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Topic: Tools for painting? Tips? (Read 1738 times) previous topic - next topic

Tools for painting? Tips?

Ok, tomorrow I'm getting touch up paint in spray cans tomorrow to cover up multiple spots on my car that are sanded down to the primer and bare metal. Now, I'll be buying like...a lot of this stuff if I go and paint over my entire front because I had to sand almost all of the hood and front panels. I didn't sand it down to primer, just sanded off the shine.

I really want to learn how to paint, I'm touching it up so I can start my custom paint on the hood. I can get most of the paint free from Pepboys.

Well, now that I thought, 'spray painting' the car is going to be a lot of work and probably won't turn out as good if I used an automotive sprayer. But where would I get the paint by the gallons?
This Sprayer is available at Home Depot, and I could just rent the air thing. But that'll be nearly 150, now the paint? I'd also have to get a power sander and sand my entire car because I'm going all black if I do the entire car with a custom flame job for the front which will be a nice dark blue. So...I doubt I can buy the paint by the gallons at Pepboys... I'd rather do it myself so I can brag about it. I'm also going for quality, if I do it myself I know I'm doing it the way I want it. Maaco, a decent pain job...$400. Myself, $120 for tools, workspace free, paint?

For now I'm just going to touch it up so it doesn't rust even more. and restore the bumper.


Am I way over my head or should I just go and do it entirely from a can? If I do the whole body with a can, I'm going black because It'll hide the white better. Right now I don't care how it looks, I'm going to be beating this car into the ground, offroading, racing...

Re: Tools for painting? Tips?

Reply #1 –
The main problems I have with spraycans is 1) the paint itself usually isn't as high of quality. Black paint I've used tends to look slightly brown in sunlight. 2) automotive paint can be mixed so it'll give you a tougher finish, one a lot stronger than most spraycans I know of (unless you have some cans custom mixed - can be done)

There's always problems linking to home depot's site. Its pointing to the general "Paint & Supplies" section, not a specific item. With a sprayer, you want high volume, low pressure (HVLP) - it'll give you a more desirable finish.

You can look up "paint supply" in the yellow pages and call around to see who sells automotive paints. Many automotive stores can mix you up some paint too. If you really want it, there's plenty of books out there on how to paint a car. Even if you don't use it, use common sense, prepare the surface well, have patience, and it'll most likely turn out well.

sand > primer > sand > different colored primer (to help see high and low spots when sanded) > sand > primer again if needed and sand > main thin coats of warm (helps get a flat coat) paint and clear either soaked in water or just on a warm day/warm room. Try to keep the paint and the painting surface near the same temperature, or "cracking"(looks more like crystallization) may form - warm paint and a cold surface is a bad idea. Make sure you have adequate ventilation - even more important when using cans
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Re: Tools for painting? Tips?

Reply #2 –
They have a cheap, sub $200 HVLP kit at home depot.
Ok, well, I guess I can still do the cans for now because rusting is already starting on the bare metal. If I went the can direction

Guess I'll have to wait til march or april to start my custom full body makeover...providing my car lasts that long. Just how much will paint cost me? On average?