# why does my orange peel look like hell..?



## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

im using a spraying mantis hopper to do small orange peel patches. i use the medium tip and have a pressure regulator before it enters the gun that i run at about 22psi like the instructions say. mix all purpose mud to what i consider a thick paint consistancy...wonder how close i get

problem is i get lots of little mist as well as big globs...its not a consistent pattern and looks like crap. 

question is what area do i need to adjust? trigger pull...psi...thickness?

also im using a little Rigid air compressor...like a 5 gallon i think...in order to maintain 22psi at the gun i let the compressor run up to 125psi...then i open the valve on the hopper gun and keep the compressor running while i texture. 

im wondering if i have 22psi but not enough volume of air to make the hopper gun work properly?

any thoughts?

oh yeah can i use topping mix for orange peel instead of all purpose mud?

thanks for any advice


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Did you by chance accidently use a "Lemon" set up??? 

HaHa. Laugh with me!


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## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

haha im laughing but its cause i dont get the joke :laughing:

shoot i should of started this thread weeks ago not the morning of ha thats good for another laugh!!

im gonna try a thinner mixture this time. i scratch up the wall then primered and then skim coated with some setting compound. then used a premix topping mud. i have lots of that left over i was thinking of using it for the orange peel. but from what i remember reading on here you guys said to use an all purpose for orange peel. i wonder if its cause of the glue or just the consistancy. 

any insight?


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

OK. 

Lemon is a Citrus Fruit that is very similar to Orange yet quite different in Form and Flavor. 

"Lemon" is also a term that describes an object that it of inferior quality. 

My joke, lame as it may be, still warrants a bit of laughter for the "Pun Value".......


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## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

oh 10/4 cause its a thread about ORANGE peel....got it....little slow over here :laughing:


you by chance know why my orange peel comes out not to hot?


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

wopachop said:


> oh 10/4 cause its a thread about ORANGE peel....got it....little slow over here :laughing:
> 
> 
> you by chance know why my orange peel comes out not to hot?



Sorry that I do not. But by the end of this thread I will know the Proper Answer for the next poster who asks the similar question.


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

I think your compressor is too high (it's "atomizing" the mud); set the adjuster on the compressor to 22, and play with the trigger adjustment on the gun.
Also, shake the hopper a bit when you start to spray to make sure it's not sorta clogged from the mud setting up inside it. Whenever I do this and get the mud to the consistency I want, it seems to start setting up within a few minutes.


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## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

it sucks the regulator on the compressor is broke...but i do have a regulator attached to the gun. 

is it ok to use topping mix im just about to do this?

hell maybe i should wait till tomorrow and see what you guys say


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

How big's the room? 
If it's small just use the cans.


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

If you're using that gate valve regulator that comes with the mantis, to get 125 psi down to 22 psi, you probably just want to barely crack it. 22 isn't much


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## Buck25 (Jan 30, 2009)

I'm not even remotely a drywall expert, but the only difference I"ve noticed between topping and all purpose is that the topping comes with more water in it...it's a bit smoother.


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## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

my mantis didnt come with a regulator wonder if it was stolen out of the box....and yes i barely crack it for 22psi. 

im still learning..but i think the all purpose has glue for the paper....and the topping does not. because the topping mix says not to be used for taping. 

wish there was a chart that went over all the different types and when to use them. i do mostly remodel work with mesh tape so i use the powdered bagged stuff. but i still dont know whats best for a top coat and then for spray texture its always orange peel here in SD


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## send_it_all (Apr 10, 2007)

I would try a thinner mixture first. If you are using a mixing paddle in a drill, the mud should run off of it (the paddle) in a thin stream like pancake batter when you pull it out of the bucket if it's mixed to the correct consistency. Also with a compressor tank that small you will have problems with the consistency of the pattern you spray because the pressure is fluctuating a lot. I haven't tried the mantis hopper, but it should have two different controls for air pressure and material flow. Practice on a scrap of drywall before starting on the walls. Hope this was helpful.


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## wopachop (Feb 12, 2008)

send_it_all said:


> Also with a compressor tank that small you will have problems with the consistency of the pattern you spray because the pressure is fluctuating a lot.


i look at the pressure regulator attached to the mantis and when i squeeze the trigger it stays consistent. still wonder if i can have enough pressure but not enough volume...?



send_it_all said:


> I haven't tried the mantis hopper, but it should have two different controls for air pressure and material flow.


mine only has a knob at the back that control how far the trigger is pulled when fully squeezed. 

any advice on what mud to use for texture? ive actually sprayed with a 40 min setting compound once it was just a small patch and those little cans are friekin expensive when youre broke. :clap:


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## send_it_all (Apr 10, 2007)

I use the 5 gallon buckets of pre mixed all purpose joint compound. I have an empty bucket as well, and I scoop out half of the pre mixed into the other bucket and add quite a bit of water until it runs off of the paddle. By memory, it ends up being about two full 44 oz. drink cups full of water added to the half bucket of mud...maybe more.


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## send_it_all (Apr 10, 2007)

wopachop said:


> i look at the pressure regulator attached to the mantis and when i squeeze the trigger it stays consistent. still wonder if i can have enough pressure but not enough volume...?
> 
> 
> *mine only has a knob at the back that control how far the trigger is pulled when fully squeezed. *
> ...


That's the material control I was talking about, the other is the air control valve.
It takes some fiddling to get the right combo of settings.


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## [email protected] (Dec 18, 2008)

Does that one have a smaller orifice at the spray tip? With a hopper I'll dial down to about 1/8 or 3/16" hole or the smallest orifice tip it comes with. That sounds like the only thing not already covered. And I prefer a lite weight mud over Topping, usually a buck or two cheaper, personally never used topping for that reason alone. Also in the air tool aisle should be an add-on regulator you could buy.


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## Brocktologist (Sep 16, 2008)

Should have bought the _Wagner. _No compressor needed.


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

your consistency sounds a little too thin....define looking like hell?


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Brocktologist said:


> Should have bought the _Wagner. _No compressor needed.




Yeah.........That's it. That's the ticket!


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