Summary for orange peel on airplane paint Discussion
orange peel on airplane paint is discussed as a drying-and-application problem rather than a simple reducer ratio issue. Mark Hainey asked why the fabric manufacturer’s enamel was orange peeling on a 1946 fabric airplane’s metal surfaces even after reducing it at the recommended 5:1 mix. Ronald Zeeman said orange peel is usually caused by the paint drying too quickly after spraying, and that solvent is used to slow evaporation; he noted hot weather can make this worse and that a slower-evaporating solvent would help in industry, though it may not be practical for a hobbyist. Tom Gallant added that a coat that is too thick can also cause orange peel and recommended multiple thin coats instead of one heavy coat. Laurie Andrews suggested Owatrol Oil to keep the wet edge open longer, saying a shipwright friend uses about 10% in topcoat to eliminate the effect.
Q. I am restoring a 1946 fabric airplane. I an using the fabric manufactures brand enamel paint for the metal surfaces. “To best match the fabric color”. I am also using an epoxy enamel primer that is recommended for this paint. The instructions read that I can use the paint right from the can. It also says in the case of “orange peel” to use an enamel reducer at a 5:1 mix. I am getting orange peel, and have reduced to the given mix to no avail. Am I using to much, or to less reducer, or what?
Mark Hainey
Hobbyist – Azle, Texas
2004
A. Orange peel is caused by the paint drying too quickly after spray painting. The solvent is added to slow this down. If it was a hot day when you painted the solvent may have still evaporated to quickly. In an industrial setting a slower evaporating solvent would be used. Probably not an option for a hobbyist.
Ronald Zeeman
Coil Coating – Brampton, ON, Canada
2004
A. The other variable that creates orange peel is too thick a coat of paint. As the instructions on many spray-cans say, “Multiple thin coats are better than one heavy coat.” That way the surface doesn’t dry before the undersurface.
Tom Gallant
– Long Beach, California, USA
2004
A. We use Owatrol Oil to keep the wet edge open longer.
A friend of mine is a shipwright and he also mixes Owatrol at about 10% with the top coat to eliminate orange peel effect.
Laurie Andrews
– Faversham, Kent, UK
2005