The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Recommendations for guide coat

Who makes a good guide coat? I'm using PPG products if that makes any difference. I've got most of my bodywork done but figured this might reveal places I've missed.
I was just looking and see there is something called dry guide coat now. Never heard of it before.

Dennis

I use SEM Guidecoat. I have had the same can for years now. I rarely use it, but when I do its for a reason. My PPG supplier had it on the shelf. I have most of mine done too which is a worrisome place to be. Once you commit to color, thats it! It is not a game for the feint of heart for sure. No guts, no glory!

Don't think it matters much but don't use paint, use real guide coat.

OK, thanks. I'm going with the SEM spray.

Dennis

So why not use any old rattle can paint. I've never heard that. All you're needing is a contrasting color to show high & low spots.

Cause any old rattle can "paint" will gum up the paper more often than not?
Rattle can primer.... not so much

Nice thing about SPI epoxy is there's no need for guide coat. It acts as it's own because of the sheen.

I've never had that issue. You don't put it on that heavy. All you want is a 'guide coat' not full coverage. Seems like a waste of money to me. To each his own I guess.

I've always used a T-H-I-N coat of plain old red oxide primer. Been doing that for over 40 years with no issues.
Jerry

I'm talking about the lacquer-base red primer we've been using since the 1940's. I've probably used a few hundred gallons of it from Tennessee to Okinawa and back over the past 40 years. It's also available in gray and black, depending on the color of the top coat that's going to be applied.
Jerry

"Red oxide" was the name it was sold by- - -not sure if that's 100 percent technically accurate or not, but the guys at the parts stores knew exactly what I wanted from coast to coast. I don't remember the Japanese translation I used in the early 1970's.
Jerry

If you are applying a guide coat of any rattle can product (other than rubberized undercoat....which I saw a moron use once) and it clogs wet/dry sandpaper, its too heavy a coat. I just dust a very light coat. Good luck, its all in the prep!

I use the WalMart brand of flat - just $.99 Like Marko said, a very light dusting is good enough. You can remove too much primer in surrounding areas if the guide coat is too thick.

Good Luck

If you have a set of these it will make your need for guide coat a lot less:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/AFS-MASTERKIT.html#.VZACjvlVhBc

I have the optional 36 incher too. They have rods in them that you can remove to get more or less arc. I am amazed at the difference it made. My PPG supplier saw them and now stocks them as well. Metal surface to stick your paper to.

There are no highs and lows if you use the proper long boards is THE point. They are so good that all of the things that you can detect by hand are addressed. Of course this is not true everywhere, but it sure reduces the need for guide coat considerably.

After all the body work I have done on the cab through 3 different grits inside and out, I have more than half of the rattle can left. Its just not something that's needed that much anymore. If I think there is any lows after using those long longboards, its time to break out another round of high build urethane primer. They are truely amazing for eliminating alot of the guesswork.

Guide coat is just that... A guide. I use a lot of SEM products and usually use the trim black because I have it on the shelf. The idea is that you mist on a guide coat that you will sand off.

Everyone has their own way of doing body work that works for them. I do a number of high end restoration a year with my business and I guide coat every time I block primer. It certainly doesn't hurt and if you can block straight each time you prime, so why wouldn't you use that guide coat every time?

My .02 worth!