First paint job

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Try to keep your gun straight, not angled to far up or too far down. Keep the gun about 5 to 6 inches from the surface the whole time, or you will have heavy painted surfaces and lightly painted surfaces. Practice spray technique on an old fender to determine proper gun adjustment, pass speed, and pass overlap.
 
Try to keep your gun straight, not angled to far up or too far down. Keep the gun about 5 to 6 inches from the surface the whole time, or you will have heavy painted surfaces and lightly painted surfaces. Practice spray technique on an old fender to determine proper gun adjustment, pass speed, and pass overlap.
  
===Building a temporary paint booth===
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==Building a temporary paint booth==
 
See: [[Building a paint booth]].
 
See: [[Building a paint booth]].
  
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If there are strict rules in your area, something that will help is to place a filter before your fan so that it filters the air as it is leaving your shop.
 
If there are strict rules in your area, something that will help is to place a filter before your fan so that it filters the air as it is leaving your shop.
 
   
 
   
===Basic mixing techniques===
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==Basic mixing techniques==
 
Paint and related finishing products can be mixed in glass measuring cups, medicine cups, soup cans, or shot glasses. However, [http://www.ezmix.com/ E-Z Mix cups] are generally preferred for ease of use. Containers with measurements marked on the side are generally most useful. Paper cups are cautioned against because some may have a wax coating. Similarly, plastic cups or containers (medicine cups, yogurt containers, cleaned bottle caps, etc.) are also cautioned against. There are many different kinds of plastic, some of which are inappropriate for storing certain types of finishing products.
 
Paint and related finishing products can be mixed in glass measuring cups, medicine cups, soup cans, or shot glasses. However, [http://www.ezmix.com/ E-Z Mix cups] are generally preferred for ease of use. Containers with measurements marked on the side are generally most useful. Paper cups are cautioned against because some may have a wax coating. Similarly, plastic cups or containers (medicine cups, yogurt containers, cleaned bottle caps, etc.) are also cautioned against. There are many different kinds of plastic, some of which are inappropriate for storing certain types of finishing products.
  
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==Proper paint clothing==
 
==Proper paint clothing==
When painting, it is always a good idea to wear some kind of protective clothing. It not only helps keep you from contacting the toxic materials but it also will help keep unwanted materials from getting on your paint job. The first and most important is a respirator made for '''automotive''' refinishing. There are a lot of companies that sell these. Get a paint suit or use a lint free pair of coveralls. Tyvek suits are available at many hardware sotrkes for around $10. The next thing is a pair of gloves, latex style; I have found that the nitrile gloves hold up better to the chemicals. Additionally, nitrile gloves will block the toxic isocyanates found in the activators of many 2k paints; latex will not block these chemicals. Do not use a set of rubber gloves as they are too clumsy and you need the motion that you get from the latex style gloves. Get some kind of lint free head cover, this keeps your hair on your head and not on the job you are working on. They also recommend a foot cover (which I never used) but they look like a sock for your shoes.
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===Suits===
There are many different companies that these items can be purchased, local stores and Internet. The most important item that you need is a paint mask. You can get by with out the other items (with extra buffing when you are done) but the '''paint mask''' is the most important.
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When painting, it is always a good idea to wear some kind of protective clothing. It not only helps keep you from contacting the toxic materials but it also will help keep unwanted materials from getting on your paint job. The first and most important is a respirator made for '''automotive''' refinishing. There are a lot of companies that sell these. Get a paint suit or use a lint free pair of coveralls. Tyvek suits are available at many hardware stores for around $10.
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===Gloves===
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The next thing is a pair of gloves. Nitrile gloves hold up well to chemicals (see: [[Hand cleaner]]). Additionally, nitrile gloves will block the toxic isocyanates found in the activators of many 2k paints; latex will not block these chemicals. Do not use a set of rubber gloves as they are too clumsy and you need the motion that you get from the latex style gloves.
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===Head cover===
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Get some kind of lint free head cover, this keeps your hair on your head and not on the job you are working on. You can also use a foot cover, which looks like a sock for your shoes.
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===Paint mask===
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The most important item that you need is a paint mask. You can get by with out the other items (with extra buffing when you are done) but the paint mask is the most important.
  
 
Before entering the area that you are refinishing your project in take a air nozzle and blow yourself off. This will get rid of any extra surprises that will fall into your job
 
Before entering the area that you are refinishing your project in take a air nozzle and blow yourself off. This will get rid of any extra surprises that will fall into your job
  
 
==Health and Safety==
 
==Health and Safety==
 
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Painting materials can do major harm to your health if you do not closely follow the manufacturers recommendations for skin and lung protection.
Last but not least, these materials can do major harm to your health if you do not closely follow the manufacturers recommendations for skin and lung protection. Appropriate respirators must be used!
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Auto paints can contain many dangerous chemicals. It is important to protect yourself properly.
 
Auto paints can contain many dangerous chemicals. It is important to protect yourself properly.
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A respirator or fresh air system should be worn at all times when you are working with paints. Even when mixing your paint and getting ready.
 
A respirator or fresh air system should be worn at all times when you are working with paints. Even when mixing your paint and getting ready.
  
When spraying or handling paint, wear nitrile, vinyl, or other impervious gloves. Latex allows some chemicals through, where they can be absorbed through your skin.
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==Spray gun tech==
 
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A Tyvek painter's suit can both keep you clean, and prevent solvents and harmful chemicals from touching your skin. Many types of suit will suffice, but Tyvek has the advantage of being breathable yet still affordable.
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== Spray gun Tech ==
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With any spray gun, you get what you pay for!  
 
With any spray gun, you get what you pay for!  
  
HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) is the way to go when buying a spray gun although LVLP (Low Volume, Low Pressure) can work acceptably with the right paint. The prices have come down to reasonable levels, and the wasted paint by over spray (Not to mention the mess) makes a siphon-feed unit a poor choice for the home hobby sprayer.
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HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) is the way to go when buying a spray gun although LVLP (Low Volume, Low Pressure) can work acceptably with the right paint. The prices have come down to reasonable levels, and the wasted paint by overspray (not to mention the mess) makes a siphon-feed unit a poor choice for the home hobby sprayer.
 
   
 
   
 
Remember that high-solid primers like high-build type 2k urethanes require a larger (1.7mm) tip and setup internally than a regular paint gun. 3-gun sets are available for as little as $100 that include a primer gun with the larger tip, a paint/clear gun, and a 1.0mm tipped touch-up gun. Cutting (wet sanding) and buffing make up for a lot of shortcomings in inexpensive HVLP guns. So determining which is more valuable, your money or your time, is a determining factor in choosing a paint gun. A cheaper gun will require more time spent cutting and buffing than a top-of-the-line gun that lays paint out more evenly, but at an added price of several hundred dollars. A budget gun can be had for under $30, whereas a SATA 3000 digital runs around $650. You decide which is more important. Most folks will spend a little more time cutting and buffing than spend the extra on the fancy gun. The difference can be spent on go-fast goodies!
 
Remember that high-solid primers like high-build type 2k urethanes require a larger (1.7mm) tip and setup internally than a regular paint gun. 3-gun sets are available for as little as $100 that include a primer gun with the larger tip, a paint/clear gun, and a 1.0mm tipped touch-up gun. Cutting (wet sanding) and buffing make up for a lot of shortcomings in inexpensive HVLP guns. So determining which is more valuable, your money or your time, is a determining factor in choosing a paint gun. A cheaper gun will require more time spent cutting and buffing than a top-of-the-line gun that lays paint out more evenly, but at an added price of several hundred dollars. A budget gun can be had for under $30, whereas a SATA 3000 digital runs around $650. You decide which is more important. Most folks will spend a little more time cutting and buffing than spend the extra on the fancy gun. The difference can be spent on go-fast goodies!
  
== Choosing the right type of paint ==
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==Choosing the right type of paint==
 
See "How to mix and spray urethane enamels" for a basic primer on the types of paint.
 
See "How to mix and spray urethane enamels" for a basic primer on the types of paint.
  
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''TWO MAIN TYPES OF ALL AUTOMOTIVE PAINT COLORS''
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==Two main types of all automotive paint colors==
 
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'''''SOLID paint'''''
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===Solid paint===
 
Solid colors are a little easier than metallic to paint. If you mess up and get a run in them, they can be fixed rather easily by color sanding and buffing.  
 
Solid colors are a little easier than metallic to paint. If you mess up and get a run in them, they can be fixed rather easily by color sanding and buffing.  
  
'''''Metallic paint'''''
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===Metallic paint===
Spraying metallic is a little different then spraying a solid color, they will mottle (have blotches of dark and light areas) and tiger stripe if sprayed incorrectly. The key to spraying metallic paint is to move the "dry spot" around. For example, spray one coat one direction, then the next coat in the direction 90 degrees to the first coat. Overlapping the coats up to 75% is another key to good metallic finishes. Remember anytime that the paint moves the metallic does as well, so if they run you will get the metallic all in one spot. With metallic always use the suggested reducers and mix the entire batch to be sprayed at the same time. I recommend this ANYTIME you paint. DO NOT play mad scientist/chemist. FOLLOW the instructions to the letter. The engineers at the paint companies spend millions on R&D, so they are already sure of the results you will get by mixing the product any given way. You, however, as an amateur, are not. Do not re-invent the wheel.
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Spraying metallic is a little different then spraying a solid color; they will mottle (have blotches of dark and light areas) and tiger stripe if sprayed incorrectly. The key to spraying metallic paint is to [http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/tip-day-30-a-74674.html move the "dry spot" around]. For example, spray one coat one direction, then the next coat in the direction 90 degrees to the first coat. Overlapping the coats up to 75% is another key to good metallic finishes. Remember anytime that the paint moves the metallic does as well, so if they run you will get the metallic all in one spot. With metallic, always use the suggested reducers and mix the entire batch to be sprayed at the same time. I recommend this ANYTIME you paint. DO NOT play mad scientist/chemist. FOLLOW the instructions to the letter. The engineers at the paint companies spend millions on R&D, so they are already sure of the results you will get by mixing the product any given way. You, however, as an amateur, are not. Do not re-invent the wheel.
  
 
[[Category:Body and exterior]]
 
[[Category:Body and exterior]]

Revision as of 15:48, 18 October 2009

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