First build DJT-1 bk

[Simon Barden]

If your 'light coats' have been going on dry, then that could be a cause for pinholes and orange peel. You want each coat to go on wet enough so that it glistens, but not too deep so that it runs. With a dry coat, you get very small droplets of the finish that only make contact in a small patch of the droplet, so are barely sticking to the surface. With say a nitro finish, the solvent used is strong and the next wet coat will blend everything together. With a water-based acrylic, that doesn't happen. So you really want each coat to go on wet.

The only time you want a dry spray that I can think of is for doing a 'mist coat', a very light spray used so that you can sand the surface and see where any dips are, as the paint will remain there.

My experience of pin-holes is with nitro. They are probably caused by small drops of grease or something else that the paint won't stick to on the surface of the wood. I've had mixed results fixing them with my nitro, by using thinners on a brush, and brushing the thinners on until the finish melts and the holes disappear. However, spraying over the top of these can often see the holes reappearing. It's then a question of sanding the finish back, respraying and hoping they don't reappear.

Not at all sure about pinholes and acrylic. I'd give it one go at a wet spray over the area, but spray paints are normally far too viscous for the paint to fill small holes, which is why just using thinners can work. So you could try superglue. You'll want the thin or extra thin stuff in order it to run into the holes. Normal superglue is probably too viscous and may cover up the top leaving a bubble underneath it. You'll need one f the very thin application nozzles to fit on the normal one, because thin superglue is very runny indeed, so you want something that only allows a drop or so out at a time. Otherwise it will go everywhere. Leave for at least a full day to harden before sanding back. I'd avoid using a hardening accelerant spray because it can cause the CA to 'pucker up' and become rough, and it may pull itself out of the small holes.

I probably apply six wet coats of clear (dry coats will be thinner) before sanding back and polishing (unless you are doing a satin finish, when I'd sand back flat to remove orange peel and then spray a final satin coat). You need a decent depth of finish to give both enough depth to allow you to remove all the imperfections in the surface, and also to provide protection for the body.