Big Problems with OEM JD Paint

[Brent in WI]

Started painting the John Deere today and that actually painted fine and in between coats I started painting the sheet metal with the same paint and it would not level at all creating a severe orange peel. The tractor was sandblasted, wipe down clean and then primed with epoxy primer and looks pretty good. Most of the sheet metal was sandblasted and primed the same way and I also had some pieces that we previously painted a few years ago but had a few runs so they were wet sanded, washed cleaned and dried with a lint free cloth. I used hardener for sythetic paints and just a little reducer like the can recommends. Looking for any suggestions. I'm also at a point of buying some more expensive paint for all the sheet metal but how do I get the paint to match up? Any reccomendatiosn would be much appreciated.
Thanks
 

[El Toro]

I made that mistake back in 1975 when I was painting a Farmall A using paint from the local IH dealer. I should've discarded it, but I went ahead and used it. I've used Dupont or PPG since then and there was Acme paint a few times. I still have some of their acrylic enamel thinner. A farmer in Ohio has always used Martin Senours Crossfire paint when painting tractors. Hal
 

[Jason S.]

There are several reasons that can cause the orange peel look to paint. Not enough air pressure while spraying which will cause the paint to not bust up properly, not enough reducer or the wrong type of reducer. really need to know your set up to point out exactly what it may be.
 

[thesmoothedeere]

People brag about the duponts and ppgs but the old paint is hard to paint with and takes alot of skill too get no runs and stuff in the paint. I'm pround of my oem paint . Still shiny after 5 years.
 

[Cockbird_Hunter]

How much sun (UV) exposure has your OEM paint been subjected to in those five (5) years? I would guess it is minimal with the vehicle spending much time in a shed away from sunlight

Experiments I have conducted have proven otherwise...Alkyd Enamel chemistry based paint has poor uv sunlight resistance & fades significantly with UV exposure.....

Why one would go through the extreme efforts of sandblasting/preparation required to properly prepare a vehicle for paint & use a low quality paint is beyond me.....I suppose it is a cost issue....If that is the case, I would skimp on the tires.

Overall, it is the restorer"s vehicle end use as a goal in paint choice.
 

[thesmoothedeere]

Didn't have the equipment to spray the nasty stuff. And yes if you get a good coat of wax on it and keep them outta sunlight they will shine for years.
 

[Mike M]

Just a little reducer like the can says. I usually have to add alot of reducer to get it to flow.
I don't like hardeners. Nasty on you and then the paint chips too easy.

When mixing with a stir stick lift it up out of the paint and right away it should run off in droplets like water. If not it needs more thinning. This is for the old style siphon cup guns.
 

[David G]

I mix my paint 8 paint , 4 reducer, 1 hardener