Best Paint For First-Time Auto Painter? HELP!
Kirk A. Kleinschmidt
Hi!
I need to paint my 1981 Toyota 4X4 and a small fiberglass camper
(Scamp).
I have all the tools and hardware to paint the things...but I've never
actually done it before.
I can get some experienced helpers...but I'm wondering which paint
(and related reducers, hardeners, etc) I should get as a greenhorn.
Think Idiotproof!
Help! Thanks!
--Kirk Kleinschmidt
St. Cloud, MN
pse...@autobahn.mb.ca
In article <35500901....@news.cloudnet.com>#1/1,
dry. Mask it like you love it- get really fussy. Use a tack rag and wipe it
down. Use automotive paint - acrylic enamel, hardener optional (ask the
paint guy why). Metalic paints require an experienced touch so you may want
to stay with a nonmetalic paint. The next step is very important. Paint
someone else's car first and get some experience on setting the gun and
maintaining an even spray pattern. Make some new friends who don't know any
better to help you here. OK seriously, about 3 litres with the appropriate
reducers, filters, and a 3 hp compressor should do it. Don't forget a
respirator - the acrylic paints these days are extremely powerful. Set the
gun's air, paint screws, and regulated air pressure while testing on the
garage wall, as in paint the garage wall until you get an even pattern
without too much overspray. READ all instructions on the paint can before
you paint, not after - like most of us probably would, READ the sprayer
instructions and buy a book.
Alternately, a brush and roller will give good coverage with a nice orange
peel look.
Good luck.
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Nathan J Nagel
Excerpts from netnews.rec.autos.tech: 7-May-98 Re: Best Paint For
First-Ti.. by pse...@autobahn.mb.ca
I wouldn't consider the hardener "optional" - after the first time I
painted with it I'd never spray without it! MUCH nicer gloss, and
better finish too (although maybe that part was just experience...)
Plan on spraying on "too much paint" - at least 6 coats with enamel,
more like 20 with lacquer (I've never shot lacquer, but everyone tells
me that it goes on much thinner) and then color sanding afterwards if
you expect it to look like a new car - wait a few weeks after painting,
start with 400 or 600 grit paper (very wet) depending on how rough your
finish is, sand till uniformly dull and flat, and then keep moving up to
the highest grit you can get (1500-2000) then finish with glaze (a power
buffer really helps here.) 0 Comb your hair in the resulting finish.
Smile. Be prepared for lots of people to ask you "gee, how did you keep
that old car looking so good?"
good luck...
nate
PS - My girlfriend has been toying with the idea of having me repaint
her beloved '69 Valiant... it's a horrible pea-soup green right now and
she wants another color, besides, the paint is original and starting to
wear through on the creases. I think the olive metallic color on the
new LH-cars looks really cool but I have a nasty feeling that this
particular color is really expensive and/or hard to shoot - anyone with
experience out there? If I screw up, it will look real bad, because
this car is nothing but big flat surfaces...
Will Schnabel
Nathan J Nagel wrote:
I think the olive metallic color on the
> new LH-cars looks really cool but I have a nasty feeling that this
> particular color is really expensive and/or hard to shoot
I'll bet it's hard to shoot....heck, it's even hard to LOOK at!!!!
;)
Will