websites for painting information?

[Brian_B]

Hi,

I will be starting the body work on my truck in the spring. I am familiar with body work and the typical paints. I have most of the equipment I will need. I have used laquers, enamels, and base/clear in the past, but I am certainly no where close to an expert.

I am looking to do something slightly different to mine when it comes time to paint. I don't know what yet though.

I have been reading several old car/trucks forums about painting, but they are mostly just the typical stuff.

Can any of you recommend a website where I can read about how custom paint jobs are done? (IE flakes, candies, pearls, etc.)

I know videos must exist out there somewhere, but I doubt they are "closed captioned." If you know of any that are, let me know please.



thanks,
Brian

 

[MONMIX]

I cant help ya man.
Sorry

 

[Glacier991]

Len's site.... www.autobodystore.com is one of the best sites on the web for auto painting info and tips. I got my painting start there many years back... great info and good advice from pros.

 

[Brian_B]

Nice site glacier. Thanks.

Lots of painting discussions going in the forums.

I apprecaite the effort MONMIX. Body guys are not painters (and vice versa). I however, am neither.

 

[Glacier991]

If I can help in any way let me know.

 

[hipocars]

Look at autobody101.com

 

[Turdle]

Have you seen this?
Also on this page is a link to training videos

http://www.bigestores.com/siteid16/...ducts&CatID=14&SubCatID=93&SearchRequest=true

 

[Glacier991]

Let me offer a cautionary note to get you started. Very few amateurs have an adequate air supply to run the typical auto paint shop guns. If your compressor say, can put out 9CFM at 60 PSI say, and the gun needs 9 CFM at 50, your compressor will be constantly running, and that produces moisture in the air - not desirable. There are paint guns (Sharpe Platinum series for example) that use much less air that the typical guns. That means you paint a little slower, but for a beginner that isn't a bad thing. I have a platinum (thanks to advice from Len) and I love it. My recollection is that the platinum uses 3.5 cfm at 40 psi.

If you plan to spray a basecoat clearcoat paint, be advised that clear contains isocyanates... poisonous and you will need high quality respiratory gear to avoid getting what I called the cyanide flu. (I was sick for a couple days - now I own supplied air breathing apparatus for painting clears).

Hope that helps a little.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Here's a good site for answering questions on auto painting:
Auto Painting FAQ

 

[Glacier991]

I hadn't seen this one ROE, and it is a good one. I'll defer to his experience, but with my limited knowledge I agree with 99% of what I read there... especially about needing a lot of air. I do think he underestimates the ability of the low air guns...Also if you are going to paint, see about renting a booth. LOTS of airfor the gun - dry and clean air, good lighting, clean air in the booth so less dust, legal ventilation and overall a much better place to paint than a garage (I have done both and will pop $100 for a day in a booth anytime I am doing a complete paint job)

I am also more cautious about iso's.

 

[Rick]

Gotta love the guy's sense of humor


57.2. I have a 1990 Evergreen Camaro, the paint is chipping and I have noticed another camaro, same year and color is doing the same. What would cause this so soon?

Eleven years of rock particles hitting it at 60mph.

 

[Glacier991]

"There is no such thing as a stupid question, there are just a lot of inquisitive idiots."

 

[Brian_B]

Hmm...I was not getting notification of replies to this. Odd. I need to figure that one out.

I appreciate the information that has been posted here. I am certainly no kind of expert at this, but I have done paint and body work in the past at home. I have a 60 gallon black max air compressor, and a lot of air tools to go with it (EX: DA, long board, cut-off tools, paint guns, etc.) I also have a 220 v lincoln mig w/tri mix. As well as a 4" grinder and a lot of general hand tools.

The one thing I do not have yet is a cutting torch. They come in handy with these old vehicles.

I know about the air safety and if I can find a booth when the time comes that would be preferable for spraying the paint. Nice working enironment, clean air, good light, etc. Thats a "wait and see" type of deal. I only know of one body shop locally that has a real downdraft and bake booth. Most are not much more than my garage. I have painted several cars at home over the years. Good idea.....certainly not.

I do not have a HVLP gun. Mine are old technology. The one I use for base/clear is a devilbiss JGA. Well..used to use.

It will be in the spring before I start, but I want to learn as much as I can now. I hate to start something and not know what I am getting into.


Brian

P.S. For those of you who don't already know what I am getting into, here it is: NOTE: This is not my house nor my garage. My tools/equipment would more than fill what you see here.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Brian, from here that looks like a very solid 56. It dosen't have a lot of large flat panels on it, and therefore should take paint very well.

You mentioned that you were looking for something a little different; well not suggesting anything, but lately I've been intrigued with the Chameleon - Color Changing paints. They are fairly expensive, and relatively hard to apply from what I've heard, but they do turn heads......

 

[Brian_B]

No...nothing is flat on it. Unless you coun't the inside of the bed. It is solid and straight. It needs very little body work, but a ton of sanding.

I read about the chameleon type paints. They are pretty expensive although very impressive. Some of the higher end ones are $600 a gallon and actually have prisims in the paint. That more than I will be able to do.

I was seriously looking at a candy paint job a local guy has on a dodge, but I am not even sure I can do that myself after reading on the site glacier posted. It is a gold with huge gold flakes, then candy red and clear mixed, then clear over it all. It looks like its a mile deep and the shine!!!! (at a distance it just looks like a burgandy color).

I will (unfortunately) probably end up with a reasonable base/clear paint.

The deeper red is the factory color on this particular truck. I am not too happy about that. If you go to a show somewhere almost every old truck is painted red. I like red and like to be close to factory, but.......