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    FEP Super Member 85 Notchback's Avatar
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    Default How To Paint And Prep Your Own Car. (Write-Up) *Revised*

    Hey guys, I revised my original version, and added some stuff on flex agents, as well as pearl, and metallic paints. I also added a section on basic spraying. I also, spell checked this time. Haha. Hope this fufills any questions anyone has now. Again, thanks guys. if anyone would like the original 9 page document, that I have now saved on my computer, feel free to PM me. Also thanks for the great comments.

    Calon

    How to Prep and Paint Your Own Car

    Bodywork:

    Rust: This really bothers me, when people just take rust lightly. You have to either,

    a) Cut the rust out, or b) sand/media blast all infected rust areas.

    If you do not do one of the above, they will (more than likely) just come back twice as bad, a month down the road and ruin your fresh paint.
    After doing one of the above use SHORT STRAND FIBERGLASS as filler, NOT BONDO.

    Why? I'll tell you, Fibreglass is waterproof and will prevent further oxidization of the bar metal.

    Bondo ABSORBS water, and you will see you old rusty friend again soon.

    Now, if you feel the need to use bondo, use it ONLY as a finishing coat
    over TOP of your fibreglass filler, as you can usually get a smoother finish coat using bondo.

    Dents: Most, if not all cars, that have been daily driven at one point in time, have dents. Whether they are small or large. Dents can sometimes be a pain to get rid of, and not all of us at home have the cash to get them properly removed. So for those of you that would like to even do at the very least, a half a good job on self dent removal, here is a quick, and brief, crash course on small dent removal.

    When a dent is caused, there is an impression in the metal. Now, metal (sheet metal) is a (somewhat) flexible material, and can only be bent or mis-shapen so much, before it does not return to its original state. This is how dents are caused. This is just too kind of help you understand how they form, in order to understand how they are fixed.

    To repair SMALL dents, you simply take a body hammer (or something similar) and a dolly. Put the dolly on the LOW side of the dent, and start hammering "on dolly". When hammering the dent, apply lots of pressure on the dolly from the underside and hammer in a circular motion, working your way from the outside edges of the dent, to the center. Repeat this process until it is relatively smooth. We get it as smooth as possible because we want, as little filler as possible. *I'll discuss using filler at the end of the body work section*

    Now, when filling small dents, I recommend always sanding the surface with 80 grit or so paper, before hand, to ensure that the filler has something to stick to. The same thing goes for this as rust repairs. Use short strand fibreglass first, then bondo, as a finishing coat.

    Applying Filler: The goal, when applying filler, is to get the surface as even as possible, with as little filler as possible. Before even worrying about spreading the filler you must first ensure you mix the 2 parts correctly. Usually use enough to change the color to a light or medium shade of the hardener is enough, just make sure you leave yourself enough time to spread it. Usually when you see people on TV, and such, applying filler, they use plastic spreaders. Personally I have a full set of steel blade putty knives, just for spreading, fibreglass and bondo. The only catch with using steel knives, is that you need them to be fairly flexible, and, when cleaning them, you CANNOT use a grinder to clean bondo off them. You must use, one of the three options.

    A) Clean with wire wheel, B)Soak in lacquer thinner and wipe clean with paper towel, C) Scrape clean with a razor blade.

    Now, to spreading. When spreading filler, as I have said, the goal is to use as little as possible. Use even strokes, with a liberal amount of filler on the knife, and make sure you put each coat on even.

    Panel/Piece Removal:

    Panel/Piece removal, is the easiest part of the process. It can sometimes take awhile but you'll thank yourself for this disassembly later. When painting your own car, panel removal is of course optional. It depends how quick you want the car done, and how much time you would like to spend on it, as does everything involved with refinishing.

    The most common panels removed, are as follows:

    Fenders, Front plastic bumper cover, Deck Lid or Hatch, Rear plastic bumper cover.

    All trim pieces can be removed also, they do not take long to take off. Usually they can be pried off using a flexible putty knife, or a "Trim removal too".

    Interior pieces can be removed, if you want to refinish the whole body, inside and out, but it is by no means necessary.
    As in everything, it has its ups and downs, which I will discuss.

    Pro's: Removing the panels is a great idea, for those who want to take their time on the car in question. Having panels off the car, makes any repairs needed alot easier, since the panels are already off of the car. Having panels in such easy access, makes things, like patch shaping and fibreglass/bondo work alot easier. Having the panels each on their own flat even surface makes seeing the imperfections alot easier to see and fix, as you can imagine. Having these panels off, also allows you for an overall better finish on the car, being able to apply a finish on both sides of the panels, which cannot be accomplished leaving everything together. Removing things like the fenders and front clip, also makes painting the engine bay, that much easier.

    Con's: As I mentioned before, removing panels can be time consuming and when trying to get something done very quickly I would not recommend removing everything. Also, when removing/reinstalling panels, (after paint) you must be EXTREMLY careful as to not chip fresh paint.

    Initial Prep:

    Initial prep is very simple, just blow down the car with air, then follow by wiping it down with a wet cloth, and have someone follow by drying. This is just to insure there is no dirt, ect. on the car for when you start sanding, as they can leave some pretty nasty gauges in the metal and such. I should warn you now, you will probably end up repeating this (very closely) 4 or 5 times, before everything is done.

    Initial Sanding:

    Sanding the metal parts: To start sanding, if you are taking the car down to bare metal, you usually start with 80 grit to quickly take the paint off, using either a D/A or Orbital Air (or power) sander. When sanding, a rule of thumb is, to never move up, by more than 200 grit in between papers. Following this rule, you would usually jump to a 150, or 180 grit paper to start smoothing out the 80 grit scratch marks on the leftover primer/metal on the car.

    Now, if you go the 180 grit, instead of 150, you can block sand the whole car with the 180 and then stop at that. Primers will cover 180 scratch marks in 3 coats. Hi-Build primers will cover it in 2, and the 3rd coat is just an assurance coat.

    If you decide to use 150 grit paper, you would usually hand sand the whole car with that, and then block sand the whole car with a 220 grit dry paper. And safely use either primer, acrylic, or hi-build.

    Sanding plastics: Some people think there is a secret to sanding plastic pieces (such as bumper covers ect.). Really, it's the same as sanding metal pieces, the only thing, that I would recommend, is using the 220 grit finishing method, before priming these pieces. Simply, because it will give a smoother finish, since you usually spray regular acrylic primer with flex agent added into the batch.

    Primer Prep:

    Prepping for primer is rather easy. Again, you will have to blow off the car with air, but this time instead of wiping it with a wet cloth, you can use either a degreasing solution, or a metal prep solution, depending on how much bare metal you have.

    Basic Spraying:

    This covers the basic spraying of etch primers, primer sealers, basecoats, enamel paints, and clear coats. Assuming you are using a conventional gun. For all primers and basecoats, you can spray at a distance of 8” – 10” from the panel being sprayed. For Enamel paint and clear coat, I would recommend 10” – 12” distance.

    Etch Primer: When spraying an etch coat, you should spray at a fairly fast pace, primers do not like to stick to bare metal on the first coat, and will run if you spray too slowly. That being said, run your PSI around 40 on conventional guns, and run, just enough to get it to atomize using an HVLP gun.

    Primer: You should approaching primer the same way as etch primer, for the first coat. After the first coat, you can slow your pace down a fair bit as the second, third and fourth coats, all absorb into the coats sprayed before them. When spraying any kind of the 3 primers, just use enough pressure to get the primer to atomise when coming out of the tip, it does not need high pressure to be applied. This applies for both, conventional, as well as HVLP guns.

    Primer Sealer: Primer sealer should be sprayed at a rather fast pace, as it has a tendency to run, each coat should not be sprayed on to thick, or I can guarantee there will be lots of runs. Spray 4 light coats (or until you can’t see through the sealer anymore, and that should be good.

    Basecoats: Since basecoats are a dye, they do not need to be applied heavily the main focus in spraying the base, is coverage. This can usually be done in 2 – 3 coats, but applying 4 is optimal. Medium spray speed is best. To apply the base, you should have your gun tip PSI set between 65 and 85.

    Paint (Enamel): Enamel paint, is a lot different from a basecoat, it is applied in the same fashion as a primer, only with your gun PSI setting higher. The PSI is set the same as basecoat, but the first two coats sprayed should be light, and medium, with a medium to fast pace around the car to avoid runs.

    Clear coat: Clear coat is a very thick substance, when spraying; the booth clouds up with it. If you spray too much clear coat on one panel, you will end up with a massive run. When spraying clear coat you work around the car at a fast pace, 4 coats are sprayed, and the gun tip PSI is set to 85.

    Priming:

    There are 4 basic types of primer here that I will discuss. Each is used for a different purpose. Etch priming is for bare metal, and the other 3 choices are just different types of primers... For each of the following primers though, the amount sprayed and the manner done so is the same, it is, as follows.

    *Remember to allow a 20 minute flash time in between coats.

    First Coat: Light wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat.

    The fourth coat is optional as some people feel comfortable only spraying 3 coats. If there are imperfections that you know of on the car, four coats would be optimal though. Reason is, that most imperfections can be sanded out.

    Flex Agents (Primer): Flexing all the agents are absolutely necessary for painting elastic parts of the car (bumpers, spoilers etc). Adding the flex agent, insures that the increased flexibility of the pieces, do not cause the primer to crack, and chip away, ruining a new paint job. Flex agent is added 5% by volume to primers.

    Etch Priming: As I stated above, this is used when there is bare metal showing on the car, it is used for adhesion reasons. 80's Ford cars especially had adhesion problems. Usually if there are only a few small spots of bare metal, you can use a "Spray Can" etch primer right before priming. If there is alot of metal showing, 2 Litres mixed will be more than enough to spray the car with, you can get 3 light coats out of this, or 2 medium/heavy coats. Remember, always spray it on wet. Runs are easier to fix than dry spray.

    Hi-Build Primer: This primer is used when you have deeper scratches or sometimes small chip in the bare metal. I mentioned early that when sanding in prep for primer you can use only 180 grit. That would be when this primer would come into play. This primer needs to be left a full 24 hours to dry before attempting to sand it all, or it will just roll the primer, even when wet sanding. To finish, this primer is rather expensive sometimes, and can get to be almost twice the price of acrylic primer, by the per litre amount.

    Acrylic Primer: This primer is used when you have virtually no flaws on the car, or you are on a budget, this is the cheapest primer money can by, it is essentially the same as what comes in aerosol can primers. If you use this, you had better had some good prep work done before this. Acrylic primers also dry very quickly and can be sanded within mere hours (2 - 3) after being applied.

    Epoxy Primer: This primer can also get rather expensive, it is almost a medium between acrylic and hi-build primers. Epoxy primers are well know for covering/filling in flaws in the metal, and are great for coverage. They are very easy to spray with, and have a great finish to them. However, they do take anywhere from 24 - 48 hours to fully cure. Making them not so good to use, when you are short on time. As the hi-build primer does when it is not dried fully, the epoxy primer loves to roll, if you don’t give it more than 30 hours or so.

    Sanding Primer:

    Guide Coating: A guide coat, is a coat of different colored (that what you have spray on the car) primer that you spray, ever so lightly over you existing primer. You "mist coat" the whole car pretty much, so that you have little speckles of the different color on the existing primer, basically to show you spots on the car, where you have not/still need to, sand. This guide coating is very helpful in attaining a smooth even finish on the car. So even if you miss some spots after moving up on the sand paper ladder, you still have at LEAST a 400 grit wet sanding done already.

    Sanding: For primer, I would start sanding, with no less than 400 WET paper. Making sure to no miss any spots, and that you get rid of the entire guide coat. After doing everything with the 400 grit, you can move up to 600 grit wet paper. Again sanding the whole car, but, this time you are NOT applying another guide coat. After you are satisfied that you have covered everything with the 600 grit, you can move to the final sanding stage, 800 grit wet paper. After sanding the whole car with that, the car will be ready for a coat of primer sealer and base/clear.

    Sealer Prep:

    This time, after wet sanding, you will have to wipe the whole car down with a wet cloth, follow by a dry cloth, making sure no primer residue is left on the surface. You will follow, by once again, blowing down the car with air. After blowing the car down again, you have to wipe the car with degreaser, having someone follow and dry. After this, you will have to use the air and blow along the car while you wipe it with a tack rag (using the air hose to blow particles into the tack rag).

    Sealer Application:

    Flex Agents (Primer): See “Flex Agents (Primer)” in primer section, and add volume stated.

    Spraying: Spraying sealer is rather easy, you usually mix 3 litres mixed, or so and spray on three light-wet coats until the whole car is covered, and you can't see through the sealer. The reason all 3 coats are light-wet, is because you do not give flash time in between sealer coats, you simply make your way around the car until you are empty, but remember to pace yourself, as to ensure you don't move too fast. After spraying, give yourself 25 minutes or so, then start applying basecoat.

    Touch-up: If you have been so unfortunate as to have something like, small runs, or fish eyeing occur in the sealer, usually after the first, light-wet coat, you can take a scotch-brite pad and "sand" the areas with the defects. After the first coat, you are usually in the clear with fisheye ect....

    Pearl And Metallic Paints:

    Adding Pearl/Metallic Flake To Paint or Clear coat (Enamel):

    Pearls: This section, only covers enamels, simply because, when spraying Base/clear paints, the metallic flake, or clear coat, is usually in the tinter paints, which are required to mix the actual color itself. When adding pearls to an enamel, or clear coat mixture, you only need a few small scoops to get what you want. There are many different colors of pearls, they range from colors such as blue, red, or green, to, go, white, or silver. Pearls are basically small pieces of crushed up plastic that are mixed into the paint, to make it shine a certain way or color, in a certain light.

    Metallics: When adding metallics to paint, you basically do the same thing as adding pearl. The only difference with using metallics, as opposed to pearl, is that you are limited to one or two colors. The other difference being, that instead of using plastic, you use actual flakes of aluminium to create a different shine in the paint. If I recall correctly, you can get metallics, in a silver, or gold flake only. But, you can control the fineness and size of the flake being used, to create different effects when the light hits the paint.

    Mist Coating: Mist coating is absolutely required to have a good finish when using pearl or metallic paints. So what is “mist coating”? I’ll tell you. You spray a panel, as you would any or time (about 8” - 10 “) away from the panel, and then (depending on what paint you are using) “mist coat” directly after or after finishing the next panel in line. Mist coating is basically this, you move the gun back to about 15” or so from the panel, and (very quickly) spray over the whole panel. Doing this ensures that all the ions in the particles are positively charged and evenly dispersed, pretty cool eh?

    Spraying Pearl/Metallic Paints (Enamel): Now before I let you go out and spray the paint on the car blindly, there is one thing you need to know. Spraying pearl or metallic paints on the car is one thing, spraying them correctly, however, is another. In order to prevent imperfections, such as, Silver dollaring, or Tiger striping, you must “mist coat” panels. When spraying enamel (pearl or metallic) paint, you must paint one panel as you would any other, then before starting on the next you must “mist coat it”. Doing so will prevent a horrible finish.

    Spraying Pearl/Metallic Paints (Basecoat/Clear coat): When spraying pearl or metallic paints using a base/clear system, you must follow the same steps as above (mist coating), only this time, you will paint one panel at a time, as you would with normal paint, then move on to the next (without mist-coating) after you have finished spraying the second panel, you go back, and mist coat the previous panel. There, that should save you guys some headaches.

    Basecoat Application:

    I guess while I'm doing this write-up I might as well incorporate both Enamel based paint as well as base/clear applications.

    Flex Agents (Paint): Flexing all the agents are absolutely necessary for painting elastic parts of the car (bumpers, spoilers etc). Adding the flex agent, insures that the increased flexibility of the pieces, do not cause the primer to crack, and chip away, ruining a new paint job. Flex agent is added 10 - 15% by volume to paint (basecoats).

    Enamel Painting: Enamel painting is pretty straight forward, you lay on 3 - 4coats and you are set, spraying them in the same manner as the primer. In this order.

    First Coat: Light wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat.

    *Hint* The double coat for the last coat is what gives enamel paints a deep gloss without clearcoat.

    Again, remember to allow 20 minute flash time in between coats.

    Basecoat/Clear coat: When applying your basecoat, in a Base/clear application, you must remember, it's not like spraying enamel paint. The basecoat is a DYE and will have the same look no matter how you spray it on. Light-wet, and medium-wet coats are all you have to spray, when spraying basecoat, simply, to avoid, unwanted runs, orange peel, and other such imperfections. No as you can with the sealer, if you have fisheye, or runs, ect. After spray your first light coat of base on, you can usually let it flash for the 20 minutes, than scotch brite out the mistakes, and carry on painting. When spraying base, you spray 4 coats, and have 15 minute flash time in between coats.

    Clear coat Prep (Enamel):

    Yes, you can spray clear, over top of enamel paint. But unlike base/clear applications, you have to do a bit of prep work.
    After letting the enamel dry for at least 24 hours, you can start sanding it with 800 or 1000 grit paper. Remember it must be wet paper. After the car has no shine left in the finish, you can start prepping it for clear.
    Doing the same as before, you, blow the car down, wipe it with degreaser, having someone follow you to dry, then tack rag it, that should be sufficient.

    Clear coat Application:

    Flex Agents (Clear coat): Flexing all the agents are absolutely necessary for painting elastic parts of the car (bumpers, spoilers etc). Adding the flex agent, insures that the increased flexibility of the pieces, do not cause the primer to crack, and chip away, ruining a new paint job. Flex agent is added 10-15% by volume to clear coat. Add flex agent to clear coats, after hardener is added to the mix.

    Enamel: After sanding the car and prepping it the car is ready to be cleared. The thing with enamel, also, is that, it can be cleared at any point in time after the enamel paint has been put on. Reason is, because the enamel paint, is its own finish, it is not a dye like the basecoat, in base/clear applications, where the clear itself, is the finish. When spraying the clear on enamel paints you do it as follows.

    First Coat: Medium wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat.

    The only thing to be weary of, when spraying clear, is that if you are not careful, it LOVES to run, so always be sure to give it the full 25 minute flash time in between coats.

    Basecoat/Clearcoat: Spraying clear. There are two ways of doing this. First method: Wait 25 - 35 minutes after spraying base. Then lay on the clear as follows. First Coat: Light wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat. 20 minute flash time in between coats. Second method: Spray the first two coats as stated above. Then wait for 24 hours! Let the clear dry, and sand the whole car again, with 1000 grit wet paper.

    Yes, I know some of you have never heard this before and it sounds weird. It's kind of a trick of the trade I guess. After sanding the car with 1000 wet (making it CRAZY smooth), you spray the remaining 2 coats, one heavy, one double, or one heavy and 2 doubles if you prefer a deeper gloss.

    Spraying like this will almost ensure a showroom finish, no matter what. Why? I don't know, but believe you me, you will have the smoothest finish you have ever seen in you life.

    Painting Supply Prices:

    Basecoat/Clear coat: (Rough estimates)

    For the BEST materials: (Ie. Glasuruit, Sikkens)
    $300 Base Mixed
    $300 Clear Mixed
    $150 Primer Mixed
    $40 Primer Sealer
    $40 Etch Primer

    For cheaper materials: (Ie. Du pont)
    $200 Base Mixed
    $150 Clear Mixed
    $100 Primer Mixed
    $20 Primer Sealer
    $20 Etch primer

    Enamel: (Rough estimates)
    For the best materials: (Ie. Glasuruit, Sikkens)
    $300 Paint Mixed
    $150 Primer Mixed
    $40 Primer Sealer
    $40 Etch Primer

    For cheaper materials: (Ie. Endure, Du Pont)
    $150 Base Mixed
    $100 Primer Mixed
    $20 Primer Sealer
    $20 Etch Primer

    Written by Calon Rogan 04/12/05
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member slickshift's Avatar
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    Nice...
    Thanks for a great write-up

    BTW, I do have probably a 1/2 dozen of your tips saved
    I really do appreciate the info you share
    Thanks
    '86 GT that technically doesn't exist
    With Accessory Reserve Load Springs
    Accessory Reserve Load Springs...Whooo Hooo!

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    That write-up is awsome. There is probably more useful knowledge in that one short article than all the "Paint You Car" books on the self at Barnes and Noble.

    One thing you may want to cover is the addition of a flex agent to the paint since our cars use polyurethane bumper covers.

    Jake
    1987 Merkur XR4Ti
    1979 Mustang Cobra, 2.3l, 4 spd; currently in as many pieces as possible.

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    1984 gt350
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    Great. Can this be made a sticky?????

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    Nice job. Thanks

    J.

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    FEP Super Member 85 Notchback's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Freejack
    That write-up is awsome. There is probably more useful knowledge in that one short article than all the "Paint You Car" books on the self at Barnes and Noble.

    One thing you may want to cover is the addition of a flex agent to the paint since our cars use polyurethane bumper covers.

    Jake
    Thanks for the comments.

    I revised the whole whole write-up, now includes info on flexing agents. As well as some other cool stuff.

    Calon
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

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    Sweet article man! Heck yeah!

    Rocko
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    http://members.cardomain.com/rock007

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    Wow lots of info in that one ,thanks Calon

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    Quote Originally Posted by papaford
    Wow lots of info in that one ,thanks Calon
    Even more info now... 3 pages more than the original to be exact. This bay is 9 pages in word, Typed all in number 12 font. I did a word count on it, 4500 word or something like that. Almost evough for a university essay lol.

    Calon
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

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    FEP Senior Member jpywell's Avatar
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    Sure give all our great tips away too the world!!! Now we'll go broke

    What you have a few days off from work with nothing too do lol.
    The economic times suck... GREAT TIME FOR BUYING FOXES!!!

    86 T-TOP RS, 32,000 Miles, near mint ONLY 320.00USD...

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    FEP Super Member 85 Notchback's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jpywell
    Sure give all our great tips away too the world!!! Now we'll go broke

    What you have a few days off from work with nothing too do lol.
    Bah, it's mostly Americans anyways, not hurting our business lol.

    Besides even if some Canadians read this article, they'd be to lazy to paint their own cars anyways lol.

    Work? What work? I gotta go for a job interview at 3 today

    Calon
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

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    what do u mean by double coat?

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    FEP Senior Member jpywell's Avatar
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    That would be a good question... Coat 4: Double Coat?? Whats a coat.
    The economic times suck... GREAT TIME FOR BUYING FOXES!!!

    86 T-TOP RS, 32,000 Miles, near mint ONLY 320.00USD...

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    Alot of americans are too lazy to paint their own too, ME. Nice write up. Come paint mine. jk.
    I love my car
    1981 mustang hatchback

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    Quote Originally Posted by hotpony
    what do u mean by double coat?
    A very slow, pass that provides very thick coverage.

    jpywell... Shhh, I dunno how to spell.. :P
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

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    I know an american bodyman (Spokan)that wont wash his cars,he says its easier to repaint them (wifes uncle.)

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    FEP Senior Member jpywell's Avatar
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    lol, no its not... he must like too sniff paint fumes...
    The economic times suck... GREAT TIME FOR BUYING FOXES!!!

    86 T-TOP RS, 32,000 Miles, near mint ONLY 320.00USD...

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    FEP Senior Member jpywell's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by papaford
    I know an american bodyman (Spokan)that wont wash his cars,he says its easier to repaint them (wifes uncle.)
    Is he by any chance native to alberta... *cough* *cough*
    The economic times suck... GREAT TIME FOR BUYING FOXES!!!

    86 T-TOP RS, 32,000 Miles, near mint ONLY 320.00USD...

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    Quote Originally Posted by jpywell
    lol, no its not... he must like too sniff paint fumes...
    Even with my good paint mask, I still get high on fumes after a good clearcoating session

    "Calon! You're driving on the wrong side of the road!!"

    "Shut up brain, you don't know what you're talking about!!"

    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

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    That is a great write up. One question though
    Basecoat/Clearcoat: Spraying clear. There are two ways of doing this. First method: Wait 25 - 35 minutes after spraying base. Then lay on the clear as follows. First Coat: Light wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat. 20 minute flash time in between coats. Second method: Spray the first two coats as stated above. Then wait for 24 hours! Let the clear dry, and sand the whole car again, with 100 grit wet paper
    Is that 100 grit or 1000 grit? Didn't know if it was a typo

  21. #21
    FEP Super Member 85 Notchback's Avatar
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    1000 Grit, it was a typo. I thought i fixed it
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

  22. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by 85 Notchback
    1000 Grit, it was a typo. I thought i fixed it
    That was a lot of info in one post. The 0 you left out was way less than what I could do. Great write up. Going to buy a gun next week, and start practice on some old body parts

  23. #23
    FEP Super Member 85 Notchback's Avatar
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    I went back to the original post and fixed the typo, I think everything is good now

    That gun practice should be fun!! haha!

    Calon
    Calon

    1985 LX Notchback (Project)
    1995 Mustang GT (In For Color Change)

  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by 85 Notchback
    I went back to the original post and fixed the typo, I think everything is good now

    That gun practice should be fun!! haha!

    Calon
    I will take pics. I got an s281 wing for my car. Its rough but nobody wants it, so its free to pratice on. I will take pics

  25. #25

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    First Coat: Light wet, Second Coat: Medium Wet, Third Coat: Heavy Wet, Fourth Coat: Double Coat
    Can you explain those coats ant the techniques with each a little better?

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