Quote:
Originally Posted by fredmc
a piece of thick aluminum
|
1) do you know how the piece of aluminum was formed? outgassing is common with cast parts. tiny air bubbles are formed in the aluminum during the casting process, and when the metal is heated, the metal's pores open up and allow some of the gas to escape, creating pin holes while the powder is curing. solution: outgas prior to shooting per baz's instructions.
2) i'm not sure what the "prep and clean" stuff is, but i think most people use acetone for cleaning because it leaves no residue. some cleaners are either petroleum-based or have some type of corrosion inhibitor, etc. that can mess up powder cure. solution: use acetone to clean.
3) this really should be no. 1... like baz said, clean/dry air will increase finish (and spraying -> reduced clumping) consistency. solution: drain air compressor tank daily (or better yet install an automatic drain, like the $12 one from HF), and in the air line close to point of use install a coalescing filter (removes heavy moisture/oil/particles) followed by dessicant filter (dries air) followed by a regulator/particulate filter (catches the dessicant particles).