Loco Kano

Hey guys I am two days away from my first run behind a paint gun and I have some general question that I never see asked. If you have had time behind a paint gun please share your experience on these questions... thanks in advance....

1) Mixing:
---Calculations: I know there are a lot of factors that can change this but does anyone have a trick on how much to mix for small jobs? From what I have read it takes about a quart(maybe a little more) for 1 cover of the whole car, but what about just a door?

2.)Mixing:
---Containers: What do you usualy mix it in?
---Messurments: What do you messure with? kitchen messure cup?
---Pot Life: What do you keep it in while sitting, do you re-shake it?

3.)Paint Gun:
---While waiting for flash times do you leave the paint/primer in the gun? If not do you clean it between each flash (hope not)? If so, whats your method?
---Cleaning: Whats the best method you have found (want to keep my new gun shiny and performing well)

I will post some more here later, I went blank when I started typing this. Its 130AM and I have been spending way to much time with my car lol.

NoItsNotForSale

iTrader: (1)

Paint stores sell mixing cup that already have the ratios on it for about a $1. No need to clean between flash times. Clean it good with thinner between stages . If you are just doing a door a pint would probably do it.

Eats5.0's

iTrader: (1)

A pint will be more than enough for a door, or a fender. The paint may have to be reduced, so that can actually double the amount of paint you have.
My only real advice is to write down the mixing ratios on something other than the can, mine smeared all over and I don't remember what they are.

Loco Kano

On sanding between coats, do you wait a little after flash time to start sanding or the entire cure time? I have a 10min flash time on my primer and a 3hr cure. It would take forever to a panel at a time if I had to wait for cure. Thanks

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

u don't sand the primer between coats. Spray 2 or 3 good coats. Than let it sit i let it sit a little longer than they say. Unless its real hot out side. Than block sand take most off it off with out braking through. Then I do 2 more coats than wet sand. Flash time are how long it should sit before u spray more on top of what u just sprayed.

get the easy mix cups if u can. They have 1/2 messurements on them

they make a gun cleaner that u can spray on if u get alot of build up on it. but if u just wipe it down really good after each use no need for it.

Just mix what u think it will take to finish the job. u can allways mix a little more if need. Alot depends on what paint u are useing, what color, if your useing a sealer, if u are tinting the sealer,(if u can)If u have differnt shades of primmer its going to take more base to cover.

Loco Kano

NOTE TOSELF: DO ALL BODY WORK WHILE OLD PAINT IS STILL INTACT!!!

I just got finished priming the doors and fenders and I can't beleave all the little dings I missed. They are hard to see on a metal surface. Guess I get to start all over again

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

when theres just metal spray some cheap black paint. take a block and go over the panel real soft. U will see everywere its low.... I try to mark all the spots i see first. And grind them with a heavy grit paper before i sand all the paint off. That way u will see the deeper scratchs. U don't wanna put filler over paint

VILeninDM

If they are really little dings, I think you can spray some coats of high-build 2k primer and then block sand the whole thing. If ding are larger you can even use filler on top of primer. Good filler will stick to anything.

If dings are larger than what's good for filler, then you probably have to start over , but most likely you can get away with respraying only the are where you fix the ding. I don't think you'd have to sand and respray the entire car.

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

Not not a big fan of high build primmers. or filler(glaze) over primmer. Not saying its not right or can't be done. I just don't like doing it.

VILeninDM

just throwing out ideas. I've never done any of this stuff. Just been reading about it here and on autobodystore.com. . Funny thing is that a guy on there did tests and found filler on metal to be much stronger bond, but then conclusion was still that if you already primed, for normal body work it is acceptable to put filler on top.

How do you feel about 3m dry guide coat instead of spraying black paint? I thought that would be less mess, you don't have to worry about the air and no drying time. Or does that not work on bare metal?

jay92,85,79

iTrader: (1)

the dry coat is great. I used it on the car i'm doing now. But on bare metal i don't think it would work that good...