Title: Painting questions
Post by: loman4ec on January 06, 2006, 10:32:37 pm
Ok well I now have a place to work at. I just ordered a quality HVLP paint gun and respirator so I am ready to start teaching myself to shoot paint. I have a few practice parted out cabnets to play with and a few project machines lined up. I have painted before but I was a long time ago. Almost all of my painting experience is with primer so this will be a challange. What I am asking is are there any tips anyone can give me? What is a good inexpensive paint that I can start playing with? Any help would be great.
Title: Painting questions
Post by: Jim on January 07, 2006, 10:04:42 am
Josh,
Others will hopefully offer their techniques as well; but, you'll find that in time you'll use modified techniques of what you hear and read from others... With that said...
I think there was a disussion some time ago regarding painting techniques; you might search in the "Refinishing" Area and review this as well...
May I remind you that I am NOT a profession painter; just a hobbist for a beter lack of words...
I was taught to lay down a tack coat which is a thin layer that you can see through, let this coat flow out and stand for approx. 5 - 10 minutes. Areas that are hard to get to such as the compressor area will need to be sprayed first. Now spray the largest panels first (usually the back) in a horizontal spray pattern and continue with sides and top. As you finish spraying horizontally, you'll want to spray all the panel edges making sure not to leave too much paint and cause runs. Allow this coat to sit for approx. 5 - 10 minutes and return to do the same thing only utilizing vertical spray patterns. The last coat will be back to horizontal spray patterns and be sure, at this point, to monitor the paint flow so you don't apply too much and create sags, runs or grapes as they can be referred to. I was taught to apply three wet coats and this would allow me to wet-sand and buff with no problem. This is very basic and will slightly differ for a base-coat clear-coat system.
Doors can be laid horizontally for great paint flow which won't require any sanding/buffing.
One thing I like to do but requires more work;however, the results are much better due to spraying the part horizontally: Spray the inside of the coin doors first, the next day, wet sand the outside of the panel and paint the outside while taping any and all holes as well as edges to stop any over-spray from getting to the inside of the panel. This allows both the inside and the outside to have great flow and if done properly will yield glass like paint jobs. If you hang coin door and/or parts it is very dificult to get the flow characteristics of a horizontally painted panel.
Again, some of these techniques will differ for base-coat/clear-coat siduations.
As far as what type of paint is cheap to practice with... I'm of the belief that you should practice with the paint you're going to spray, just get white paint (for white top) to start with...
Scuff up the doner cabinets and start spraying!
I do recommend you follow the manufacturers mixing methods until you become a little better and can experiment with the reducer.
I also recommend to keep your spray equipment clean, very clean!
Just a few thoughts...
Others will hopefully offer their techniques as well; but, you'll find that in time you'll use modified techniques of what you hear and read from others... With that said...
I think there was a disussion some time ago regarding painting techniques; you might search in the "Refinishing" Area and review this as well...
May I remind you that I am NOT a profession painter; just a hobbist for a beter lack of words...
I was taught to lay down a tack coat which is a thin layer that you can see through, let this coat flow out and stand for approx. 5 - 10 minutes. Areas that are hard to get to such as the compressor area will need to be sprayed first. Now spray the largest panels first (usually the back) in a horizontal spray pattern and continue with sides and top. As you finish spraying horizontally, you'll want to spray all the panel edges making sure not to leave too much paint and cause runs. Allow this coat to sit for approx. 5 - 10 minutes and return to do the same thing only utilizing vertical spray patterns. The last coat will be back to horizontal spray patterns and be sure, at this point, to monitor the paint flow so you don't apply too much and create sags, runs or grapes as they can be referred to. I was taught to apply three wet coats and this would allow me to wet-sand and buff with no problem. This is very basic and will slightly differ for a base-coat clear-coat system.
Doors can be laid horizontally for great paint flow which won't require any sanding/buffing.
One thing I like to do but requires more work;however, the results are much better due to spraying the part horizontally: Spray the inside of the coin doors first, the next day, wet sand the outside of the panel and paint the outside while taping any and all holes as well as edges to stop any over-spray from getting to the inside of the panel. This allows both the inside and the outside to have great flow and if done properly will yield glass like paint jobs. If you hang coin door and/or parts it is very dificult to get the flow characteristics of a horizontally painted panel.
Again, some of these techniques will differ for base-coat/clear-coat siduations.
As far as what type of paint is cheap to practice with... I'm of the belief that you should practice with the paint you're going to spray, just get white paint (for white top) to start with...
Scuff up the doner cabinets and start spraying!
I do recommend you follow the manufacturers mixing methods until you become a little better and can experiment with the reducer.
I also recommend to keep your spray equipment clean, very clean!
Just a few thoughts...
Title: Painting questions
Post by: loman4ec on January 07, 2006, 04:32:04 pm
Thanks for the help Jim. I am leaving for Atlanta in the morining to pick up some machines but sometime next week I am going to try this out.
Title: Painting questions
Post by: Jim on January 07, 2006, 04:47:10 pm
Good luck in Atlanta!
My brother is there on business and just located a C-55 in decent shape; he's hoping he can get it from the owner...
My brother is there on business and just located a C-55 in decent shape; he's hoping he can get it from the owner...
Title: Painting questions
Post by: loman4ec on January 07, 2006, 05:26:49 pm
I am picking up a C-55, early Cs-64c, and late 60's Css96. I am really not looking forward to 15 hours in the truck tomorrow.
Title: Painting questions
Post by: Jim on January 07, 2006, 06:30:41 pm
Actually, he's in a little town about an hour south of Atlanta...
The 15 hours will all be forgotten once you have a nice smile on your face!
The 15 hours will all be forgotten once you have a nice smile on your face!
Title: Painting questions
Post by: loman4ec on January 07, 2006, 07:02:07 pm
So is mine. It is in Leesburg Ga. I hope it isn't the same machine? He also has a USS-64 I am going to look at while I am there.
Title: Painting questions
Post by: Jim on January 07, 2006, 09:21:41 pm
I think he said it was called La Grange...