Learn to paint, it’s easy.

[Adam]

Primer paint is the perfect place to start/learn to paint. It goes on as easily as rattle can paint, but with a much wider pattern, and it mostly gets sanded off so you can’t screw it up. You don’t even need a spray booth; if dust or a bug lands on the wet paint it does not matter, it will be sanded smooth later.

Electrically Deposited Primer. EDP is the black coating that comes on new replacement parts. EDP is very tough, It does not have to be removed, but it is very porous and needs to be scuffed with a fine scotchbrite pad and primed again with Epoxy, High build or Sealer. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y8LTQY...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

There are basically three types of primer paint you will shoot. EPOXY, for direct to clean metal, or on top of EDP. It’s very tough and seals the metal from moisture. Body filler can be applied over the top of scuffed (like with a scotchbrite pad) epoxy without any concerns. Epoxy paint is a ***** to sand. Gray Epoxy Primer/Sealer 2.1 VOC (1 Quart Kit) Anti-Corrosive DTM High-Performance Primer for Automotive and Industrial use Kit = 1 Pint Epoxy Primer +1 Pint. Epoxy Hdr. (1-1 Mix)

So once your metal project is epoxy primed, and the body work is done, you spray another coat of HIGH BUILD primer surfacer as another coat, on top of the epoxy primer. High build primer is thick, it fills in scratches, pinholes, and minor imperfections. It is easy to sand smooth. Gray - Feather Fill G2 Next Generation Premium Polyester Primer Surfacer, 1 Gallon

The color/ shade of some paints, like Plum Crazy Purple, can be effected by the color of the primer underneath. So basically you use light colored primers for light colored paint, and dark primer for dark paints. You want the primer to be all one color if possible so the car will all be the same shade. Of course the epoxy primer, and high build primers will be a different color or shade of gray, for example. So you can top coat the sanded high build primer, epoxy, old sanded original paint etc with a SEALER primer. Sealer primers get sprayed on, and lay down very smooth, and make it all the same color. They generally do not need sanding, but if you get a run or a bug in it, just use a sanding block and 500-600 paper to fix it, and re-coat if necessary.
Transtar® 6094 - 1K Low VOC Speed Sealer I have used speed sealer under a variety of top coats; it is great because there is no mixing, just pour it thru a paint strainer and spray it.

In the case of a plastic grill I would scuff the plastic, spray a high build primer on it, wet sand it smooth, and the spray the color coat. Easy!

All you need is a dry air supply, a primer gun with about a 1.8mm tip, some mixing cups, and paint, hardener, reducer, and a really good filter/breather for your face!

There are other considerations about paint mixing (hint, directions are on the can), block sanding, sand papers, spray gun adjustments, and more, but there is much information available online, and I am happy to help with any questions.

Trust me, this is a worthwhile skill to have. If you try this you will wonder why you waited so long. So get out that old trunk lid, door, or whatever and give it a shot.

 

[AUSTA]

Patience & preparation is the key.
This was my first job

 

[Adam]

Commonly used paint supplies:

Mixing cups with measurements printed on the side... e.g. 2 to 1, 3 to 1, 4to 1, etc.. like these 16-Ounce (1 Pint) Paint & Epoxy Mixing Cup Calibrated Ratios - Pack of 12 Cups | eBay

Paint strainers: usually when you buy paint they throw in some strainers and stirring sticks for free, if not get something like these Auto Paint Strainers

Sanding blocks: Sanding Blocks & Boards for Auto Body - TP Tools & Equipment. I like small soft sided ones for wet sanding. And the long ones for getting panels flat.

Sandpaper: I have found PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) sand paper to be the most convenient for dry sanding, and they stick well to the above listed sanding blocks. I keep an old pair of scissors with the roll and cut it to length. It comes in different grits. TP Tools® Adhesive-Back Abrasive Sandpaper Rolls

For wet sanding the high build primer I cut the paper into the proper size pieces to wrap around my sanding block and soak the pieces in a bucket of warm water (because warm water is easier on my hands), with a couple drops of Dawn dish washing soap. TP Tools® Premium Waterproof Half-Sheet Sandpaper

We have all used the blue or green painters tape that is supposed to come off easily; just know that cheap tape is usually not worth the hassle, it will either not stick very well, or paint will bleed underneath. And if you tape up something and leave it on for a long time (more than a month) it will probably not come off easily.

Glazing putty: it is used to fill small pinholes or scratches. Most of them are not hardened, take a long time to dry, and are sensitive to the solvents in paint. Some paint solvents will lift these putties so they should be top coated with primer. They are about as soft as chalk when they dry, but are easy to sand. The better glazing putties are hardened with a catalyst. Mix it like body filler.

Do not let paint get hard in your paint gun! Clean it as soon as practical, after you are done using it. I use acetone to slosh around the cup and then pull the trigger so it can run out the tip and wash out most of the paint. I then take the gun apart and use cheap carb cleaner on everything, it cuts the paint right off and dries without a residue. Do not get it on your skin if you can help it. Lastly, when reassembling your paint gun, pull the trigger to retract the needle, when tightening the tip, otherwise you can break something.

 

[Adam]

Patience & preparation is the key.
This was my first job
View attachment 69865

That looks great! In your opinion what was the hardest part? What advice would you give a new painter?

 

[AUSTA]

Thanks,
Hardest part Blocking to get a good straight finish the big long panels on these cars require careful blocking the longer the block the better
Patience waiting until each part of the process was finished before going to the next.
Clear coat is a pain, have a bad habit of putting that extra coat on & then it run,s take it easy there is no rush
A mate done this one last week it i did the beating & repair + primer wanted that special finish
F8 Green Metallic from the new Stars & stripes was water based converted to solvent base

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I have tried everything , I am the fisheye king , everything I try to paint fisheyes everytime .
I learned long ago I am a very good mechanic but the paint I leave to others , I could not even paint the water pump pulley !

 

[Adam]

You could/should wipe down your panels with a “wax and grease remover”, and make sure your air supply is dry. You don’t want water drops coming through the line.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kleanstrip-GSW362-Prep-All-Wax-and-Grease-Remover-Gallon/34804509?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=

[URL="https://www.amazon.com/air-compressor-filter-water-separator/s?k=air+compressor+filter+water+separator"]Amazon.com: air compressor filter water separator[/URL]

 

[AUSTA]

In addition always wipe the wax & grease remover with a clean dry rag straight after application otherwise the grease & wax will dry back onto the panel
Rub back with less than 800 grit before painting do not attempt to paint over a glossy surface
If possible warm the piece of panel up a bit helps paint to adhere
Give a light dust coat before going at it with full coats
I am not a pro painter but the above has always helped with fish-eye

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Did all that , I bet I painted the pulley 12 times either stripping to bare metal & using grease remover & cleaning that off or sanding down the paint to remove the fish eye , wiping it down with grease remover & cleaning that off only to have it return with the next light coat , I don't paint anything anymore !

 

[Dodgeboy]

I've painted a few cars (not a pro, just helping people out) and have even painted my Chally twice, (1st time with polyurenthane, 2nd time with base/clear) and soon I will paint it again (going away from custom paint job, going back to factory colors). The body work is the most time consuming part, patience is needed. But the split second you lay down the color coat all the hard work pays off. I don't know how much a paint job costs these days but you save a lot doing it yourself.

 

[ctaarman]

I'm wondering if any of you has used or has an opinion on the new primer that dries a dirrerent color on top. They claim this helps see high dpots much easier as you block sand.

 

[Dodgeboy]

I always just "speckled" the primer with black spray paint, makes it easy to see high/low spots as you sand