Primer 'balling up' when sanded?

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What can be done to minimise balling up, short of wet sanding?

I have painted a number of parts in Dulux Metalshield 'High Build' Zinc Phosphate Primer. It was a bit of a sod to apply, as it was very thick and tended to skin and the pull if not working very fast. I could mainly keep up with it but in some areas where its a bit of a mess, or run a bit where I got it too thick. Nothing major, but it does now want a bit of a sand and I am getting no where fast with it at the moment.
Doesn't seen to matter what I do, 180grit, down to 40 grit, hand sanding or air-orbital it balls up really badly. Its over a month since it was painted so its not lack of drying time, and while its damp in the air its been in a dry barn all that time.

I really don't want to wet sand it given the weather as I want to get on with the topcoat.


Daniel
 
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can only assume it's not dried yet.
I just cant understand it, it does feel that way, still slightly tacky feeling and pulls the paper up when you lift it, but it wasnt THAT thick and it has been there weeks.

Its sunny today to might get it in the warm, but ultimately while I might ring Dulux tech help, I think I am going to bang the top coat on and see what it looks like. Worst case I will flat of the visible faces and recoat them in 6months time.

Daniel
 
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Strange as it seems often paint will not dry even in a heated house if the weather is damp and overcast. I always assumed it to be the humidity causing the problem.

If they are small components perhaps leaving them in an airing cupboard or on a radiator for a while might help.

Certainly worth a phone call to the makers.
 
Strange as it seems often paint will not dry even in a heated house if the weather is damp and overcast. I always assumed it to be the humidity causing the problem.
Yeah, I dont know, its been sunny in the past month and its not waterbased paint. The parts are the arm and dipper of a vintage mini digger, so about 180kg and 2m long...

Dulux's offices are not open till Monday.


Daniel
 
Hmm, I see, so you would need a pretty big airing cupboard :D :D :D
 
Ive got it as good as I can be bothered to, and got the top coat on, which unlike the primer was a pleasure to apply. Covered well over the buff colored primer given its gloss red, if less well over area at the end of the dipper I did primer and was going direct onto rust converter.


Daniel
 
Well, the top coat was also softish, but does sand, so after a coat i of that I topped off the worse of the flat faces and sloshed a second cost on. Mild brush strokes visable but otherwise very happy considering what is and the limited amount of love it had.

Photos and info at http://www.smalleyabsolutelyoutrageous.co.uk



Daniel
 

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