I'd planned to paint the car with rustoleum. At the napa store they convinced me to buy something better, mainly because it was $200 a gallon. I remember paying $2500 for a paint job several years ago.
So today I picked it up and it cost about $400; One gallon of paint, one gallon of reducer and one pint of hardener. The instructions say to mix them at a 5:1:1 ratio. So what's the reason for the reducer and hardener?
The instructions also say:
1. Apply 2-3 coats to hiding.
2. Apply a mist coat to even out metalics.
3> 10-15 minutes flash between coats.
So what does 'to hiding' mean? And 15 minute flash?
TIA,
kevin
Man they saw me comin'
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doc
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Hiding means so you can't see the primer color underneath or complete coverage. Helps to use a similar color primer or have the paint store tint your light colored primer. Won't cost much.
15 minutes flash sounds about right. You can tell by looking. When you first spray, it will look wet. When it "looks" dry - a notable difference - flash has occured.
doc
15 minutes flash sounds about right. You can tell by looking. When you first spray, it will look wet. When it "looks" dry - a notable difference - flash has occured.
doc
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sideshow
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The reducer is to adjust the flow out when spraying and the hardener is what make the paint cure in hours instead of years.
This also makes it work better than a rattle can that can't adjust to ambient temperature. The area and quality that gallon will cover should dwarf what the same dollar of rattle can, can.
This also makes it work better than a rattle can that can't adjust to ambient temperature. The area and quality that gallon will cover should dwarf what the same dollar of rattle can, can.
Yeah some may call it overkill, but you can't have too much overkill.
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crvc
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Thanks and more painting questions
Thanks for the replies guys. So I'm ready to paint...in my garage. It's been raining all week, otherwise I'd spray outside. It's still 'wintry' here so bugs aren't a problem yet.
I've seen guys draping plastic sheets in their garage but how important would that be? Right now the car body is on 4ft high sawhorses. That allowed me do all the welding without straining my back. My plan was to spray the hood, fenders and lower half of the body. Then lower the body to the ground to sand the upper half before painting.
So I'd have freshly painted parts next to the body while I'm sanding the upper part in my garage. Is that a bad idea? Should I do all the sanding before painting anything?
TIA,
kevin
I've seen guys draping plastic sheets in their garage but how important would that be? Right now the car body is on 4ft high sawhorses. That allowed me do all the welding without straining my back. My plan was to spray the hood, fenders and lower half of the body. Then lower the body to the ground to sand the upper half before painting.
So I'd have freshly painted parts next to the body while I'm sanding the upper part in my garage. Is that a bad idea? Should I do all the sanding before painting anything?
TIA,
kevin
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doc
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If it is cold where you are and the garage can be closed, no plastic necessary, but as close as you can come to an isolation area, the better. The spray mist will go everywhere. Beg, borrow or steal a respirator - mandatory. Wet the floor before you spray to keep any dust down. Everything will stick to the wet paint. You need to have the paint area heated to 70 degrees or so.
Do ALL sanding and prep first and completely. You need to spend 95% of time on sanding and 5% on painting. Every flaw will show in the paint. Only hign build primer will hide anything. The paint will magnify imperfections. Go over every inch again and again before you get the spray gun. Just can't stress this part enough. Contrary to what you see on TV, preping for paint is not a 1-2 job unless you have a team of experienced pros. The single biggest mistake amateur painters make is wanting to see the paint too quickly. Prep, prep and prep some more.
Don't let finished parts into the spray area. They need to be seperated and covered. The paint will get everywhere there is a hole. It will flost into areas that are turned upside down. Cover everything you value.
If your looking for a slick paint job, the prep work is everything.
doc
Do ALL sanding and prep first and completely. You need to spend 95% of time on sanding and 5% on painting. Every flaw will show in the paint. Only hign build primer will hide anything. The paint will magnify imperfections. Go over every inch again and again before you get the spray gun. Just can't stress this part enough. Contrary to what you see on TV, preping for paint is not a 1-2 job unless you have a team of experienced pros. The single biggest mistake amateur painters make is wanting to see the paint too quickly. Prep, prep and prep some more.
Don't let finished parts into the spray area. They need to be seperated and covered. The paint will get everywhere there is a hole. It will flost into areas that are turned upside down. Cover everything you value.
If your looking for a slick paint job, the prep work is everything.
doc
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fusername
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craigvwdude
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One tip in paiting in your garage. If you have a gas water heater or dryer, turn them off! 
Actually, you didn't spend that much on paint. It's not uncommon to have at lease a grand in material. Shoot, body filler is fifty bucks a gallon now days. And some of the color shifting paints can start at $2500 a gallon just for the base coat!
Good luck!
Actually, you didn't spend that much on paint. It's not uncommon to have at lease a grand in material. Shoot, body filler is fifty bucks a gallon now days. And some of the color shifting paints can start at $2500 a gallon just for the base coat!
Good luck!
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crvc
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Thanks for the note.
I found new problems and haven't started painting yet. I took the advice to get the entire car ready before painting. I'd originally planned to prep the hood then paint, then prep the fenders and paint, etc till the whole car was done. Prepping the hood took a lot more work than I expected. First I ground all the old paint using a wire wheel on a hand-grinder. Then painted with ZeroRust, using brushes. I thought I'd treat it like primer, sanding til it was smooth enough for paint. But found the ZeroRust stayed sorta rubbery and clogged the sandpaper without really smoothing. So I grabbed the grinder and took all the ZeroRust off. By that point the grinder was failing. The On button wouldn't stay on so I had to hold it down with one finger while trying to grind.
Then the guy who was buying my other VW said he wanted to put his own engine in. I agreed because I'm quite happy with the engine rebuild I'd done and I can use the engine in the '67 once the paint is done.
I told him I wouldn't risk putting his engine in without him being there to help. But he's an oil rigger living in a man-camp and only comes to town once a month. So both VWs are in my garage, I've removed my engine and for the past couple weeks have been waiting for him to show up. He's already paid me so I'm kinda stuck.
kevin
I found new problems and haven't started painting yet. I took the advice to get the entire car ready before painting. I'd originally planned to prep the hood then paint, then prep the fenders and paint, etc till the whole car was done. Prepping the hood took a lot more work than I expected. First I ground all the old paint using a wire wheel on a hand-grinder. Then painted with ZeroRust, using brushes. I thought I'd treat it like primer, sanding til it was smooth enough for paint. But found the ZeroRust stayed sorta rubbery and clogged the sandpaper without really smoothing. So I grabbed the grinder and took all the ZeroRust off. By that point the grinder was failing. The On button wouldn't stay on so I had to hold it down with one finger while trying to grind.
Then the guy who was buying my other VW said he wanted to put his own engine in. I agreed because I'm quite happy with the engine rebuild I'd done and I can use the engine in the '67 once the paint is done.
I told him I wouldn't risk putting his engine in without him being there to help. But he's an oil rigger living in a man-camp and only comes to town once a month. So both VWs are in my garage, I've removed my engine and for the past couple weeks have been waiting for him to show up. He's already paid me so I'm kinda stuck.
kevin
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MNAirHead
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Kevin.
Sorry to hear about your obstacles.
Zero rust is a direct to metal industrial encapsulant - not a primer.
Suggestion.. go on the web (or to your store) and get the white technical paper for your paint... if you combine the wrong products (like zero rust) with your paint, it will void any warranty.. most paint companies are VERY specific on the materials to combine.
It would be easiest to paint the entire car together if you have a metallic.
$200 for a gallon will last years .. ratttle cans are days.
Sorry to hear about your obstacles.
Zero rust is a direct to metal industrial encapsulant - not a primer.
Suggestion.. go on the web (or to your store) and get the white technical paper for your paint... if you combine the wrong products (like zero rust) with your paint, it will void any warranty.. most paint companies are VERY specific on the materials to combine.
It would be easiest to paint the entire car together if you have a metallic.
$200 for a gallon will last years .. ratttle cans are days.
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crvc
- Posts: 1564
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:37 pm
The guy came home for the weekend and with his help we got his engine into the car. It's a massive type-1 motor or maybe type-4 block with type-1 sheetmetal. It runs. Problem is the guy doesn't know how to drive a stick-shift. So I had to drive the car to his place and he drove me back home using his pickup.
Maybe not something that can be addressed here, but the red light stayed on the entire time I was driving. It took two days to get everything done. I had noticed the red light on the dash. I told the guy the red light can mean the belt is broken but usually means a bad alternator. Now my motor had a good alternator so the red light was never on. When attaching the heavy red wire that went to my alternator, I saw this guy's motor had a triple plug, similar to headlights.
I attached the red wire to one of the three. Then I tried the wire on all three prongs but it didn't affect the red light. Then I connected the three together to the red wire and still no effect. I warned him if there's a problem the engine will work okay but if it's not keeping the battery charged it'll die on him eventually.
So I'm curious about the three prongs on his alternator. I've never seen that. Like everything else on that motor, the alternator was massive compared to a typical vw.
But it's out of my garage so now I have room to work on prepping the '67 car for painting.
kevin
Maybe not something that can be addressed here, but the red light stayed on the entire time I was driving. It took two days to get everything done. I had noticed the red light on the dash. I told the guy the red light can mean the belt is broken but usually means a bad alternator. Now my motor had a good alternator so the red light was never on. When attaching the heavy red wire that went to my alternator, I saw this guy's motor had a triple plug, similar to headlights.
I attached the red wire to one of the three. Then I tried the wire on all three prongs but it didn't affect the red light. Then I connected the three together to the red wire and still no effect. I warned him if there's a problem the engine will work okay but if it's not keeping the battery charged it'll die on him eventually.
So I'm curious about the three prongs on his alternator. I've never seen that. Like everything else on that motor, the alternator was massive compared to a typical vw.
But it's out of my garage so now I have room to work on prepping the '67 car for painting.
kevin
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MNAirHead
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doc
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once paint is reduced and catalyst is mixed, it will last an hour or an hour and a half in your capped gun. Can't save overnight. Mix only what you need or less. It's easy and quick to mix more between coats.
Paints that only get reduced (no catalyst or activator) can be poured back in the can, but each time you do, you are reducing the rest of the paint a little. Again, better to mix just about the right amount.
doc
Paints that only get reduced (no catalyst or activator) can be poured back in the can, but each time you do, you are reducing the rest of the paint a little. Again, better to mix just about the right amount.
doc
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MNAirHead
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crvc
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So what volume of paint would you suggest I mix for the front hood, or one fender, etc?
I have one gallon of unmixed Sherman Williams auto paint. Is that enough for the underside of the fenders, front lid and rear engine lid? How many coats for the body?
When mixed with the hardener and reducer, the total volume should be 2.25 gallons.
kevin
I have one gallon of unmixed Sherman Williams auto paint. Is that enough for the underside of the fenders, front lid and rear engine lid? How many coats for the body?
When mixed with the hardener and reducer, the total volume should be 2.25 gallons.
kevin