover, normaly takes me between 3 and 5 thin coats, heat setting in between each coat.

Best advice is stay away from the opaques as much as possible, they are dificult to spray and allways end up like sandpaper, or at least that is my experience.

Michael

[Frog]

Ahhh good Clinton is on it......Clinton has far more experience with AA than I do.

[Clinton]

Actually Auto Air isn't your typical acrylic paint, it's an open pore arcylic enamel(which is why you don't need to sand,and it has no topcoat window.). Which means it isn't going to have that strong glossy plastic finish like regular Acrylics. It will have a dull pores finish to it, but once cured it should be dry and not rubbery. If it has a rubber fell it's not dry, if you layer it on too heavy it will not dry underneath so the top will skim and have uncured paint under. You should lay it on in light layers, lots of light layer are way better than one heavy layer. Reduce your paints about 25-35% for building a background colour or to cover a helmet ect.. Either heat cure between coats or let it air dry for 5-10min between coats.