It's ALL about the prep! Block it until your arms fall off, then block it again. You get what you pay for in regards to paint & supplies. Now is not the time to go cheap. Take your time. It will take you twice as long as you anticipate. Go over the whole thing in your head before you begin. Read the directions twice. Make sure you have enough of everything ON HAND. Good luck!
block sand alot, clean the surface really well, read all the directions on the paint products, lay your base out evenly and you spray base until you have coverage base is not normally really thick, dont mist the clear on put on about 3 good wet coats, If you get a run in the clear use a razor blade and pull it down dont cut the run off but pull it down the run and shave it off dont dig the ends of the razor into the paint, Wet sand and buff at the end, and TAKE YOUR TIME on the prep work very very very important.
Certain types of paint you could lift a "run" with a loop of masking tape. Not that I ever had one, mind you!
Get a tech sheet and follow it to the letter.Paint company's spend millions of dollars on R and D,listen to them.Maybe1 or 2 times in the 10 years I have been painting professionally have they been wrong. Also as said above,don't cheap out.You get what you pay for.
You MUST use a sanding block! For tight contours, wrap your sandpaper around a paint stick. On larger panels, use a larger block. On small areas use a semi-ridgid rubber block.
I've got the best tip: Read all of HAMB'er "overspray" 's posts. he pretty much covers it all not only on text but on video, do a search you'll see.
If you're doing a curvy surface, like the roof, cowl and/or fenders of your coupe, remember to ALWAYS use a pad when you sand, never just your hand. Your fingers will dig grooves into whatever you're sanding and it will show. So a flexible rubber pad, combined with always sanding in an "X" pattern across curves helps a lot. When you're actually shooting the base, remember to just get even coverage, don't try to make it shine, because that means you're getting it on too heavy. It should take three "medium" coats to get coverage, so try to remember that every step of the way when shooting base. When you're shooting clear, remember that it's a whole lot easier to sand out one or two runs than sand out a whole car of orange peel. I usually lay down one medium wet coat, wait 15 minutes, then lay down a wet coat, wiat 15 minutes, then lay down one very wet coat. Practice on a s**** panel to get your technique down and you'll be fine.
when block sanding the curves go at and angle and go one direction then go the other direction and keep the board flat.
Make sure you match the reducer temp to the temp of the day,put a disposable filter on the air line and use 1/2 hose with high flow fittings if you can
Probably goes without saying but be sure to have plenty of light. No way to lay it down right if you can't see it. It gets dark quick when a little fog is in the air. And if you have any defects or trash in the base coat, take your time and fix them before spraying the clear. Proabaly can't tell that I don't have access to a booth. Bob
TAKE YOUR TIME!!! I have 30 hours of prep and paint in one door and its only in first primer and blocked out. FOLLOW MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDATIONS, KEEP PEOPLE FROM STIRRING AROUND, TAKE ANY STEPS YOU CAN TO PREVENT DIRT OR DUST trust me sanding **** out later ****s, so tack it off between coats and give it plenty of time to flash over.
Just A little trick tip for using a razor blade to s****e runs. S****e the corners of the cutting edge on the cement floor 2or3 times to round them off. This will keep the corners from diggin in while your s****ing.Good luck!!!
The Jalopy Journal
