Practically Classics Forum

Knowing you Arceye,and the rate your going on this one, the update will consist of an MOT pass certificate...

Why would it need one? (OK, so the insurance company will probably discount the car's cover if it is tested, but not by the cost of a test).

That RM is looking better and better. I am more than a tad jealous!
I would like the 2 door range I heard mentioned earlier too. I have a massive soft spot for old rangies.

Classic insurers are getting fussy. Lancaster Insurance wanted to see the MOT for my 1968 Morris Minor before they would offer me cover!

Well impressed by this, keep up the great work!

Christ, you not finished it yet???

I love seeing this come on leaps and bounds with each update

Leaps and bounds backwards I'm afraid

Just got in the garage tonight for the first time since christmas and have a problem to address soon.

Just before xmas the garage door ended up being left open all day (twice ) with freezing fog crawling round the car, (would hasten to add it wasn't my fault) but the car was covered in nasty foul damp and ice crystals. Now, it has experienced micro blistering to some of the earlier painted panels. On the upside it's probably better happening now whilst the project is ongoing than when I think its finished but still gutting.

I'll cut them back for now and carry on with finishing, then when complete I'll have to do some rubbing back to get back past the problem and try another coat of paint over the whole lot. A shame as I really wanted to paint everything individually rather than mask areas off and its a hell of a lot work undone.

I can only assume that moisture has got through the air line whilst spraying (unless anyone has better ideas?), I have a water trap filter after the compressor before the line and previous efforts have been ok, the boys mini which was done with the same paints and equipment but with less care lives outside and hasn't suffered the same problem, but given the symptoms its all I can think of as the problem. I'll have to look into making sure it doesn't happen again, maybe some sort of inline drier.

Ah well, we live and learn.

I believe the saying is "Oh bugger!"

You know Rob, I believe those were the exact words I said on seeing it. Honest

I've ordered up another filter type water trap for the compressor to go just before the gun so that will be two filter traps, hope its enough.... I took a heat gun to some of the affected areas and they actually went back to pretty much right, I'm not kidding myself they'll stay that way though so plan on rubbing back a bit then heating things up for a few days in the garage before spraying again in the hope of driving any moisture out of the paint and trying to stop any condensing on cold panels.

Fingers Crossed..

I remember the words I used when a similar thing happened to me - I wouldn't be surprised if you heard them too!!

I discovered the problems of spraying enamel (synthetic) paint in winter the hard way: I sprayed the little tractor's safety frame on Christmas Eve about eight years ago and I had to do it again the year before last.

I now spray in summer (so didn't do any this year!) as it's warm and dry. Even so, when I sprayed a bonnet, I had two heaters going and, on occasion, three IR lights above the panels. I was sweating like a pig, but the finish was excellent! I had thought of making a water trap for the airline - a few yards of copper pipe with a section where water could drop down and be drained off - a vertical affair a bit like a modern heated towel rail. The idea would bave been to run cold water over it while spraying to get as much water as I could out of the system. I ended up with two water traps, the connecting hose in a bucket of cold water. I worked well, but a larger mass of water would be needed in warmer weather.

As an aside, I don't use thinners with synthetic paint. I heat the paint in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes until it's thin enough to spray. Then I spray it very quickly! It seems to give a harder finish and fills a lot of the pinpricks.

The wing is as sprayed - no polish or anything!

Gotta agree with Tractorman here, I reckon a problem like that is likely to be more than just water int he airline - ideally the whole environment needs to be warm and dry. As above, you can do it when the weather co-operates, or you can do it artificially, but if you use heaters/lamps etc. they need to be on for some decent time before you actually spray.

Remember that when propellants/thinners evapourate, they work will go very cold (or even colder than it was to start with) - which will attract condensation if the dew point in the environment is low and the air has relatively high humidity.

All the best though - I feel for you!

Cheers