Paint Question 2

[bjaspud]

I am thinking of taking the plunge and investing in a proper automotive quality spray gun set up in order to teach myself how to paint. I have a blead blaster and 3 hp compressor so I have metal prep and air supply covered. Can anyone give me some tips on 1) what all I need to buy 2) what sort of primer / paint / hardener I need. Any and all advise is welcome.

Thanks,
Spud

 

[Anonymous]

lowe's, harbor fright etc. will have what your looking for at a fraction of the cost. as for paint related supplies ask your local body shop supply place for low cost good quality stuff!!

hope this helps

 

[bjaspud]

Can any experienced automotive painters lend some specifics?

 

[g-ratter]

If you have the money this is one tool you do not want to cheap out on. I have a Devilbiss that a neighbor who use to paint cars gave me. He said they were one of the best in the industry.
Even in as bad of shape as I keep it it still strays great. The thing with painting is technique. As Galtbacken recently said the order you spray parts in makes a big difference avoiding problems such as in overspray.
It also takes a little while to learn your guns controls,(air pressure,fan size,paint quantity). If you have never used 2 part paint before I would suggest starting with something else. Having the paint harden in the gun is no fun and hard to clean out.
How big is the tank on the compressor? You need as much air as you can get. If not you will be waiting around a lot for the tank to refill.
Hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

since your learning go cheap for now no sense spending 600 bones on a sata when you have no idea how,what or why.

for what you are doing a cheaper gun will do you fine. if you got the gift of painting it isn't going to matter what gun you use!!

your choice!! you can go to one of those places and get a kit of three guns with every thing you need or drop some cash on one name brand gun

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[Rev.LowBuck]

For painting bike parts you don't want a big gun. Look for a touch up gun or 'jamb gun' (as in door jamb). I've has success in painting bikes with a hobby type air brush. It took a while but the overspray was not an issue as I could put the paint where I wanted. A smaller compressor will keep up just fine with an air brush. You'll be waiting for a small compressor to catch up with an automotive type gun.

I use One Shot sign painter's enamel with One Shot reducer through an airbrush. One Shot is pretty durable and has a big selection of color. You can also mix paint easily to make custom colors if the one of the 60+ stock colors isn't working for you.

I also like Valspar Implement Paint through a gun. This paint is durable and cheap and they have a hardener that improves shine and reduces dry time. You thin it with Naptha (also cheap) but it shoots thick so you'll need a bigger tip on your gun. I think I used an .050 tip to get the paint to go on nice. The price is great- locally it runs about $35 per gallon REGARDLESS OF COLOR! It's easy to spend over $200 per gallon of automotive red and that's just for base coat... then you gotta buy clear. Look for it in all your favorite factory tractor colors (I like Kubota orange and semi gloss black) at a TSC (Tractor Supply Co.) Farm and Fleet, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

It's easy to spend over $200 per gallon of automotive red and that's just for base coat..then you gotta buy clear.. .

single stage paint is automotive paint as is base coat/clear coat .

on that note they also have additives for BC/CC to harden the paint and clear to toughen it or soften it for bumper covers/plastic parts so the paint don't shatter when it's bumped.

single stage will be easy and cheaper then base/clear

the key to both of these ways is baking the paint to harden it up.

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[frameteam2003]

Devilbiss is one of the best guns you can buy---and their cost shows it.
I use a sears HVLP gun and it works great.I plan on getting a top loader type gun--touch up gun. I think they use less paint.Seems I always have a bit left in the can.
I use epoxi (two part) self etching primer and DuPont Centari single stage paint with super wet look hardener. Follow inst. on mixing and thinning.A bit of reducer can be added to the gun and spraied to melt in overspray but needs to be done quickly.and you really can't buff this paint.
I use a big air tank too and it really makes the job easer.A good paint mask is also a must as epoxy is harmful as is the paint--so don't breath it.
A good paint stand is also needed. It's harded to paint a bicycle than a car because all the surfices are round and you will finish and find you didn't paint the back of the seat tube.You get hot and sweety and can't see---the paint color is too close to the primer color and you get a "dry' spot---your compresser spits water into the gun and you get fishmouths,pits in the frame really show and mess up the paint job!!!!I love painting bikes---

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.spraygunworld.com/Informatio ... %20rp.html
some reading for you

http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/spraygu ... ories.html
examples of what the tip sizes are for... click on the logos at the top after reading for guns


low cost kit of two or three guns will be a good start for you.
down the road if you are getting it and wanna try a better gun do your research on the guns and buy a good one.

do test panels or a old frame get a feel for the paint,it flows out after a min. so you may run one area and dry spray another.

trial and error brah and you gotta learn how the paint works. even the weather will play a factor in the process.
without me being there to show you this is all just text...
i have sprayed with the cheap and the costly and you do get what you pay for but if you have the knowledge you can make
cheap work for you but you will see the difference in the costly when you use it.

only thing i really will stress is bags or the 3M cup and liner attachment is a must!!
air tight, spill proof, easy clean up. you also can purge the air out of them and
spray with the gun upside down and have no sputtering.


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