The Spray Painting Thread

[TC1600]

LOL nice T-shirt Is that what he looks like without his helmet?

Looks like a good start, I'll keep coming back for updates.

[Sigmeister]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll get rid of the cheap\generic stuff and get some proper gear (I think there is a place at Lonsdale that does automotive paints).

I'll add some more stripper then follow the steps advised by timbosaurus to prep the bootlid. Will update with more pics.

[MWP]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll get rid of the cheap\generic stuff and get some proper gear (I think there is a place at Lonsdale that does automotive paints).

Ooops, didnt notice your in SA.
Yup, go see them, its where i have bought my paint from
Its on Sherrifs/Red-Cedar Rd.

Get the Epotec primer and the Protec Barrcryl (620) paint.
Both are ICF (isocyanate free), so they are legal to use for backyard jobs.
If you need to do some filling, the Evercoat Race Gold filler they sell is good stuff. It only comes in 4L cans though.

Also make sure you get the correct thinner for the Epotec and the Barrcryl, and a decent amount of cheapie generic thinner for cleaning up.

[timbosaurus]

Hi,

I agree with MWP/HRV's suggestions about quality paints/primers, but I wouldn't suggest throwing it out and buying new stuff for the sake of it. If you've got it, I say use it!

You are experimenting, and that is exactly what trying different stuff is all about. There is a small chance that it will peel off later (hasn't happened to me personally), and if that does happen, well, it's a learning experience

And yeah, i forgot to mention the importance of etch primer. It does exactly what it's name suggests... etches the metal to give a textured surface for the primer to stick to.

So i'd say take it back to metal, fix anything obvious, put on a coat of etch primer, a coat of primer/filler, and a shade/guide coat (VERY light dusting of dark paint). Use your new block with course paper (either course (120grit) dry if the panel looks like it needs work, or course wet n dry (200grit) wet n dry if it looks pretty good) and that will show up highs (bare metal), or lows (remaining shade coat). Do something about them, and do it all again, until you can quickly run the flat block over and remove all the guide coat without any bare metal bits.

Then it's ready for final undercoat, smooth sand, and top coat!

Remember to prepwash and tackrag before ANY painting, whether it's undercoat, primer, topcoat, or clear!

Good luck bro... ur doing well!

[MWP]

I agree with MWP/HRV's suggestions about quality paints/primers, but I wouldn't suggest throwing it out and buying new stuff for the sake of it. If you've got it, I say use it!

Oh... i would.
How would you feel if in 1yr time the paint fails and you know you have to go through all that work again?
All for the sake of saving $20s... nope, get the proper stuff.

[timbosaurus]

If I was doing a complete car that will be my pride and joy in years to come, by all means splash out. I've got a feeling he's just practising on a spare commodore bootlid in preparation for a real job though

But by all means Sig, if you wanna go straight for the "good" stuff, sounds good to me

Don't take it the wrong way though MWP, I was just trying to be practical... your suggestion is definately valid

[o_man_ra23]

I used the cheap stuff on my RA23 coverup job (cover the utter crap that was there before)... less than 6 months later the paint on the boot lid cracked and started peeling off.

Im with MWP... dont use the shit stuff... it will make all that hard work look like a complete waste of time. Of course you do still also need to leave the primer a couple of weeks before topcoating... and you will need to do a sand on it before topcoating. So for your last layer of primer before resting it, dont sand it, but do put on the guide coat.

[Sigmeister]

Thanks for the advise. I was speaking to a mate and we decided that whilst it is basically practice, I'd like to do it as good as I can for my first go to go right through the steps and when complete it will give me a baseline to work with. In future, if I just need to work on my spraying technique or something, then I will just sand and spray. But I'll go through all the steps here and use good stuff to document this as kind of a how-to thread.

[timbosaurus]

cover the utter crap that was there before

You don't think that could be the reason it peeled off?

Preparation is everything. Put anything on a shittty base and you're going to have troubles.

I used the cheapest undercoat, cheapest filler, cheapest paint, and even the cheapest thinners... 7 years later and not a hint of crows-feet, peeling, chalking or fading.

Sig, sounds like ur happy to swap for the more exxy stuff though, so go for it!

[o_man_ra23]

Sorry, should have clarified that the utter crap was pop riveted plates in structural areas and half an inch of bog.

My method was good... MIG in plates of suitable thickness, treat area completely, clean thoroughly, sand back old 2-pak paint, apply etch primer where needed, prime/fill (used motorspray) rub back, paint with high quality acrylic. Of course washing with suitable chemical where needed.

Another example was the corolla I did. Motorspray paint all the way including white acrylic. Full prep, painstaking effort, 10 months later all the paint cracked on the roof. Also the paint stripper got in where there was an unknown hole in the bonnet (I removed all filler, washed thoroughly, re-filled etc) which ended up being the one spot on the car that no matter what I did, I couldnt get the filler to stick. So make sure there are no previously filled holes anywhere you are putting paint stripper (filled low spots can be repaired, holes cant)

EDIT: Areas where I welded - the paint never faulted... only on the bootlid

[MWP]

Thanks for the advise. I was speaking to a mate and we decided that whilst it is basically practice, I'd like to do it as good as I can for my first go to go right through the steps and when complete it will give me a baseline to work with. In future, if I just need to work on my spraying technique or something, then I will just sand and spray. But I'll go through all the steps here and use good stuff to document this as kind of a how-to thread.

Yup, thats a good idea.
The actual paint spraying technique is the easy bit.
Its all the prep work, and knowing how to use the paint (ratios of hardner & thinners, gun settings for that ratio) thats difficult.
Not all paint sprays the same either, so best to practice with the stuff you intend to use on the proper job.

[andy]

hey guys. im a noob at this whole thing. im gonna paint my bike ferrings. so im at the process of sanding them down. trying to use a sanding block where i can to get a smooth flat surface. i was told to just matt up the surface, as its easier to get paint to stick to paint instead of plastic. instead of primer im gonna just use black or white as a base coat to sand back, ect.

so ive borrowed a spray gun and compressor and had breif instructions.

my newby question is:
just how carful do i need to be with the sanded down ferrings?
if i touch them will that leave enough oils on it to ruin the paint job?
i was told to glad rap the ones ive finished, but frankly i cbf. so they are just sitting there till the whole lot is ready for painting.

[SillyCarS]

very

yes

dunno

when i resprayed my bike faring for sale it was a total bitch, especially masking up the detail in the design

[MWP]

instead of primer im gonna just use black or white as a base coat to sand back, ect.

No... use primer.
Primer is made to be sanded and gives the paint a better surface to stick to.

[o_man_ra23]

If the old paint is still pretty good and your using a similar paint (ie 2K), then you shouldnt need a primer. If your old paint is badly oxidised or in need of filling (deep scratches etc) then use primer. You probably wont need a high build primer on bike fairings.