The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Got color on the cab!

Hello...First time painter here.

Well, first time painting a vehicle anyway.

Thought I would share my home garage results:

http://pic5.picturetrail.com:80/VOL92/799532/3957505/69466045.jpg

I'm impressed and jealous at the same time. Looks good from here, I wish I were that far along. I just realized I won't get color on much this year. Weather is headed colder and the friend with the booth is backed up, so I'll wait till spring to paint. Further inspection shows that I need more work anyway.

I certainly would like to benefit from your experience. My '50 is almost to the paint stage. Frame and suspension done, starting body work. Wife's patience for expenses is holding, but paying for a professional paint job might put her over the edge. I would love to know what kind of equipment you used,(compressor? water and particle filters? condensing piping? makeshift booth?) what type of paint, and whether you believe it was worth it to do it yourself. I have sprayed a lot of airless in the past so I believe I can spray, it is just am I going to spend as much on tools to do it my self and regret the final product. Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts and info.
Steve O

Rock, did you paint the cab off of the frame? If so, how did you lift the cab?

Nice.......I wish I was at your stage. Mine's nekid frame rails right now.....

Thanks guys...

I may not be the one to give advice, as I have gone against all of the things I have read about painting a vehicle. But I already had the compressor and gun, so I used what I was familiar with.

• I used PPG's K36 Primer/Surfacer, then DAR Acrylic Enamel (Single Stage). The Dark Blue is a metallic, and the white is not.

• My compressor is a 30 gallon, 6 hp, oiless Craftsman. (Have to wait for it to catch up a little)

• The gun is just a $49.95 Husky special siphon feed from Home Depot.

• I do have a Sears water trap between the compressor and the hose.

• I have also used the disposable filters between the hose and gun. But not everytime. (Only cause I forgot)

• A friend took the cab off in his shop and did the major metal replacement (floor pans-cab corners, etc., then put it back on and I started the filler/prep work.

• I just have a small garage, so I put up some plastic sheeting over my bench and parts, etc., used a fan to pull some overspray into the back 40, Wore a respirator-glasses-gloves, then "went for it"!

I have had a little experience with painting flat panels for use in the sign business, but this is my first vehicle. I haven't buffed or polished yet and I am very pleased with the results.

There ya go...Don't do what I did (and am still doing) and you should be alright!

Here's another angle...
http://pic5.picturetrail.com:80/VOL92/799532/3957505/69466970.jpg

That is a very dangerous practice. One spark from that fan motor and you're history

I deal with this issue a lot in the furniture making business. If you have to use a fan that is not explosion proof always use it to push the air, not pull it. Explosion proof fans are a good idea, but not very practical for the do-it-yourselfer due to their cost. Equally dangerous are shop lights that are not explosion proof, and especially compressors.

If you are worried about water, run a coiled air hose out of the compressor through a bucket of cold water, then to a centrifugal water separator, then through a hose to your gun, which should have a secondary regulator then a disposable dessicant filter. The cold water really helps get the water out of the air, and it will collect in your separator. This will make the air plenty dry for paint. Remove all quick disconnects and use only threaded connections for better air flow to the gun. Always put the filter after the last regulator because the pressure drop lowers the temperature and the water condenses out of the air.

I recommend a base/clear system to anybody who is painting, since it is so much more forgiving to paint. The base coat can have the imperfections sanded out and the clear really flows out well, and is easy to level because it doesn't change the color if you have a run.