Thread: just a few quick questions

Tweet

after reading along here im glad i joined this board over many others. ok i'm getting ready to paint my 77 chevy pick-up. The body is in very good condition. i have spent many a'night in the garage working on it. i am a contractor for houses by trade and have done many alot of painting but i know painting a truck is a hugh difference.. im fairly confident i can accomplish this with a few pointers along the way..i have read alot about different paints to use but this only makes it more confusing to me.i plan on using a silver paint and a purple accent, i have thought about tribal flames also. what paint type to use?base clear?? whatever im not sure. and how much do i need, including engine compartment.any input would be great thanks guys.

First of all how far along are you on the Prep work?

If you have all the body work done & have it primed & blocked several times to make it as straight as possiable then heres what you do:

I would use Base coat /Clear Coat as its very forgiving.
If you run the base you can stop , let dry for a few minutes , sand with 800- 1000 grit paper wet & dry it off , tack it & keep on spraying.
( I am a PPG, ASE, GM Auto Paint refinisher of 27 years)
So naturally I would have to steer you towards PPG's Deltron DBU Base & Clear system.
Dupont & Sikkens are fine products too , but I have never much cared for them.

I see you are going to use silver as your main color, It is possiably one of the harder colors to spray( next to Kandys & pearls) as its all mica & metallics, & very little pigment & will tiger stripe very easy if you dont cross hatch while appling the base.
(Cross hatching is where you go length wize , then next coat go across it a different direction, like a checker board fashion).

Your prep work better be very good as any little scratch will show up in the Silver !

ok now thats out of the way & your truck is masked off.
# 1: wipe vehicle down with wax & grease remover
#2: Tack it off with a tack cloth( a piece of cheese cloth coated with bees wax) to get all the fine pieces of lint & dirt off truck panels.
#3: spray a required sealer down.
#4: Mix color & load gun.
#5: spray color. ( now if you are wanting stripes you will let the silver base dry for a few hours ( depending on shop temp)
lay out your stripes with a vynal tape, mask off everything you dont want purple.
#6: scuff taped off stripes with a white or gray scotch brite pad lightly.(for extra adhesion.)
#7: spray purple & let dry for awhile.
#8: unwrap stripes .
#9: Re-tack vehicle.
#10: Mix up Clear & spray, 2 coats are reccomended if you are not going to color sand and buff to a high gloss.- 3-4 coats of clear if your wanting to cut( color sand) & buff.
#11: If you are going to paint in your garage make sure you have alot of ventalation & a good respirator !!
I would also reccomend a good HVLP spray Gun.

leave a fan running over night on slow with a window cracked to let all evaporating solvents gas off, as if you dont the clear has a tendancy to fall flat. This is called Die-Back. No matter what paint product you use.
Well I hope I havent frightened you off to much......

SprayTech

actually that was very helpfull thanks. ok if silver is a bad choice what colors are better recommended ?im open to all suggestions from all. im a true believer in being different from all others but dont want to go freaky green or something like that.

I wouldnt change your colors, just take your time and dont rush it.

I dont want to diswade you from a good color choice, as I like them there colors

You can practice by going to like Harbor Freight & picking up a cheaper Line of HVLP gun. They are pretty decent for a home user.
Go to your local Paint jobber & ask if they have some old silver bad mixes for cheap & buy some reducer to reduce it with.
You can buy some real cheap clear to get a feel for that also as it doesnt spray like base .
Base coats dont shine when sprayed & dried , as thats the clears job.

Get an old hood & practice.
Base coat is very forgiving as you can
learn good gun control by laying hood on saw horses and just go different directions, Plus you dont spray it wet as all get out either.( one coat one way , the next another way) to get the feel of it. 3 - 4 coats is all that is recomended for full coverage.

Let dry for 30 minutes to an hour ( this would also be a good time to practice your tape striping skills )then clear.(just 2 coats for testing.)
Paint & Materials are Sky high today so I would learn before I went and did a 300$ - 1000$ mistake on your truck with the Good Paint

Spray

i hear ya streets! im planning on doing this after xmas time(this time of year drains me becuase of the kid thing) but dam if i dont feel like going and getting started tonight hehe...

thanks spray. i have an extra hood also so i think your right ill practice on it to get it down right.one more quick question, someone once told me i need to have a water something in the line between the gun and compressor. does this ring a bell or dont worry about it?

I think what they are refering to is a Water TRAP.

It should be in between your compressor & air line.
The best one I have found to use is a Toilet paper water trap that installs between you air compressor & air regulator.
Your local Auto Paint Jobber should know what I'm talking about.

You can also buy a plastic 2" water trap bubble that screws into the air regulator of your gun & then connect your air fitting to the bottom end & plug in air hose. Its a good thing incase you have water in your lines.
Water starts condensing in air lines in 25-30 feet of hose.

Spray

once again thanks, im talking to the wife about getting me the stuff to start sooner, so ill keep ya up to date.

WOW you reply fast I just came in from the garage from working on my 37 to eat a bite .

might take a look around this sites & see if you can find some things for Santa to bring ya

http://www.autobodydepot.net/scripts...=depotgate.bbx


http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/

Spray

Hers a little more reading material

http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase...Info.asp?Cat=9

http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase...efectGroup.asp

Spray

yeah i was just sitting around.