Painting things.

[clemsonfor]

I bought a cheap HF spray gun. I want to start painting things. eventually my old trucks. So here is my question. I know prep prep prep. I can get how to prep something for paint and how to sand it to create a "tooth" for it to stick to. But how do i go about painting. I am confused with the hardeners acetone diluters and paint itself.

Say i want to repaint my bushhog. I know i can use good old liquid rustoleum, but what do i cut or mix it with and rates?

When i paint my old trucks where do i find the paint, if i want it to match factory color, or just repaint color (i know i seen paint at carquest)? What do i mix it with to dilute, how much hardener if any and the rates?


And finially tips on how to paint once its ready for it?

 

[dodge man]

I've done a little bit of paint with a air gun. Its tough if all you've ever used is a spray bomb. I get paint at an automotive parts store. With the paint I used, it was just mixing reducer with the paint, and they told me what ratio to use, or it might have been on the can also, I can't remember. Don't forget to use a good primer also. Once you actually start to paint, just come up with a pattern that works for you. Don't forget to use a good filter near your air gun to catch any water. They make some fairly cheap ones you just throw out after one use.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thanks i knew to run a cheap filter infront of the gun. I have no experience, but want to paint at least one of my trucks. I dont have high expectations. One of those 35ft paint jobs is fine for me. Anything is better than faded paint and chipping clear.

 

[firedog]

first, it depends on the type of paint your using, whether enamel, acrylic or lacquer. some require activators, some require thinning.
Sherwin-Williams makes some pretty good automotive paints (planet color), I'll be shooting my bike with some of the barrett-jackson next month.
For an inexpensive DIY paint, Duplicolor has a product called paint shop. (I currently doing a 65 chevy with it).
Start with a primer and sealer, then move to the base coat. I shoot 32 oz of base with 8 oz of hardener & 8 oz of lacquer thinner and do about 4 - 5 coats. (be sure to use a medium drying thinner). then you can move to the mid-coat or clear coat.
There's a ton of videos and help on the web. Are you using a gravity feed gun or the one with the pressurized can?

 

[forgeblast]

How To Use Compressed Air Paint Sprayers has some good instructions.

 

[clemsonfor]

it will be a gravity feed gun. How much time between coats should it dry?

 

[Stick895]

Check the manufacturers datas sheet for each product (primer (epoxy or urethane), basecoat, clearcoat. Most available on the web, they give drying/recoat times and compatibility info. buy some graduated mixing cups, try TCP global or Eastwood for supplies.

 

[strum456]

If you want to learn how to paint, you should consider joining a paint forum such as www.spiuserforum.com. That is if you want to learn how to do this the right way.

 

[Alien]

I have painted a few vehicles but I am not an expert. The main thing is 1. the preperation 2. the finish of the undercoat. Get these two right and the topcoat is easy (so to speak) I run 20 psi - 30 psi max depending on the paint. Any more than that and you go through paint like a dulux supply store.

 

[cropdusting]

Lots of good advice given here. I will throw a bit more on top of the pile. The harbor freight guns are good enough for the undercoats and prep, but spend a bit of money on a Binks or Sata for your top coats. I have had hit or miss results using the HF guns with base/top coats, plus having multiple guns for the different steps saves time and effort and cross contamination. It all depends on your desired results, for painting equiptment or when "show quality" cosmetic results are not needed by all means the HF guns are the ticket.

As far as paints the Paint Shopt stuff is your basic "old school" laquer in a rts (ready to spray) form. Other (better) options are acrylic enamels (the once industry standard was Dupont's Centari) Urethan single stage paints have sort of taken the place of the acrylic enamels. The two latter options require reducers and hardeners. The can will tell your the ratios based on air temp and humidity, typically there is about a 20 minute flash time between coats to maintane a "wet edge" when spraying.

Primers: there are a whole host of different types for different applications such as high build for filling minor sanding scratches, self etching for bare metal, tinted for light color base/top coats ect...

Best advice I can give is choose a brand/system and stick with their products as mixing brands throughout the process can cause incompatibilty problems such as one product may "eat" another product when it flashes. I have always prefered Dupont products, but PPG, House of Kolor are other good quality paints for quality looking results (asuming your technique is good ) But if your just looking for something quick and dirty use any old brand of laquer (like Duplicolor's Paint shop) it will be the cheapest usually.

Here is the first car I painted when I was 15

Here is another vehicle I painted in the past

Finished (I did everything, mechanicals and interior/upholstry)

Another project I did