Anyone paint vehicles for a living or hobby?

[Will]

Auto body work should cost more than it does, and a pro job is shockingly expensive. I couldn't imagine that much detail work and the hours of sanding. And then some dick weed lets his shopping cart go and it rolls across the Walmart lot and thumps into your door. The cheapest paint-job is to buy a new car. Flawless. That's what keeps you body guys in business. People expect that now. The factory used robots and electrical bonding or something on a bare body. You have to make the repair or repaint look like that and it's definately an artist touch. I've tried, on a couple occasions, and failed horribly.

I brush paint with Rustoleum. It looks good on Google Earth, and that's what matters.

 

[gwaii]

finish that truck out with 400, you'll see the 320 straight line scratches.

As for the gun, good choice, but I have a coworker who has used tons of cheap guns in the past and had no problems, hes a good painter, he uses some better guns now, but swears up and down $20 guns get the job done.

400 is what i generally finish sand with before base.also,you are right about the gun...a good painter will always do better with a crappy gun than a crappy painter will do with a good gun.good tools are nice,but the skill of the person using them is what counts.you get the skill with practice....that means you may have to mess up some paint before you get good.so go mess up some paint-it's the best way to learn.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Do the research on the paint system you decide on as far as temps, primer, reducer, hardener clear kote. Once you start spraying the top cote cure times are real important especially for the clear for good adhesion. Unless you have a big booth that is climate controlled you kinna have to shoot by the hip as far as temps and humidity throughout the application once you start you cant stop. That said I painted my ranger with the $36 hvlp under a canopy outside in the middle of last summer after all it is just a truck once it dries you can rub the bugs out He He.

 

[Ranger Kip]

I do for a hobby

I can do real, or rattle can.

ALWAYS clean thoroughly AND use "Primer". Very important.

As for after the paint job is done, I recommend a good waxing, and wax it AT LEAST "ONCE" a month, it protects the protects the paint from damage against the sun, cracking, and can also help keep it looking new.

 

[crusin93]

Do the research on the paint system you decide on as far as temps, primer, reducer, hardener clear kote. Once you start spraying the top cote cure times are real important especially for the clear for good adhesion. Unless you have a big booth that is climate controlled you kinna have to shoot by the hip as far as temps and humidity throughout the application once you start you cant stop. That said I painted my ranger with the $36 hvlp under a canopy outside in the middle of last summer after all it is just a truck once it dries you can rub the bugs out He He.

Nope. No big booth. I've created a temp plastic room in the rear most corner of my shop thet is plenty big enough for a full size pickup. I put it up to keep filler dust in a confined area and not all over my shop. I've done a bit of body work back there, and with the exhaust fan on, it works quite well. I plan on cleaning the inside of it and then cleaning again with a garden hose then painting. I have no illusions about dust and particulates. I know it will find it's way onto my paint job. I'm just trying to keep it to a minimum. I rarely use the A/C in the shop. Too expensive, but I will for this. I want to get the humidity down to a reasonable level.

 

[whocares]

I do for a hobby

I can do real, or rattle can.

ALWAYS clean thoroughly AND use "Primer". Very important.

As for after the paint job is done, I recommend a good waxing, and wax it AT LEAST "ONCE" a month, it protects the protects the paint from damage against the sun, cracking, and can also help keep it looking new.

How long would you recommend waiting before you start waxing?

 

[r1hatman]

Auto body work should cost more than it does, and a pro job is shockingly expensive. I couldn't imagine that much detail work and the hours of sanding. And then some dick weed lets his shopping cart go and it rolls across the Walmart lot and thumps into your door. The cheapest paint-job is to buy a new car. Flawless. That's what keeps you body guys in business. People expect that now. The factory used robots and electrical bonding or something on a bare body. You have to make the repair or repaint look like that and it's definately an artist touch. I've tried, on a couple occasions, and failed horribly.

I brush paint with Rustoleum. It looks good on Google Earth, and that's what matters.

 

[Shran]

I do for a hobby

I can do real, or rattle can.

ALWAYS clean thoroughly AND use "Primer". Very important.

As for after the paint job is done, I recommend a good waxing, and wax it AT LEAST "ONCE" a month, it protects the protects the paint from damage against the sun, cracking, and can also help keep it looking new.

I was always told that most waxes remove a small portion of paint... that's what clear coat is for anyway

I actually can do wonders with a rattle can and make it look professional. I painted a 90 mustang GT front end with rattle cans and it turned out beautiful!

Hey, me too! I love my rattlecan jobs.. haha. I replaced the passenger fender on my F150 and did a two tone rattlecan job... picture sucks but it takes a good eye to spot that it's been repainted.

 

[Akimbo Rangers]

everybody has there own have of doing this kind of work. 400 grit (even on a DA) is a heavy scratch to cover. unless your going to seal the piss out of it. I finish everything with 800 and have never had an adhesion problem and you dont see any scratches.

Cruisin... the sata your looking at is an awesome gun (used mine 4 times today). i have a cheap knock-off devilbiss that i sometimes use for small jobs, but nothing beats the quality of a good gun.

i figure the only reason you made this thread is to get suggestion and ideas, and i dont want to butt heads with anyone on how they work. so take everyones suggestions with a grain of salt. you will figure out a method that suites you just like everyone else has. keep us posted on the progress of the truck.