| Masking & PreparationTo begin this venture we need | | | | scratches form the previous grit of paper, so a word |
| to clean the metal on the car. After we clean the | | | | to the wise, don't get in a hurry and move up to far |
| metal, make sure it's dry before we begin to mask | | | | a once this will leave seeable scratches in your work. |
| the car, also do a last minute check to be sure it's | | | | After you've sanded the whole car with the 400 grit |
| free of all dirt grease and other contaminants.Now it's | | | | wet paper then inspect it for bare metal and guide |
| time to mask the car, and be sure to mask all that | | | | coat still there.The whole idea with sanding is to |
| you don't want painted leaving no masking hanging of | | | | make the primer look the way that you want the |
| the car, that would get in the way of a nice paint | | | | paint to look, I sand my primer until it has a smooth |
| job. The main idea of the whole thing is to produce | | | | shiny finish on it, as if it were the paint on the |
| the best quality paint possible with the given | | | | car.You need to have a vision of how you want it to |
| surroundings, it is preferred that you have a paint | | | | look, the one thing that you need to know is, the |
| booth, but if not, make sure that the area that you | | | | better you want it to look, the more you will pay for |
| use to perform the work is ultra clean and dust | | | | materials. Just a word of caution cheap paint |
| free.After the car has been masked it's time to get | | | | materials are just exactly that cheap!!!!! and don't use |
| ready to spray the primer, once again make sure | | | | them if you want a nice paint job.You might save |
| that you have cleaned your surroundings, it's best to | | | | some money but you will not save the agony of a |
| have some water on the floor to keep the dust | | | | crappy looking paint job. Think about this before you |
| down, once you are confident that the area is clean | | | | go and buy cheap primers and paints, do I love my |
| then you can begin checking the spray guns to be | | | | car or is it just some turd to push me to work and |
| sure that they are clean. This is a very important | | | | the old ladies and back, if you love your car then |
| step especially if they're not your guns, dirty guns will | | | | don't put cheap crap on it.Now that I'm through with |
| make an ugly paint job there for wasting all of your | | | | my little lecture on low quality products, it's time to |
| time.Now that you have determined that the paint | | | | move on to the next sanding step. From 400 grit I |
| guns are clean, make sure that your respirator is in | | | | usually move up to 600 grit wet paper, this is where |
| good working order. Now be sure that you have all | | | | I usually stop unless requested to go one more step, |
| the products that you need to perform the primer | | | | this is really as far as you need to go with the |
| job on the car. You will need primer, reducer and | | | | sanding. After you finish with the 600 grit do one final |
| catalyst, you will also need strainers, stir sticks and a | | | | inspection of the work before cleaning it.Well now it's |
| measuring device.It's best not to have to leave the | | | | time to clean the car, for this just use soap and |
| paint booth during the time that your priming the car. | | | | water, just like washing a car normally. You should |
| Reducer comes in different temperatures and you | | | | blow it dry though, this being the main difference |
| need to know what temp is best for your working | | | | between this and a regular wash job, be sure to |
| conditions.The temps are as follows, their is a high | | | | blow all the water out of the little cracks in the car, |
| temp that is designed to dry slower when it's hot in | | | | like the cowl area, under the hood, between the |
| the area where your working, high temp is good for | | | | doors and in the trunk lid. Believe me this will blow |
| 80 degrees and up, theirs also a mid temp, this | | | | water on your paint during the actual painting of the |
| probably the most popular temp used this is best | | | | car, so be very through about this step.If you miss |
| used from 55 to 80 degrees and is designed to dry | | | | some and it happens to get in your paint during the |
| faster to make up for the colder temp, due to the | | | | spraying process it will bubble the paint, the paint will |
| fact primer will run easier in the cold weather. Now | | | | look horrible so be sure to get all of the water out |
| we have low temp reducer this will dry extremely | | | | of the car first.Now it's to mask for the actual paint, |
| slow therefore for giving the primer a better chance | | | | for this refer back to the top of this page. Masking |
| to run. I tell you all this in an effort to help you | | | | right is an art and you better take this part very |
| better understand the products that you are working | | | | serious if you want a good job.Now that you've |
| with, the more you know the better armed you are | | | | masked your car it's time to put it in the paint booth, |
| for problems when they happen.Now it's time to | | | | hopefully this is a temperature controlled booth, in |
| enter the paint booth, and as you do pay attention | | | | any case when you roll that car in the booth all you |
| to the booth filters and be sure that they sure clean | | | | should have to do is clean and spray, again before |
| also. Now get your can of primer and read the | | | | you put your car in the booth make sure that it's |
| instructions on the side, usually the mix is 4:1 or 4 | | | | ultra clean in there and ready to go.Now make sure |
| parts primer to one part reducer and a cap or two | | | | that you have everything you need in there to paint |
| of catalyst and for the best results follow these | | | | the car I.E. paint, reducer, catalyst, stir sticks, |
| instructions. After you spray the first coat of primer, | | | | strainers and stir sticks and a measuring stick. Once |
| you will need to wait 15 to 20 minute before you can | | | | again check your respirator and be sure that it's |
| spray the next and so on, the way I like to do this is | | | | working properly, tie your hair back and if you have |
| to give the body work areas a coat or two first to | | | | a beard cover your face.Follow all instructions on the |
| build them up. The whole reason we use primer is is | | | | back of the paint can to the letter or it could cause |
| to give the paint a smooth surface to stick to and | | | | problems with the out come of your paint.Now that |
| give the metal some protection from the elements, | | | | you have the car in the booth, be sure to double |
| it's usually a good idea to get 4 or 5 good coats on | | | | check the masking on it, what you are looking for |
| the car.If you are really serious about the way that | | | | here is perfection and nothing less.This means |
| you want it to look the you might want to take the | | | | everything that if you don't want it painted it must |
| primer one step farther and use an etching primer | | | | be masked for sure, their is no room for error here. |
| before you spray the urethane or epoxy primer, an | | | | Now you need to take a look at the supplies that |
| etching primer will give the top coat just a little more | | | | you have to do the job with, and inventory them to |
| to stick to. Etching primer has no building qualities | | | | be sure that you have everything you need to |
| there for it's not used for smoothing out waves in | | | | complete the job, the last thing you need is to find |
| your work, but it will make the primer stick allot | | | | that you don't have something right in the middle of |
| better.I do suggest that you always use a urethane | | | | painting the car. Here's a list of what you will need |
| primer,and not lacquer type,as lacquer can and will | | | | for the job.Supply List1) Paint |
| shrink urethane or epoxy is recommended for best | | | | 2) sealer |
| results. Epoxy is a very hard primer to sand but it's | | | | 3) reducer |
| extremely tough, and urethane is I think probably | | | | 4) Catalyst |
| your best choice,because it's high building and easy | | | | 5) Tack Cloths, preferably designed for clear coat |
| sanding, their are a lot of brands to choose from, I | | | | 6) Measuring Cups |
| use DuPont euro myself but it's all up to you to | | | | 7) Stir Sticks |
| choose that.Now that your card is primed, it's time to | | | | 8) Measuring Stick |
| remove the masking, and I like to do this while it's still | | | | 9) Strainers |
| a little wet for the sake of ease, just be very careful | | | | 10) Respirator in working orderNow I will give you a |
| about how you do it, you don't want to screw up all | | | | few things to think about, if your painting with |
| that nice work, so just take it slow and easy while | | | | metallic paints then you must pay allot attention to |
| pulling the masking off your car.(Sanding)Well now | | | | the settings on your paint gun. Metallic paints will tend |
| the hard part is here, before you start to sand the | | | | to get lighter if the pressure goes up and darker if it |
| car you'll want to be sure that it's been guide coated, | | | | goes down, your fluid flow and fan on your gun will |
| this will make it easier for you to get an ultra smooth | | | | also effect this.Now I will give you a basic mixing |
| finish. Heres where we weed the boys form the | | | | chart, most paints will follow this chart.Instructions |
| men, if your trying to do a show finish on the car | | | | 1) get your paint ready to pour. |
| that your painting, you will want to sand it by hand | | | | 2) make sure that your mixing cup is clean. |
| with water running on it all the time.This is the hard | | | | 3) Get your strainer and sticks. |
| part,and you will have lazy people that will want to | | | | 4) Put a strainer in the top of the measuring cup. |
| use a machine to do this, this is just a word to the | | | | 5) Now pay close attention to the level of paint in |
| wise, you have allot better control over a hand block. | | | | the cup.Paint Mixing Table. Always be sure to read |
| The best way to produce this type of high quality | | | | and follow the paint manufactures mixing guide lines. |
| work is to have the best control over it that you | | | | These mixing ratios are just a basic idea of what to |
| can, offten a machine will go through your primer. If | | | | do, things will change with different |
| your trying to produce show quality work this would | | | | manufactures.Recommended Air Pressure At Gun |
| mean priming that area again I.E. more time spent, | | | | Head. Paint Mix Ratios. Paint Product. 25-40 PSI Mix |
| this is time that could be spent better doing other | | | | 4:1:1 Base Coat |
| things.Now I will explain a bit about what a guide coat | | | | 25-40 PSI Mix 4:1:1 Sealer |
| is, this is it in a nut-shell. The guide coat is the step | | | | 25-40 PSI Mix 4:1:1 Clear Coat |
| right after the car has been primed, you should do | | | | 25-40 PSI Mix 2:1:1 Primer CoatWhen using a paint |
| this before you pull the masking, what this in tails is | | | | gun, you try to achieve a certain spray pattern |
| misting a light coat of black paint over the primer so | | | | without any heavy or light areas, in the pattern chart |
| that you can see the low spots in your work, and no | | | | above you would try to achieve pattern (A).Now a |
| matter how good you are, you will have low spots. | | | | lesson on gun angle. Their are only two angles you |
| The idea behind this is to sand all the guide coat off | | | | should ever need to use when holding a spray gun, |
| with out going through to the metal on your car.Now | | | | and they are 45 and 90 degrees angles to the |
| it's time to start the actual sanding of the car, you | | | | surface of the car that you are spraying, these |
| need to pay close attention to detail on this part of | | | | angles will give you the best outcome possible, and |
| the paint job, the better you sand it, the better it will | | | | also you should try to keep the spray gun at about 6 |
| look. I usually start with 320 grit wet paper on a | | | | to 8 inches from your work. If you get much closer |
| medium hard block, this grit is good for getting the | | | | you will more then likely cause a run in the paint and, |
| guide coat smoothed out, their will most likely be | | | | much more distance and you will get a dry look to |
| some small low spots that will require either spot filler | | | | your paint job, you also need to get a feel for the |
| or more primer. This is one of those areas where | | | | speed that you need to move the gun according to |
| you need to pay a little attention to detail, here you | | | | the air pressure and fluid flow of the gun.Click here |
| will need to look at the depth of the low spot and | | | | for the full articleI've been in the automotive business |
| think about it, how low is it will primer alone fill it, or | | | | for about 20 or 25 years, I have worked in all facets |
| will it take spot filler and then primer.Now that you've | | | | of the industry, from parts to restoration, all |
| finished that part it's time to move on to the next | | | | different makes and models, I just want to keep |
| grit of paper, I usually move to 400 grit on a | | | | people interested in the old cars because it's where |
| medium- hard sanding block from here, you don't | | | | my heart is. |
| want to move up to far because it can leave | | | | |