Technical Mixing and painting with Centari acrylic enamel?

I have not opened it in probably 20 years or so. You are correct, it may not be any good!

 

If you can keep from opening it until it needs to done, that will help to keep it "fresh". I have had pretty good luck with full gallons, and quarts and pints for that matter, lasting for over 20 years. I picked up a large quantity of old paint when we cleaned out the last shop I worked in, and all of that paint is over 15 years old now, some of it older than that.

 

What fun would that be?

 

I've still got some cans of Centari from 30-40 years ago. The Dupont rep would come around and write off "bad mixes", and say, "Now, you know that these have to be disposed of, nudge nudge wink wink!'. We'd split them up and take them home. Out of curiosity, I opened a few of them last year, and they're all still good.

 

I just painted with some older Centari and reducer this past summer. Worked pretty good. I helped my uncle paint a lot of tractor-trailers with it years ago. I just did what he always did...when he pulled the paint stick out, and could just see the edges of it thru the paint, it was ready to spray. Gene.

 

3 pages, and guess what. I still hate Centari AND Delstar. Eew...

 

Centari, Delstar, and Delthene all stinky-stinky. Isocyanates are bad. You're breathing superglue. Hardens your lungs and poisons you...
Supplied air. Full-face respirator. Tyvek or similar suit and gloves.

 

If your just painting wheels, hang em up and turn on the exhaust (box fan) and shoot em. I wouldn't call the headstone carver just yet.

 

Painted this last summer with 25 year old Centari and it came out great ( 1962 Chevy core support ) but did shoot it outside because of the smell.

 

I store all my paint tins upside down . Doesn't matter if they're enamel, 2 pak , acrylic or primer, upside down they go. Makes it easier to mix them when needed. If spraying with 2 pak and need to paint something else on another day I store the spray gun in the beer fridge till needed. Take it out just before needing, sit the gun in the sun or a bucket of warm water for a while, give it a stir and squirt.

 

I believe the reduction ratio for Centari changed when it became lead free.
The Centari reducers can be blended to fine tune to match booth temperature.
I think 77S converted Dulux alkyd enamel into acrylic enamel. Dulux without 77S had a sparkle like no other.
Dulux and Centari jobs smelled like $$$!

 

Look at some of the tractor/implement enamels. If it isn't labeled "acrylic" it is most likely alkyd enamel like Dulux and you could use the hardeners for them in the Dulux. Same with reducers. Don't use "acrylic" reducer.
The hardener won't improve the look of Dulux but will make it more user friendly.

 

Does painting that stuff with a brush instead of a spray gun significantly reduce your exposure to toxic effects? I'm thinking use it for stuff like frames, trailers, etc.

 

I don't know about toxic effects, probably so, none of the sticky overspray. 42 years ago I brush painted my OT '72 Bronco's chassis with Corlar 2 part epoxy and Centari (with what the guys called "gloss hardener"). Cool thing was that they both flowed out really nice and it looked sprayed (most places). I still have it and, although run hard and put away wet, the chassis still looks really fresh . In the mid 80's I worked at a concrete plant that painted cabs red in the repair shop with Corlar and Imron (shew). It held up to the constant acid they cleaned mixers with. One day, they had a bunch left over and my car ('78 Fiesta) was red, so a quick scuff, tape and spray and it shined like it was forever wet. I still have that car too. Rusting away out back (with 2 more just like it). The paint still shines. I'm convinced that when the car is gone, it's red plastic shell will remain. Mike

 

Frenchy, I tried to use this paint out of the can with a brush to paint these wheels years ago- it wasn't pretty- course there was no reducer or hardener- and basically no preparation, it was just a quick and dirty deal that was sposta be redone in a month or so... Anyway it looked like crap and came back off pretty quickly.
Thanks so much for all the advice guys. Right now it's really cold but next week its sposta be in the 30-40's. I think I will heat up shop and try to repaint the wheels. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

OK guys I painted wheels today- what a disaster!! I did start with a 8 paint/ 2 reducer / 1 hardener. Then I added more reducer until the mixture was about the consistency of whole milk. I tried that and it splattered out of my gun like splatter paint. Then added more and more reducer until I got it to spray. Then I got a reaction fisheyes... oh shit.. what a pain in ass. So I actually wiped some spots off and slowly fogged paint on. So I ended up with fisheyes, runs and missed spots. Never again!! I'm too old to try to learn this shit. I'll pay to get it done next time. I'm really glad I decided to have my truck finish painted- though I had nowhere near the problems on cutting in my truck as I did on these Olds wheels. They might look kinda good in the pics but they are terrible!! Only good thing is trim rings will cover alot of it!!

 

Greg,
Sorry to hear you Centari (Acrylic Enamel) did not turn out as you hoped. Each paint type and family spray a little different and often need a little (and for me more that a little) practice to get it down. Most Acrylic Enamels w/Hardeners are extremely durable. Unfortunately the Fish Eyes are most likely from the prep. I don't Spray anything with out a Fresh-Air Hood and Full Painters suit..
good luck

p.s. great color

 

Cleaning is essential but even more with enamels. The other factor might have been your air hose was making condensation, unless everything, EVERYTHING, was up to full temp the air temperature hitting cooler air and hose on a cool floor can spell disaster for slow drying materials. Either way, I hate Centari but at least you got color.

 

As stated above, everything must be clean, from the surface to be painted, to the air supply you are using. Armor All used previously spells disaster when it comes to fisheyes, as will WD 40, and/or anything like them. Heating with a fuel oil type heater will also do that. Draining your compressor before painting, and a good seperator/filter are also needed, and all of the hard lines should be angled so moisture drains back toward the compressor. Use an automotive wax and grease remover, not mineral spirits from the hardware or lumber store, there is a difference. Don't be disappointed, it's a learning process, not a learning event. Wheels can be difficult, especially when tires have been treated, and lug nuts have had penetrating oil used on them. Wait until you try to spray adjacent to a vinyl roof or a convertible top. Those have usually been sprayed with every magic potion known to man, in an effort to keep them looking good.