Who's good at painting? need help!

[Pookster]

Who\'s good at painting? need help!

Ok, I think I've got the basics of painting down, but would like some tips from you all. I dont have access to a make shift booth big enough for the whole truck- however, since I can pretty much paint everything off the truck except the cab, I think I can be ok.

Prep: ok, I understand the need to prep the surface- Light sand(scuff), wipe clean (wet rag) wipe dry. fix all dents and dings with bondo. Let dry. smooth out bondo. Primer (any brand/tips?) Lucky only the hood and the cab is not being replaced so there isnt that much bondo.)

Paint:
I have two quarts of paint already mixed up- matches my other truck, so I will have two identical colored trucks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I need to reduce it- any recommendations on reducer? How do you check for proper "consistancy"?

any other tips??

Spray parts-

 

[rjfguitar]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

Well I have never done a fancy paint job but I have painted a LOT of trailers and farm equipment requiring OK jobs. The main thing I have to say about prep work, especially with a dark color paint, is to get it sanded SMOOTH, any small bump or line from the bondo will show after you lay on the primer. Just remember that if you have to ask yourself if it's smooth enough it probably isn't. AS for the consistancy of the paint, I just mixed thinner in until it ran off my stir stick fast in a small stream( almost as thin as water. If you use a gloss paint, the thicker the paint the less glossy it will be.

Sorry I can't give you a lot of good info but I am going to paint my blazer soon myself and am learning right now too. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[jjlaughner]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

[ QUOTE ]
Light sand(scuff), wipe clean (wet rag) wipe dry. fix all dents and dings with bondo. Let dry. smooth out bondo. Primer (any brand/tips?) Lucky only the hood and the cab is not being replaced so there isnt that much bondo.)


[/ QUOTE ]

I'll toss in my two cents...

(wet rag) - wet the rag with mineral sprits or the 99% rubbing alcohol, it will help remove any grease or overspray and it drys much faster. Water can have oils in it and if there is any grease all you'll do is thin it out and smear it around. Second use a different rag (or fold the rag a different direction) for each panel using a clean section each time.

Primer - Red or greys that say Sandable, unless you have deep scuffs or scratchs you may not need bondo. If you do I would wire brush the area, wipe is alcohol, primer, sand, alcohol, dry, bondo, dry 24hrs, sand, dust the area dont use liquid over bondo to clean the area, primer, sand, alcohol, then base coat, scuff, base coat, scuff, clear coat, wet sand....

Incapsulate the bondo in paint (let it dry for at least a day before the second coat of primer).

 

[75-K5]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

Well I don't really have a whole two cents, but for primer I recommend the Rust-Oleum "Rusty Metal" primer in the rattle can. I've painted several items with it and nothing has rusted through, and this is Indiana, and we just got done with winter /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif. I'm not sure if they make it in liquid form, if they did that would be awesome. It's $2-$3 for a rattle can, though /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

 

[ryoken]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

i've painted 1000's of cars.... as someone mentioned... denatured alcohol is the absolutely best panel prep degreaser there is... cheap too... paper towels, soak a bunch, wet panel down, dry with dry wad. wipe when its wet, dont let it dry on panel..

most reducers aren't recomended for more than 25%. i vary it from 10 to 20% depending on what i'm doing..

and yeah, do bondo, rip with 36, 80, then 150.. load with primer.. epoxies are best, but whatever... make sure you block out these primer areas to make sure all your scratchs are filled. generally you prime, glazing putty over bondo areas, wetsand putty, reprime bondo areas.. sand whole truck with 320, 400 for single stage paint. 600 for laquer..

oh, off to paint boats i go... hope that helped ya.. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gm4x]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

After doing your filling & sanding (bondo) and primering, use a can of black rattle-can & lightly mist a coat over the newly filled (repaired) area. Block sand (don't use the palm of your hand for sanding panels) and the black "guide coat" will remain in the low spots. Re-fill if needed, primer & re-guide coat.
Try & keep mud (bondo) to a minimum. This means pulling, removing as much of the dents & dings from the metal itself before filling.
A pet-peeve I always had, was my buddies coming over & rubbing their hands all-over the primered areas of my cars. Lol...I jumped them a few times & they quit. It's just another added source of oil (from your skin) to the surface. If anyone has seen a "fish-eye", they know what I mean. On the same note, Don't use Armor-all, WD-40, etc. anywhere near a vehicle you're going to paint.
Remember, if you're going for a nice job (as opposed to just getting your trail rig one color), the best painter in the world, can't hide poor bodywork. Repeted block-sanding is the key to straight panels. On the larger flat panels, sometimes I'll use a long straight-edge to lay across a door, or 1/4 panel to check for straightness.
When you are actually shooting paint, be sure you keep your gun at an equal distance from the vehicle. Meaning don't swing your elbow in an arc, your paint will be thinner on the "ends" and heavier in the middle.
Buy cheap mixing cups. Their graduated for different "mixes" of various paints, and ensures consistant mixture of paint.
Don't be afraid to ask questions from your paint supplier. It would take a book (I'd suggest finding a good basic one) to discuss start to finish paint-jobs. And as has been mentioned, don't expect your first few paint jobs to look professional. Practice an a beater or trail-rig if you can. You'll have added expense of extra material, but will benefit your next one in the long run. Maybe you have a buddy that will buy materials for his trail-rig & let you practice on it?
Be SURE you paint in a well-ventilated area, away from open flames (furnaces, water-heaters, etc. Turn the pilots off if need be). Use a furnace filter in an open window to filter incomming air, with an exhaust fan in an opposing window. Last thing I'd do is sweep the floor (hours before) so I wouldn't be kicking-up dust as I walked around the vehicle. On occassion, I'd wet the floor.
Prepare prior to painting. Have a solid & clear area to mix your materials, and the more room (and lighting) around the vehicle the better. I bought 4-4' flourescent lights, & mounted 2 each on horizontal stands (made from 2"x2"s) to brighten the sides of the vehicle.

Practice makes perfect /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[Pookster]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

thanks for all the help guys. Just went to home depot today, got a gal of denatured alchol.

Started the bondo- with the hood- the previous owner had what looks to be something that fell in (looks like a roofing hammer). Beat it back out to the best shape I could and added some bondo. (with fiberglass).

They certainly werent kidding when they said "caution sets in 5 minutes"- cause when it hit 5 minutes, one moment I was playing with goop, the next minute, it was hard as left out plado. I have to add a bit more, cause I was still playing with it and all of a sudden it set!I gotta get some of those foamy blocks sanding stuff. I will definately try the black paint thing, I was wondering how to check for high low points.

 

[chevyracing]

Re: Who\'s good at painting? need help!

This time of the year I would use medium evaporating reducer. If you use fast evaporating reducer you may get a "textured" looking surface because the paint will virtually dry before hitting the panel. Most of the paint I have seen reduces 50/50 then you put in the hardener. Generally one pint of hardener for one gallon of paint. Make sure you use high gloss hardener if you are not going to use a clear coat. Don't pre-mix the hardener oin bulk either. Measure it out and mix it right in the cup is the best way I have found.

John