Learning to spraypaint
Discussion
Started this in General Gassing forum, silly me 
Anyway, long and short is that I want to buy the tools and spray my car myself rather than pay a bodyshop to do it. I've experience doing patches with rattlecans, but never used a compressor before.
Aside from working with a bodyshop, can anyone give me some learning advice. I've got some old panels to practice on, but links to good beginner setups, good masking practice, how blend new paint to old, that sort of stuff, would be greatly appreciated.
Anyway, long and short is that I want to buy the tools and spray my car myself rather than pay a bodyshop to do it. I've experience doing patches with rattlecans, but never used a compressor before.
Aside from working with a bodyshop, can anyone give me some learning advice. I've got some old panels to practice on, but links to good beginner setups, good masking practice, how blend new paint to old, that sort of stuff, would be greatly appreciated.
Not being funny & I can understand you wanting to have a bash yourself but it takes a LOT of practice before you get any good & if its just a one-off you would be much better spending the money having the car resprayed professionally.
Especially when you get to doing the bonnet & roof as they are very easy to get wrong! Trying to do them outside of a booth (filtered air so no blackfly, greenfly, thunderflies, dust, leaves etc)is really a non starter - guess how I learnt that!
There are a lot of videos on youtube if you want to have a look.
And http://corporateportal.ppg.com/refinish/maxmeyer/e... shows the defects you can get when painting cars. Also shows the cures - most of which involve sanding it down & doing it again!
Don't forget you will also need full protective equipment as you don't want lungs that match your car colour
Especially when you get to doing the bonnet & roof as they are very easy to get wrong! Trying to do them outside of a booth (filtered air so no blackfly, greenfly, thunderflies, dust, leaves etc)is really a non starter - guess how I learnt that!
There are a lot of videos on youtube if you want to have a look.
And http://corporateportal.ppg.com/refinish/maxmeyer/e... shows the defects you can get when painting cars. Also shows the cures - most of which involve sanding it down & doing it again!
Don't forget you will also need full protective equipment as you don't want lungs that match your car colour
Edited by paintman on Saturday 5th June 20:22
Well, the plan is to buy the equipment and learn to spray on this worthless old heap; if I mess it up or just don't have a taste for it, I've not wasted anything and I've still got the tools. If, however, I get the hang of it, I'm hoping to continue working with older cars and eventually restore one of my first loves; a Vauxhall Magnum.
I've looked into all the tools, and risks, of working with two-pack paint (because the car is metallic, I don't have any other option for the clearcoat) so an air-fed mask, a gun and a compressor that's manly enough to run the two of them are the order of the day.
I've looked into all the tools, and risks, of working with two-pack paint (because the car is metallic, I don't have any other option for the clearcoat) so an air-fed mask, a gun and a compressor that's manly enough to run the two of them are the order of the day.
Jesus ... be VERY careful of 2-packs!
That stuff is deadly.
An air fed mask will need a clean air supply so compressor needs to be away from the air you are spraying in.
The paint is iso-cyanate and with the hardener it solidifies in your lungs causing lethal effects, especially long term. I have seen the results of this and the person was severely disabled and struggled to breathe.
The effect is similar to asbestosis and pneomoconiosis (miners had that).
If you do want to DIY then think of locating the compressor in a clean air place and please be aware of ventilation and effects on nearby neighbours!!!!
If you can smell it its getting you!
That stuff is deadly.
An air fed mask will need a clean air supply so compressor needs to be away from the air you are spraying in.
The paint is iso-cyanate and with the hardener it solidifies in your lungs causing lethal effects, especially long term. I have seen the results of this and the person was severely disabled and struggled to breathe.
The effect is similar to asbestosis and pneomoconiosis (miners had that).
If you do want to DIY then think of locating the compressor in a clean air place and please be aware of ventilation and effects on nearby neighbours!!!!
If you can smell it its getting you!
Just to add that you do have a choice for clearcoat: I've used 1 Pack pre mixed clearcoat in the past (admitedly some 10 years ago now) and the results were great and it was more durable than the cellulose I was using for solid colours. I'm not a pro, but I have sprayed some 20 odd cars (and some of my cars have been very odd 
). My spray gear is pretty old now, but a decent setup by Devilbis. However I'm probably not going to use it nowadays as I don't fancy killing myself with 2 pack and for the cost of cellulose I could go a long way towards paying a pro to spray it in 2 pack with me just doing the prep. In fact for tiny repairs I'm still pretty handy with a rattle can so that does for now.
). My spray gear is pretty old now, but a decent setup by Devilbis. However I'm probably not going to use it nowadays as I don't fancy killing myself with 2 pack and for the cost of cellulose I could go a long way towards paying a pro to spray it in 2 pack with me just doing the prep. In fact for tiny repairs I'm still pretty handy with a rattle can so that does for now.May I suggest...
http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master.htm?http:/...
Always wanted to give this a whirl...
http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master.htm?http:/...
Always wanted to give this a whirl...
Go for it. Unfortunately you will encounter a large number of people telling you its not possible and various rubbish about ovens and clean rooms.
Its pretty much all common sense and there is very little to fear from 2 pack paints.
Sensible ventilation, and a decent mask yes, but positive pressure ventilation with the sealed room cobblers is pretty much only needed for regular use.
Even in the dustiest garage you would be surprised how well you can do with the newer water based paints.
Commercial sprayers go ape if they mess a flat panel because of the time involved in cutting down and respray, but its not as important to home use spraying.
To give you an example I've sprayed my panels on my M5, and TVR to the point where no one could tell its been done.
If I pointed you to the exact join lines and you studied them for a while you might pick a line out, but you can pretty much do that on any flatting in repair.
Its pretty much all common sense and there is very little to fear from 2 pack paints.
Sensible ventilation, and a decent mask yes, but positive pressure ventilation with the sealed room cobblers is pretty much only needed for regular use.
Even in the dustiest garage you would be surprised how well you can do with the newer water based paints.
Commercial sprayers go ape if they mess a flat panel because of the time involved in cutting down and respray, but its not as important to home use spraying.
To give you an example I've sprayed my panels on my M5, and TVR to the point where no one could tell its been done.
If I pointed you to the exact join lines and you studied them for a while you might pick a line out, but you can pretty much do that on any flatting in repair.
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