Thread: where to paint

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I'm in a bit of a dilemiah, were getting 65* days now and I would need to put my car someplace where I could heat it, I was going to build a temp spray booth, I would need approx a 24'X12'X8' and cover it in plastic, I could still do this ( heat with sun approx 10* hottor than outside ambient temps, and also run a radiant heater ) but my dad does not think I could make it sturdy enough and thinks it will fall on the car, my dad suggests that I take my water seperator off my air system and build a temporary system in my grandfathers garage and tape up plastic sheeting, and paint the car in his garage, which is heated with an fuel oil furnace. the temporary system would be rubber air hose running from the compressor up to the celing to my water seperator and then hose coming off that, seems micky mouse to me, I'v got it set in a properly designed air system that gets no water at that seperator ( yet to drain water from it ). my other option is to see about renting some bodyshops spray booth on a day there closed or not spraying themselves. which should I do?

I've painted every place except outdoors, or with a dirt floor. Never had a great booth yet, but since I've learned to control the air and dust, wet the floor, and sand & buff every job. I've been able to produce show quality work when needed. My first car was painted in my grandpa's garage. :-)

Just be sure you aren't exposing your paint fumes to an open flame or spark. Also,
the faster you can move the air out of the booth, the less the chance of problems.

My first paint job was on a '56 Chevy back in 1966. It was early March in Indiana; I was a senior in high school. I got up on a Saturday morning and while I was eating the breakfast my mother had fixed, the guy on the radio said "It's 33 degrees in downtown Indianapolis". I figured that as long as it was above freezing I could paint. I already had the car ready and I was young and dumb and determined. So.., in an unheated garage with a diaphram compressor, a $15 sears spray gun, and no ventilation, I sprayed a gallon of '66 Corvette Nassau Blue DuPont acrylic lacquer ($18 per gallon) on that Chevy. I used "fast" thinner ($1.05 per gallon), moved fast, and allowed extra flash time between coats... It was one of the best lacquer jobs I ever did. It had a great shine, no runs, and I didn't have to buff it. Talk about dumb luck! I have pictures of the car - it turned out beautiful.

Since then I have painted in all kinds of situations including some small pieces outside in my back yard. A lot depends on the type of paint you're using. Hotrodpaint is more knowledgeable than me - I have been out of the trade for about 6 years and modern paint products are changing rapidly. One thing that is still the same; the faster a paint flashes or "dries to the touch", the less likely you are to get dust or trash in the surface. That may help determine where you want to do your painting.

Do NOT paint in any room with an open flame - even a pilot light.

Might want to check around locally and see if anyone will rent you their spray booth for a weekend.....

having the open flame is somthing I didn't think about. my grandfathers furnace has an automatic piliot light I think. I'll check local bodyshops and if that dosn't work out, I'll build the booth and heat with a radiant electric heater.

Uh, I'm not sure the electric heater is a good idea either. Sparks could be the problem. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't take the chance.


Don

I'm not shure. if I did the temp spray booth I might not need a heater, as if I sprayed on a 65* day the temp would be 75* inside the booth. but as for heater, I'm not talking a heater with a fan, 1 of the 1's with the verticle toaster type coils that just get hot, even an oil filled radiator

Why not get everything ready to paint in the garage or where ever. Turn on your heater for a day or so, every thing will warm up and then turn it all off while painting. Unless your going to take all day to paint it should be fine. I heat my shop with LP forced air and do just that. I run a air line from the other shop so my A/C won't come on while I'm painting. After the fumes have cleared you can rewarm every thing.

Ain't nothing any more fun than doing your first paint job, be sure and wear a good respirator boy !!!!!..... no no on the plastic sheating though,that stuff has lots of static and just pulls the dirt in... I'd check around and see if I could come up with some cheap bedding flat sheets at Wally world or such .....

Actually, Hotrod Paint, I did do my Corvette and a '55 Nomad outside on my driveway.........but I was using nitro cellulose and just wet down th driveway and waited for a wind free day....came out great and those tiny gnats just sand away.lol............won some shows with those paint jobs...........bur then paints were more forgiving then I think.

Originally Posted by HWORRELL

Ain't nothing any more fun than doing your first paint job, be sure and wear a good respirator boy !!!!!.....

Everyone who is just thinking about doing their first paint job should read and reread the second part of his quote many times before starting. Some paints, especially catalyzed paints (with hardners) can KILL you. The paint will land in your lungs and harden, never to come out.

When he says a GOOD respirator, he is not referring to the paper masks or the cheapo ones you get at Home Depot. Make sure it says for use with what you are spraying. I know when you are young you feel invincable, but some products will come back and bite you later on.

Soap box is gone.



Don

I'm gonna get a good charcoal canister filter. it's the isoscynates in the hardener that can kill you, in which I have to use for the paint to shine as it's a single stage paint

heh used to radiator heat my garage. pop the hood an let the engine run for a few.
garage door low enough to keep the heat in and let the exhaust out/

if the metal is colder the paint can orangepeel bad.
learned that once opened the door for air (COLD out)

the cold air side orangepeeled bad