Would u ever attempt to spray your car yourself?

[casper_ac]

As above.
My car needs a respray and they are serious money. Also...i like doing things myself, ive done everything to my car myself too.
So how hard is it?
Surely with a decent compressor a lotta time, which i can work with, and a clean area, can be sorted then with practice things should be ok?
Is an oven a necessity or can lo temp hardener be used?
Plus, learning these skills would come in very handy for future in car modification even if only for myself!time could be taken spraying things like a bonnet for instance. fairly flat panel and simple to get hold of?
Any tips and advice on this matter and has anyone else taught themselves how to spray well!
thanks!
Andrew

[callymental]

I am doing bonnet, bumper, and wings myself. No experience. Tips from a mate in a bodyshop, and a decent compressor.

Done one wing mirror and looks good.

[Peteyboy_essex]

Yeah i did. My old man had already bought all the stuff, so i just got stuck right in. It does take some time and practice to get it right. my astra didnt come out all that well, but i was pleased for a first attempt.

As with hardener it depends what paint you use. I painted my car in cellulose, which doesnt need hardener, but will require lacquering to get a good shine. Im going to be attempting 2pac spraying in september in my new spray booth.

For more info, just do some searches for spraying. Theres plenty of advice in previous threads

[casper_ac]

well i dont have a booth u c but i found this link here and it seems a nice we guid anything i should ignore or add, no laquer mentioned either?
http://il.essortment.com/howtocustompa_roru.htm

[Peteyboy_essex]

give me a short while ill have a read

[Peteyboy_essex]

right some bits are good and some bad. You dont need to remove all the previous paint, just rub it down with 600 w/d paper to key it. Any areas that are repaired must have a coat of primer over them. If it is just a new top coat without any repairs, then primer is not even necessary.

The parts about priming and filling are alright if a bit brief. This will just come with practice though. Also test spraying with the cheapest paint/primer you can get on some scrap, just to get a feel of the gun.

You can make a spray booth in a garage, by putting plastic sheeting up, so in effect creating a sealed enclosure.

Note if your painting with 2pac you need proper breathing gear, which was why i used cellulose first time round

[nova_7]

flat the existing paint, prime all over, flat primer with 800's then spray the new paint over that. direct gloss paint doesnt need laquer, cellulose looks better when laquered. metallics require laquer i think.

[richie00boy]

My dad painted my van in our garage with a compressor. We used acrylic (synthetic) paint, no special airfed mask etc. needed. Came out great, but make sure you paint in decent dry weather.

Celly is old hat now, I wouldn't use it.

Just take your time and make sure the prep work is 110%.

[casper_ac]

Yeah is 2 pack no the paint to use now?
Should be hard to dust seal the garage alothgouh it is a little small!
I have most of the panels off the car anyway so they can be painted in plenty of space.
Roughly how much distance between gun and panel are we talking?
10 inches
Ive a few feet either side of the car!
Regarding drying?
would a heater be required and if so what would you recommend?
Rust rpimer also what way would this be sprayed on and at what stage

[nova_7]

put out you thumb, (thumbs up) like icon on this reply)the put out your little finger. distance between them is how far gun should be away from panel. put the rust stuff on before the primer i assume. not too sure tho.

[richie00boy]

I think Practical Classics mag did a guide to painting manual/book, it would be worth looking that out.

Paint as much as you can off the car. We took the front wings and doors off. No need for a heater. Just paint in decent weather. A heater won't really help if the air is naturally humid.

For rust treatment search on posts by me, keyword "jenolite" and show results as posts. I've gone over it a few times

[casper_ac]

yeah i got a good post on rust treatment but i want to use rust primer!
gf's dad sprays a little il just leech info off him!
gonna do this, take time and effort but i dont car, ive done everything else to the car myself i want to do this too!
and also itll be hand for future touch ups and or other cars!

[casper_ac]

and also a question when using filler to fill a hole(washer jets) what way is it done, somehting used to support it from the underside of the bonnet and then smooth filler etc?

[dafz]

Go for it mate, it takes a while to learn, but, if you do a mistake, just sand down and try again.

i still use celly to paint mainly cos it's cheaper, simpler to use, easier to cut back and needs no special breathing equipment. i find it's fine for everyday cars, an looks just as good if properly cared for (polished waxed etc).

biggest job is matching paint. Get good quality paint (and good quality thinners etc). If you're having a complete respray, remember to try and keep some paint left for touch ups etc, since paint colour batches can vary

[16vopl]

everyones advice has been gold, will attempt this with another car,
1970 gtr torana one day with my father.


as for professionally done, you are going to strip the car anyway. so give them a ring and find out how much minus labour.
if you pull it completely apart and sand it back.


that a great deal of money saved right there.

[casper_ac]

well its stripped already, and il sand it back before buying the compressor etc so if i do decide against the painting i havent went and invested cash for no reason!
i think once i get the sanding started il be less apprehensive.
im actaully quite looking forward to it now?
so would i be right in thinking that celly paint is easier worked with?and easier dried/hardened?
Its a full repsay so colour amtching isnt important and il buy prob 4 litres of the paint. Its vauxhall smoke grey too so shouldnt be too expensive.
The car at the moment is a faded and marked flame red so im thinking

key current paint well...with what sandpaper?
spray rust primer
then prime with grey grey primer,
key a little with fine sandpaper
spray red guide coat,
sand off again with rubber block and spot hollows.
prime with grey primer again.
key again
spraye paint
sand down with fine sandpaper
spray another coat repeats 4-5 times?
thn leave to dry and then laquer
sand laquer with fine sand paper and laquer again and repeat process

then cut back and polish?

correct my mistakes im 100%sure there are some in there!

[richie00boy]

If you are spraying on top of old but keyed paint, why do you need anti-rust primer?

Celly is the least compatible of all paints. Your car will have 2 pack on from the factory.

Celly is easy to cut back because it is soft. It will not last as long/be as tough as acrylic paint. Celly also dries quickly, but IMO can be harder to get results that don't need further work -- it can orange peel easier.

[cambridge]

you will need a fair bit of space. ie 5-6feet so that you can assume a rather odd stance (kinda like youve crapped yourself) and then sort of "dance" on the spot moving the gun back and fourth but keeping it parrallel to the pannel etc.

spraying a flat surface is a piece of wee. i managed to get the roof like a sheet of glass first time with only mild flatting needed w00t.

i recently sprayed my nova, its not the best quality job in the world but for about £250 its not bad and i got what i wanted....

[Peteyboy_essex]

If you are spraying on top of old but keyed paint, why do you need anti-rust primer?

Celly is the least compatible of all paints. Your car will have 2 pack on from the factory.

Celly is easy to cut back because it is soft. It will not last as long/be as tough as acrylic paint. Celly also dries quickly, but IMO can be harder to get results that don't need further work -- it can orange peel easier.

Actually youll find most cars come with acryllic based paint from the factory. 2pac is too much effort from the factory as it needs oven baking. Celly is not least compatable, and is easiers/safest to do, closely followed by acrylic based paints. 2 pac being the hardest.

Then inline, base colours are the hardest, then metallics/pearls, followed by flip and candy paints as hardest.

As long as celly is lacquered then it will be as hard wearing as any paint. If painting in celly, it can have either 2pac or acryllic lacquer painted over it.

Yes it is harder to get a perfect orange peel free finish, as i found out, but to spray 2 pac, its best to have proper breathing equipment, which is quite pricey

[casper_ac]

good point regarding rust primer so i would be better not to, il just treat the rust with jenolite first ad then do the other steps cleaning the treated surfaces well to avoid reactions.
ok so 2 pack paint would be better to use?
is it as easy worked with what are its downfalls...
prepared to wax and wax the new paint job too and will be looked after but i no nothing about paint types and am willing to elarn!
all advice and tips needed!
also the sandpaper types when to use what would be appreciated!

[richie00boy]

It not a case of better not to, more it may be unecessary work. If the areas of rust are not too large then follow the treatment process I have outlined then paint over with No 1 Rust Beater either aerosol or brush. Then when you are flatting the rest of the paint you can feather/blend it all together.

Don't use 2 pack as you need breathing apparatus. It's your call on celly or acrylic, I choose acrylic.

[Peteyboy_essex]

It not a case of better not to, more it may be unecessary work. If the areas of rust are not too large then follow the treatment process I have outlined then paint over with No 1 Rust Beater either aerosol or brush. Then when you are flatting the rest of the paint you can feather/blend it all together.

Don't use 2 pack as you need breathing apparatus. It's your call on celly or acrylic, I choose acrylic.

I agree here. No point in doing more work than needed. Also if you use more primer, the paint is more likely to get stone chipped. thick layers of primer does this, just dont ask me to explain!

Deff go with acryllic, i wish i had now. Much easier to use, leave 2 pac for the specialists

[casper_ac]

ok so 2pac is outa the question...differences between acrylic and celly?

[casper_ac]

also regarding the spraying of the body of the car would u do it all in one go or do section by section?

[dafz]

remember that compressors can be used to drive air tools too, so if you get one and loose the spraying bug, it'll still have loads of uses (formula 1 style wheel changes for example!!! )