Help in correcting clear-coat orange peel...

[PHArchivist]

Created a beautifully weathered prop...

Then managed to orange peel the clear coat. Badly...

Because it is not a solid color coat, I'm afraid to sand; even wet-sand with fine grit. Afraid of actually cutting through the clear and effecting the varied, weathered finish, or hazing the clear.

Thought about maybe buffing with a cotton cloth...

Any other ideas...?

 

[robn1]

Gloss clear or flat?

 

[Funky]

The only fix I know is sanding.
Let me guess. You either cleared it when it was humid or you didn't wait at least 24 hours for your paint job to cure.

 

[PHArchivist]

The only fix I know is sanding.
Let me guess. You either cleared it when it was humid or you didn't wait at least 24 hours for your paint job to cure.

Both, basically...

Cold, dark, humid...

Miss the SoCal sun!

 

[PHArchivist]

Gloss clear or flat?

Had a couple coats of Testor's Flat. The orange-peeled coat is the Testors semi-gloss...

 

[robn1]

Had a couple coats of Testor's Flat. The orange-peeled coat is the Testors semi-gloss...

Like Funky said sanding is the only real fix. Give it a few more coats to give you something to sand without going through. Once it's sanded smooth you can polish it if it's cloudy. This won't work for flats because it will turn it glossy, semi-gloss may also be trouble.

 

[PHArchivist]

Have a sunny day here with 55%-60% humidity, and 55-60 degrees F.

I think I will apply more weathering (pastel chalk powder, and sponge-applied acrylic paint) to mask or cover some of the dappling, the hit it with a clear flat coat, sprayed in direct sunlight.

 

[PHArchivist]

Didn't work... Still really bad.

 

[Rcw]

Cheap harbour freight sandblast gun that has media chamber right above the trigger,not drawing from an external source. Blast gently with soda not sand.test in an inconspicuous area.it should gently give you some mechanical bond without sanding. Then when it says three coats is enough double it. Spray clear wet on tacky,not wet on wet nor dry. Build the clear up to sand down the highs and bring up the lows in the orange peel. Polish. Hope that helps.