DIY Paint Spraying-the definitive
Discussion
OK. I'm going to do it. I'm going to respray my Chimaera in my double garage. I'm rebuilding the whole car ground up; re-welded galvanised chassis, rebuilt engine, poly bushes, new brake lines etc etc, but I baulk at dishing out 4 grand for a pro spray job. OK, my finish wont be as good as an oven dried hi-tech job, but I reckon I could get a decent finish. Seen the E-Type in the recent Practical Car Mechanics? First timer too! and in a single garage!
So, I need some good advice and some pointers where I can get the info I need:
1. Is the Haynes DIY bodywork book any good? Does it cover fibreglass?
2. What compressor do I need? What cfm? 3hp? 50 or 100 capacity?
3. Are the Machine mart pro guns OK?
4. What sanddpapers do I need for various phases?
5. Rubbing down old paintwork-how far? I've been told to be wary of going too deep on fibreglass.
6. Cellulose or 2 pack? Is water based not a DIY option?
7. How do you fill holes/chips in fibreglass before sparaying? I've heard that mends settle in time and leave indentations visible after painting?
8. What primers to use? Etch first, then a thick one before the topcoats?
9. I plan on a rubber floor and making a 'coccoon' out of decorators dust sheets or polythene.
10. What colour? My initial thoughts are for a good solid red, but are more exotic colours an option for 2-pack? Like the golden yellow on the transformers car? Ooeerr missus.
10. How do you stop the wife laughing at me?
There are hundreds of different little snippets out there, but I've yet to find anything that says:
"Step one - buy a Heath Robinson model 69 3hp compressor, step 2 - Use a air driven dual action sander model 13 with wet and dry 400 paper until you can just see the gelcoat coming through.......etc.
I've still a bunch of technical stuff to do, so I have plenty of time to digest and aquire the kit.
Thanks to all.
So, I need some good advice and some pointers where I can get the info I need:
1. Is the Haynes DIY bodywork book any good? Does it cover fibreglass?
2. What compressor do I need? What cfm? 3hp? 50 or 100 capacity?
3. Are the Machine mart pro guns OK?
4. What sanddpapers do I need for various phases?
5. Rubbing down old paintwork-how far? I've been told to be wary of going too deep on fibreglass.
6. Cellulose or 2 pack? Is water based not a DIY option?
7. How do you fill holes/chips in fibreglass before sparaying? I've heard that mends settle in time and leave indentations visible after painting?
8. What primers to use? Etch first, then a thick one before the topcoats?
9. I plan on a rubber floor and making a 'coccoon' out of decorators dust sheets or polythene.
10. What colour? My initial thoughts are for a good solid red, but are more exotic colours an option for 2-pack? Like the golden yellow on the transformers car? Ooeerr missus.
10. How do you stop the wife laughing at me?
There are hundreds of different little snippets out there, but I've yet to find anything that says:
"Step one - buy a Heath Robinson model 69 3hp compressor, step 2 - Use a air driven dual action sander model 13 with wet and dry 400 paper until you can just see the gelcoat coming through.......etc.
I've still a bunch of technical stuff to do, so I have plenty of time to digest and aquire the kit.
Thanks to all.
You need to do your homework here I'm afraid. Google and YouTube are your friends.
You don't need a particularly powerful compressor for spraying, but you do need an oil/water catch tank (To stop oil/water mixing with the paint).
The rest is practice, practice and more practice. If you've put in all that effort on the chassis, it'd be a shame to ruin everything with a typical DIY orange peel finish!
You don't need a particularly powerful compressor for spraying, but you do need an oil/water catch tank (To stop oil/water mixing with the paint).
The rest is practice, practice and more practice. If you've put in all that effort on the chassis, it'd be a shame to ruin everything with a typical DIY orange peel finish!
Liquid Knight said:
Seriously?
All those questions about doing a basic spray job and you're planning to spay a TVR?
This is either a wind up or you are really that nieve.
Why is he nieve? (sic)All those questions about doing a basic spray job and you're planning to spay a TVR?
This is either a wind up or you are really that nieve.
My uncle just sprayed his E-Type Jag after completing a full restoration, and the result is absolutely stunning, not a blemish on it. He did it in a large wooden shed/workshop, after sealing all the sides with polythene and used 2K paint with the proper air fed respirator.
PSBuckshot said:
If you want to save money do what I'm doing the my Mini.
Do ALL the prepping yourself, sand it down the lot. Supply the paint. And now my paint job will cost £150 and that is done at a professional place but doing all the prep work and supplying the paint.
Problem solved.
this^^^^Do ALL the prepping yourself, sand it down the lot. Supply the paint. And now my paint job will cost £150 and that is done at a professional place but doing all the prep work and supplying the paint.
Problem solved.
be ultra critical with the prep work
To the OP. Paint spraying is often regarded as a black art only to be conducted by some kind of secret cult. But I am here to tell you that this is not the case.
I spayed my first car in my mums garage back in the early 80's using what were consider to be very difficult custom products. To prep and paint the car took 3 months, but as you can see below the car had extensive modifications in both steel and glass fibre. One of the top professional custom painters at the time quoted me £3500 to do the job, let’s not forget these were early 80's prices, so I decided to do the job my self.
I spent just over £500 pounds on a 150psi Clarks compressor and a professional DeVilbis spray gun (both of which I still have and use) and used an article that had appeared in Street machine magazine as a guide.
The results you can see below. On its first outing at one of the largest custom shows in the UK it won a Best Paint award. During the rest of the season it won four other paint awards.
So I say go for it. Take your time, use the right products and you should be able to produce a paint job superior to many you can get from the pros.
Good luck
This picture was taken at my cars first car show, 24hous after I had finished giving it its final polish and MOT. It was my first ever paint job and was carried out in my mum’s garage. At what was the biggest show of the year it won a paint award
This is the second version of the paint job a few years later where I got more ambitious using multiply candy colours for the graphics and pin striping to outline the graphics. Again the car won awards for its paint job. Please excuse my look, it was fashionable at the time
I spayed my first car in my mums garage back in the early 80's using what were consider to be very difficult custom products. To prep and paint the car took 3 months, but as you can see below the car had extensive modifications in both steel and glass fibre. One of the top professional custom painters at the time quoted me £3500 to do the job, let’s not forget these were early 80's prices, so I decided to do the job my self.
I spent just over £500 pounds on a 150psi Clarks compressor and a professional DeVilbis spray gun (both of which I still have and use) and used an article that had appeared in Street machine magazine as a guide.
The results you can see below. On its first outing at one of the largest custom shows in the UK it won a Best Paint award. During the rest of the season it won four other paint awards.
So I say go for it. Take your time, use the right products and you should be able to produce a paint job superior to many you can get from the pros.
Good luck
This picture was taken at my cars first car show, 24hous after I had finished giving it its final polish and MOT. It was my first ever paint job and was carried out in my mum’s garage. At what was the biggest show of the year it won a paint award
This is the second version of the paint job a few years later where I got more ambitious using multiply candy colours for the graphics and pin striping to outline the graphics. Again the car won awards for its paint job. Please excuse my look, it was fashionable at the time
VB said:
Spraying it is one thing. Spraying it to a decent standard, without contamination, making a mistake & crying in the corner of the garage is another.
If you're keen, do the prep & get someone to spray it for you.
The spraying is the easy part, its the prep that is responsible for 90% of a good paint jobIf you're keen, do the prep & get someone to spray it for you.
Streetrod said:
VB said:
Spraying it is one thing. Spraying it to a decent standard, without contamination, making a mistake & crying in the corner of the garage is another.
If you're keen, do the prep & get someone to spray it for you.
The spraying is the easy part, its the prep that is responsible for 90% of a good paint jobIf you're keen, do the prep & get someone to spray it for you.
the saying in the trade is "if you can piss you can paint"..and it is very true
hence I said "be ultra critical with your prep work"
btw I feel this thread is a wind-up..hence the short replies on my part
thinfourth2 said:
Get a pro to do it
Modern paints are damn nasty and if you get a lungful you could find yourself fooked.
or find a good local bodyshop and go talk to them and see how involved they will et you get with the prep work but let them spray it as its difficult and dangerous
This is by FAR the best advice.Modern paints are damn nasty and if you get a lungful you could find yourself fooked.
or find a good local bodyshop and go talk to them and see how involved they will et you get with the prep work but let them spray it as its difficult and dangerous
Getting a really good finish is far more probably with a body shop facilities and knowledge.
If you ruin the car with a poor spray you will never forgive yourself.
I have attempted lots of classic and kit car resprays in part and in full. I know from bitter experience that bodyshops produce much better results.
Real experts like the firm I now use exclusively now could probably get a good finish working at the side of the road. They have vast experience. You do not.
And as the man said modern paint do NOT support life. They are highly toxic.
You only have one set of lungs. Take it to a good bodyshop.
If you are going to self prep then get a shop to paint it,
First step, find a shop that are willing, not all are.
Second, ask them what products, etc are best.
Sorry if this isn't overly helpful but every painter has their own prefered way of working.
The basics are the same,but the methods used to achieve the final result are not.
First step, find a shop that are willing, not all are.
Second, ask them what products, etc are best.
Sorry if this isn't overly helpful but every painter has their own prefered way of working.
The basics are the same,but the methods used to achieve the final result are not.
If you are intent on doing it your self then source a fiberglass panel that you can prep, paint and re do it till you get the knack. The good thing about doing it that way is you can position it vertical and horizontal to enable you to work on your technique. One thing that I would advise as a must is a good quality air fed mask
I have made a couple of postings recently regarding DIY spraying.
As some of you may be aware I am restoring a 1991 Fiesta RS Turbo; totally standard and will remain that way.
I sourced a new Ford shell as the old one was rotten.
I have had a double garage built and will be finished in the next 7-10 days. I have purcahsed all the equipment needed and will be painting the car myself in Ford 2k Radiant Red.
I have experience of small body repairs and have practiced with the compressor on a bumper and a garage door. I am confident that I can achive an excellent finish (If i was not I would not be doing it myself)
I will be going for a mirror finish as opposed to the orange peel that new Fords and BMW's all seem to be.
The thread is in the Ford section but I will add the pictures on this thread when complete.
Cheers
As some of you may be aware I am restoring a 1991 Fiesta RS Turbo; totally standard and will remain that way.
I sourced a new Ford shell as the old one was rotten.
I have had a double garage built and will be finished in the next 7-10 days. I have purcahsed all the equipment needed and will be painting the car myself in Ford 2k Radiant Red.
I have experience of small body repairs and have practiced with the compressor on a bumper and a garage door. I am confident that I can achive an excellent finish (If i was not I would not be doing it myself)
I will be going for a mirror finish as opposed to the orange peel that new Fords and BMW's all seem to be.
The thread is in the Ford section but I will add the pictures on this thread when complete.
Cheers
Gassing Station | Bodywork & Detailing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff