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I am not sure what I've done wrong on my tailgate. Originally I painted it with the ginger glow Omni base about 6 months ago, then it sat awhile while I tried to figure out how to paint the ford letters. Finally decided to sand the ford letters down a little and then sprayed a white omni 2 part epoxy on the letters. So far so good. I taped the letters and then sprayed the omni base on the whole tailgate. The paint started popping or peeling up where it was originally painted. So I let it dry, and sanded down the whole thing (except for the letter area, which was good where the omni epoxy was. Everything looked good, I clean really well with silicone and wax remover and tack cloths. And it did the same thing.
I was spraying the bed at the same time, and have no problems there, so it don't think it is the paint mixing or combination of epoxy and base layers. This is the omni base, sprayed over older omni base. Ignore the color difference, that was due to the white epoxy under, and i didn't do enough coats of color as it started peeling. Secomd attempt, and it is still peeling up. I'm guessing that i have some contaminant on there, but what it is and how do i get rid of it? I fairly bummed out, as this was the last piece i had to paint, and now im out of my base color, so I'll have to buy more just for the tailgate.....
"Ouch" is all I know to say. Something wasn't happy though. If you strip it and redo color solid, then after cured ... apply the white vinyl letters.
I once built a steel tailgate for a Chevrolet step side PU in the early '80s, put white letters on the blue paint. My Stepbrother bought it back, his son still has it, those letters are still white. My last set on my '77 were white on a red painted TG panel, they too held up really well for 33 years. I used these in red on my new white TG most recently, and there is no question in my mind, they are every bit as good as those others used long ago. They don't weather wear thin like paint that is waxed / polished either, and they keep a sharp crisp edge. Ford Tailgate Decals | Graphic Express Automotive Graphics
Well I am not a painter, but that looks like maybe 2 kinds or brands of paint that did not get along. Or maybe a paint and clear coat that are not compatible.
That condition of your paint is the existing paint "reflowing". Trying to turn into a liquid again in a sense. Let me ask a few questions and I think I can help you with an answer.
_ Originally painted the tailgate with Omni base you state 6 months ago. Is that a base coat /clear coat? Meaning 2 stage (a ginger base coat color THEN clear coat)?
- Letters sanded & painted white (6 months later ,no problem). Did you paint MORE than the letters with the white? As you say there is "white" on the rest of the tailgate that hasn't been covered yet with the new, final ginger glow paint if I understand correctly.
- If you did cover the entire tailgate with the white while painting the letters, then eventually masking the letters,THEN your final painting of color; the white is "reflowing" from the new top final gingerr coat.
-If this is the case .The reason is the coat that is wrinkling/reflowing has not cured. ;
-
That's just base in the pics? No clear? Looks really shiny for base only. Anyway,those bad areas have lifted. Sand the whole thing down including the letters. You should really shoot a couple coats of urethane primer,let it sit for a couple days,then block it with 400 grit. Shoot 2 or 3 LIGHT coats of base..full coverage but don't pour it on. Let it flash at least 20 minutes between coats. It's easy to spray wet over wet on such a small area,which,in my opinion,has caused the lifting. Wait a couple hrs and shoot your clear. Again,don't drench it but follow the shine. The letters are tough to make them look nice. I would have one of those wrapping guys make some vinyl letters,and have them install.
One other thing. I would paint the tailgate in a vertical position to prevent possible ponding.
vpk is on the right track. some paints you can't even spray over themselves for a long time without lifting. sanding them makes it worse by exposing fresh paint.
At this point you have no choice but to strip it back down and start over. if you want the letters white paint them with base too and clear it all at the same time.
That's fish eye if I ever seen it go to your search engine and type in fish eye additive or something along those lines and a plethora of choices should pop up get a small bottle follow directions on the bottle sand all that crap away then paint again problem solved.
Not fisheye. fisheye is cause by the paint pulling back from silicone or another contaminant. this is wrinkle paint and it caused by a chemical reaction lifting the material under it. same as spraying lacquer over enamel.
Absolutely NOT fish eye. Do not chase a fish eye repair. Where the original paint has "lifted " like that, it is a sanding back down, USUALLY a SEALER in light coats, longer wait times between coats and eventually , after setting/curing for a day or two, start with light color coats again. good luck
X2 NOT fish eye, here is fish eye, you can see it where the shop lights hit it. Zoom in it is crazy but at least it is consistent. I believe it is from a contaminated air source or painting equipment? I do not care about fish eye on the trail. Lol
I can not see fish eye from this view. Only a scratched up Lexan windshield.
Yes NO fish or fish eye spotted down the creek.
No fish eye up up ahead.
Thanks for all the advice. At this point I will just take the whole thing back down to the epoxy primer. Do I need to remove any body filler also?
For some of the queations, it is Omni epoxy and base and using ppg DCU2042 clear coat. When it started popping, there was no clear on it yet. I used all the same system, at the exact same time on the bed. Today I got a good look at the bed , and other than a couple dust nibs, it looks great I am quite pleased with the bed reaults. Done with the same epoxy primer and base and clear coat. I did put some clear along the top edge(and backside of tailgate) here. I dont know why the combination of base over 6 month old base started lifting here....
"This is the omni base, sprayed over older omni base. Ignore the color difference, that was due to the white epoxy under, and i didn't do enough coats of color as it started peeling."
This was in your original post and in my reply I asked if you had painted the WHITE EPOXY over the ENTIRE tailgate when painting the LETTERS.
So,original ginger painted,then white epoxy over the original 6 month old paint,then white over entire? tailgate,then final ginger glow ??
I think you had some white overspray on the gate from when you sprayed the letters. You can see a what looks like a clean tape line in the wrinkled paint in your first picture. When you sprayed more Omni base on the gate, it reacted with the white epoxy overspray.
I'd strip the gate all the way down & start over. Yes, you may be able to sand to primer & get away with it. But, since you've already had problems, I'd want to start over.
If you decide to spray the letters again, make sure you mask the entire gate so no white can possibly get thru to the base.
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