Enamel spray painting during colder months

[Furu]

First I will state upfront that I am not what I would classify as highly skilled at enamel spray painting but I do get pretty good results. I do not have an indoor area to spray and can only safely do so outdoors, so I am at the mercy of the weather.

I have done a moderate amount of enamel painting but it has always been during the warmer months of the year and I have had very good or at least quite satisfactory results for my purposes.
(I am not painting a showroom quality restored tractor or collectable truck.)
I am using Van Sickle brand Tractor, Equipment & Industrial Alkyd Enamel which states for best results to use between 50 and 90 F with other criteria that are not an issue.

Temperature is the issue.

I am not in the deep freeze that many of you are.
I am running low 20's at night and 40-42 F peak day (1-2 PM) maybe 45 if I am lucky. Not in the 50-90 range that they state for BEST results.
What I am seeing is failure of the paint to flow as well as I normally see when it is warmer. I am afraid to thin too much more but wonder if I have to due to the colder temperature. The primer did not seem to have any issue at all with the cold temperatures.

Does anyone with a lot more experience and background in enamel painting have any suggestions about how to optimize my results with the cold temperatures.
Wish I could wait till summer but not an option as I have to get this thing protected from the elements and out of the shop where it is stored as I have been building it.
Weld and paint outside then back in the covered shop for weather protection as soon as I am done for the day.

The "it" I am referring to is a fire protection wagon trailer skid with a 325 gal tank, pump, hoses etc that I have to get operational to keep DNR happy. Pictures will come someday after it is finished. I do not think I have even taken one yet.

 

[stormpetrel]

I would: put whatever it is I was gonna paint out in the sun. I would buy some Penetrol, which cause the paint to flow very nicely because it isn't a thinner. I would also add some Japan Drier to the mix....just a capful. You can add approximately 20% Penetrol to the paint. This advice assumes the paint is simple oil-base, and not catalytically activated.

P.S. There is some risk here. You are painting in conditions where the paint will not flow too good AND will take much longer to dry. If you have no tolerance for runs or wrinkles.......

Multiple thin coats are always better than thick.

 

[SPIKER]

Talk to the local body shop and see if they can handle the painting for you if you provide the materials all U need is their booth (maybe labor.) Cost should be less than you think (or more than I think )

There are different types of reducers for enamel and you need a faster drying enamel for colder temps, if it takes too long to dry it will blush and be very hazy and bound to not cure correctly. You may have to go to a automotive finish place or S&W maybe local NAPA.

Can you put it inside on a rack and heat it all up to say 80F indoors then move out and spray and put back IN ASAP.?

Mark

 

[Industrial Toys]

Are you talking spray cans, air spraying or airless?

Small jobs, I heat parts on a wood stove in my shop and make sure the paint has been kept warm in the house. I have always been a huge fan of baking enamel, when it's possible. Often I will use the welding heat to bake the paint on small jobs and repairs..

I have a friend who paints airless outside all winter long, (here in Ontario) just heating the 5 gallon cans of industrial (all color) enamel paint.

At least you don't get flies landing on your sticky work!

 

[Furu]

Yes I keep the paint in the warm areas of the house before I take it out. Using HVLP gun with the enamel paint. Interesting that in Ontario the guy is painting outside in much lower temps than I am and is getting away with it. Maybe it is not as bad as I feared.

 

[dragoneggs]

Small parts, I like the oven idea for heating and also the warming up the paint. Big jobs, I am thinking along the lines of Spiker's idea and befriend an auto body shop and maybe see about using it off hours for a small cash fee (or maybe case or two of good beer?).

 

[CNC Dan]

Could you warm your project with a small heater under a tarp? Take it outside to spray, then back into the shop to dry.
Prehaps make a frame to hold the tarp off of the part while it dries.

 

[stormpetrel]

The paint will "flash" if it takes too long to dry, in other words it loses it's gloss. If you can keep what you're painting in the sun on a 40+ degree day, that'll be a big help. Using warm paint sorta goes without saying....? And once you use Japan Drier you'll be a convert. I've been using it for 35 years now with excellent results. Ditto the Penetrol.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My friend builds all manner of gates, feeders and a host of other things. He just goes at it with the paint, not fussing too much and gets a good finish. When he really cares about the finish, everything goes wrong and it looks like ****! Go figure! Like when I do a really, really nice job, more often then not, somehow it falls into the dirt or grass!

 

[SPIKER]

My friend builds all manner of gates, feeders and a host of other things. He just goes at it with the paint, not fussing too much and gets a good finish. When he really cares about the finish, everything goes wrong and it looks like ****! Go figure! Like when I do a really, really nice job, more often then not, somehow it falls into the dirt or grass!

Always goes without saying, a big spider came out of roof on one of my (REALLY NICE) paint jobs on last coat of color, dropped onto the front of the hood and proceeded to walk back across to the cowl and over to the fender and down one side of the fender... :/ I was probably still spraying the quarters when he got high enough to drop out of the ceiling. Went out and cleaned paint guns and was prepping for clear to go onto the car. 2 hrs later after color was dried in heated booth (Nice metallic Med Blue) I went back in to start laying down the clear... ARGH.

Other case was painted 4 identical boxy industrial equipment, all good did it outdoors on Clear Sunny 75 degree day in May. What happens a flash of May Flies and must have been 30 of them in the dang things... It was green industrial paint w hardener and had to sand all bugs off and put on 2 more coats on those 4 machines... WHICH being in a HURRY the next day (had to deliver them) quick sanded and coated them on the trailer (forgot & left &%#($&^@ truck parked down wind!) White 4 door dually Truck 2 years old with green mist all over it... (and MY car around the corner but it always has enough dirt that only think it stuck to was the windshield...,)

Many more circumstances but just a few that sticks out.
Mark