Gillespie paint and primer

So I am painting mikes truck. Or trying to. Nothing super special. Just a one color cover up and some good corrosion protection. I can attest this truck is a prime candidate for a resto. I am having some really long dry times on the primer. I have used 2 tanks of propane to add heat to the shop. Sanding it balls it up and makes tons of more work from the scarring. Can you add a hardener?
We are hoping to shoot some final coats on it saturday. Geez thats tomorrow!
I am going to uncover my wood stove out there today. I'm just curious as to the dry times. It would be nice to accelerate it. This is my first time working with gillespie. I know some of you guys have used it a lot.

Use a "fast" synthyetic enamel reducer - that will speed up the flash time. There usually is "slow" for hot weather - 80 degrees and up, "medium" for say 75 degree weather, and "fast" for cooler weather/temps.

What solvent did you use in the Gillespie?

Xylene Randy. Just a little. About 55 PSI at the gun. Siphon feed gun. It's thick and lays out nice. It is just a slow dry. I have noticed that if I hand sand with a block it does not ball up bad. The power sanders I think are causing to much heat. My arms hurt. No kiddin... Wax on!!!!!;)

I have a few products left over from the CJ I just painted. I don't know if they are synthetic. I'll have to look. Thanks FF!...

Xylene is what they recommend. I wonder if humidity isn't causing the slow dry.

The reason I say that, is because I just sprayed a Honda 750 engine case, the other day in straight enamel and it took two days to dry. Note: we've had 5 inches of rain in the last three days, so its been just a tad damp here.

Normally in my shop, in my paint booth, with an ambient temp of around 70 degrees, that urethane will dry in 18 hours enough to handle, reasonably. This stuff was still slightly tacky for a day and a half, at least.

Ed pointed out the other day that propane makes moisture when it burns. I didn't know that. Tomorrow I will use the woodstove. I sanded a bit tonight. It's sanding well.

I am using the napa synthetic enamel thinner and have had a lot of luck with it, thats what Army jeep parts reccomends, if it is too hot in there you will get the dry effect, too cold and it will take forever, how cold is it?

Duane

It has been high 50's to low 60's after everything has been on inside for awhile. I have been letting it sit and cure up. I have fired off the wood stove and made it toasty for it's primer coat. Tomorrow I fire it again and throw some runs er I mean paint on.:D

I have a week of weatherization planned very soon. Insulation and OSB board on the walls painted white. Home made hurricane clips for the roof and hang my lights so it makes sense. I need more heat in there obviously.:lol: I need to be able to work out there when it's 20 degrees out side. I have two vehicles lined up for body panels, restoration and paint. They will get a rented spray booth.
Military trucks and this Gillespie paint are very forgiving.

Al, I heat my shop entirely with wood. Its about 3500 Sq ft total. I can send some pics of my "heating system" if you like. It will keep the shop at 70 degrees on the coldest days if I need it that warm.

I have a small 9'x9' paintbooth which does anything motorcycle size just fine. Look at my Youtube vids to see my improvised VW bug paintbooth. That car turned out slick and dust-free.

Randy, if you've got a unique shop wood heating setup, please post it up in a new thread in the Open Forum. I'd love to see it!