What's my Ranger worth?

[wildbill23c]

Just like a lot of things, paint is 80% prep work. It's always the most tedious part.

Very true...but far cheaper than paying the paint shop $6k+ to do the same thing.

 

[Dirtman]

Paint looks better with bee's and dirt under it...

 

[Rick W]

@wildbill23c , a couple thoughts, certainly not challenging, but I’ve done the Rick-stoleum paint job many times. & a little of the Chem Engineer here.

Car paint and clear coat are two part paints like an epoxy. The light solvent in the paint (I.e., acetone) is a vehicle to carry and distribute the paint, not actually part of the paint, and it flashes off very quickly. Then the two part paint spreads out and chemically reacts to hardness. Completely different than Rustoleum.

Rustoleum actually has a fish oil base, I’m sure they’ve synthesized that now, but that oil is actually part of the paint. When you thin it down to spray it, you also compromise the integrity of the paint. The oil holds the pigments, and that oil solidifies in the drying process. It actually chemically cures like a varnish or tree sap, not just dries. It’s thicker, so it has a long time to level out. If you use some thinner, that is exactly what it does, thin it. The thinner also flashes off but much more slowly. If you use rustoleum like a two-part auto paint, might be the worst of both.

First thought is the clearcoat. The rattle can clearcoat or the professional two-part clearcoat is not going to adhere properly to the oil-based rustoleum, and it will probably start to flake in a year or two at most. It’ll look great when you do it, but it will fail. The rustoleum provides a very thick coat, so you can sand and buff it, and if you bring out the warmth before the paint is totally cured, usually in about 5-15 days, you can put a very smooth high gloss on it. By itself it’s extremely durable. An extra coat will be far superior and durable than color and then clear coat.

if you’re going to spray the Rustoleum, yes, cut 50% or it won’t SPRAY well. I emphasize “spray” because the thinner is going to help you move it, but it may actually hurt it once it’s on the truck.

The role and tip method (Google it) lets you (1) get a very even coverage from the roller, and then (2) the tipping with a brush smoothes it out, and then (3) it’s thick like honey, so then it will level out amazingly smooth all by itself.

If you do the role and tip, or even if you just apply it with a paintbrush which I’ve also done, you only cut it about 20-25% max. Long dry time. Several coats, when very dry to the touch, but within 48 hours of each other. That way it becomes one thick coat, not thin layers. Sand drips and rash in between, and after a week, you can wet sand and high speed buff it, but I’ve never gone that far, they’ve always looked great after two or three coats.

In a couple months, you can polish it and wax it like any other paint, and I firmly believe it would last twice as long.

And, BTW, I’m not that smart. In my engineering/construction career, I learned all this from the horses mouth at the rustoleum company. I’m just great at plagiarizing!

and one last thought. If you followed me at all, I’m damn arrogant and proud that I’m going to have a $20 paint job and the truck is going to look great. I know from past experiments, everybody will love it, and they think I’m smart because I did a good job with no money. What I have never done, is try to do something very cheap, but then pass it off as if I had it done in some high-end body shop. People can see right through that. So my recommendation is paint it with a roller & brush, and own it, and be proud of it!

I did hesitate before posting this, but I know this site is all about helping other folks, and it is intended in that vein. Nobody should screw something up because they didn’t learn from all of my many many bad screwups along the way!!!

 

[wildbill23c]

@wildbill23c , a couple thoughts, certainly not challenging, but I’ve done the Rick-stoleum paint job many times. & a little of the Chem Engineer here.

Car paint and clear coat are two part paints like an epoxy. The light solvent in the paint (I.e., acetone) is a vehicle to carry and distribute the paint, not actually part of the paint, and it flashes off very quickly. Then the two part paint spreads out and chemically reacts to hardness. Completely different than Rustoleum.

Rustoleum actually has a fish oil base, I’m sure they’ve synthesized that now, but that oil is actually part of the paint. When you thin it down to spray it, you also compromise the integrity of the paint. The oil holds the pigments, and that oil solidifies in the drying process. It actually chemically cures like a varnish or tree sap, not just dries. It’s thicker, so it has a long time to level out. If you use some thinner, that is exactly what it does, thin it. The thinner also flashes off but much more slowly. If you use rustoleum like a two-part auto paint, might be the worst of both.

First thought is the clearcoat. The rattle can clearcoat or the professional two-part clearcoat is not going to adhere properly to the oil-based rustoleum, and it will probably start to flake in a year or two at most. It’ll look great when you do it, but it will fail. The rustoleum provides a very thick coat, so you can sand and buff it, and if you bring out the warmth before the paint is totally cured, usually in about 5-15 days, you can put a very smooth high gloss on it. By itself it’s extremely durable. An extra coat will be far superior and durable than color and then clear coat.

if you’re going to spray the Rustoleum, yes, cut 50% or it won’t SPRAY well. I emphasize “spray” because the thinner is going to help you move it, but it may actually hurt it once it’s on the truck.

The role and tip method (Google it) lets you (1) get a very even coverage from the roller, and then (2) the tipping with a brush smoothes it out, and then (3) it’s thick like honey, so then it will level out amazingly smooth all by itself.

If you do the role and tip, or even if you just apply it with a paintbrush which I’ve also done, you only cut it about 20-25% max. Long dry time. Several coats, when very dry to the touch, but within 48 hours of each other. That way it becomes one thick coat, not thin layers. Sand drips and rash in between, and after a week, you can wet sand and high speed buff it, but I’ve never gone that far, they’ve always looked great after two or three coats.

In a couple months, you can polish it and wax it like any other paint, and I firmly believe it would last twice as long.

And, BTW, I’m not that smart. In my engineering/construction career, I learned all this from the horses mouth at the rustoleum company. I’m just great at plagiarizing!

and one last thought. If you followed me at all, I’m damn arrogant and proud that I’m going to have a $20 paint job and the truck is going to look great. I know from past experiments, everybody will love it, and they think I’m smart because I did a good job with no money. What I have never done, is try to do something very cheap, but then pass it off as if I had it done in some high-end body shop. People can see right through that. So my recommendation is paint it with a roller & brush, and own it, and be proud of it!

I did hesitate before posting this, but I know this site is all about helping other folks, and it is intended in that vein. Nobody should screw something up because they didn’t learn from all of my many many bad screwups along the way!!!

Fun part with doing it yourself with off the shelf materials is you can experiment, and if you screw it up its not another $6,000 trip to the body/paint shop LOL.

 

[wildbill23c]

Paint looks better with bee's and dirt under it...

Which is what you end up with from a $6k paint job in an area that's continually got fine dirt particles in the air (farming community). Also, after the $3k paint work I had done a couple years ago its already bubbling from rust under the paint the shop supposedly fixed.

Doesn't matter how much you pay you'll have some stuff in your paint, and if you do it right you can correct it before you apply the next coat. I'm planning on putting up plastic on my carport to help alleviate as much of the debris issue as possible. Doesn't have to be perfect, just needs to do the job LOL.

 

[Rick W]

I'm planning on putting up plastic on my carport to help alleviate as much of the debris issue as possible.

Duct tape it at the top, wrap it around 2x4s on the bottom. Tape 2-3 furnace filters in one end and then tape in one of those dime store square breeze box fans blowing out. POW, instant paint booth.

But it’ll triple the cost of the job! Two rolls of duct tape will cost more than the rust oleum

 

[wildbill23c]

Duct tape it at the top, wrap it around 2x4s on the bottom. Tape 2-3 furnace filters in one end and then tape in one of those dime store square breeze box fans blowing out. POW, instant paint booth.

But it’ll triple the cost of the job! Two rolls of duct tape will cost more than the rust oleum

Hmm, good idea with the filters and fan, didn't think about doing that. Probably will be late spring or early summer before I get started on that project.

 

[don4331]

I run tape the filters to the fan and have it blow in, so, the "booth" is pressured, and any containment failures just allow particles out, not in.

And wet the floor, to keep dust down from there too.

But, I use same chemicals as the shops, and save the labour cost, so my $500 job is almost comparable to the $6k one, when I'm on my game - the biggest challenge is matching colour, followed by doing adequate prep.

 

[wildbill23c]

I've got a kid here in town that really wants a truck mostly just to haul his duck hunting decoys and stuff in. I really don't want to sell my Ranger, I love driving it. I told him he's more than welcome to borrow it if he wants, but my truck is a 5 speed, he's just not there yet grasping how to drive one so... LOL.

Regardless I think having a decent paint job on any vehicle makes it worth a bit more than missing paint, bare spots, and rust. I mainly want to repaint it because last year when I repainted the blue on the bottom it didn't come out very well, and its not straight, so it would look better if I redid it and may as well repaint the rest as there's a few spots of clearcoat coming off in about 3 different areas that I've noticed plus some scratches from 30+ years of use. No dents, that's the surprising part. So repainting it shouldn't be too bad, just tons of sanding, taping, and masking, grill, light, mirror removal, bumper removal, etc. yuck LOL. I used blue painter's tape last time, it didn't want to come back off need to figure out something else to use that actually comes back off when I'm done.

 

[Roert42]

I find the tape come back off easier the sooner you take it off. So if you mask it, spray it, then peel the tape in one day it comes off easily. Not so great if you want to lay a few coats over the course of a couple weeks.

I’ve seen some green painters tape that is supposed to be easier to peel off too, but I haven’t tried it yet.

One trick the old timers thought me was to use the regular tan masking tape but to stick it to your jeans then peel it off so doesn’t stick as bad to the body. Was a popular method before the blue stuff came out.

 

[Rick W]

I run tape the filters to the fan and have it blow in, so, the "booth" is pressured, and any containment failures just allow particles out, not in.

The standard spray booth has exhaust fans on one end and filtered inlets on the other end. But for a poor man’s booth, I actually like your idea better where you create a pressurized bubble. You may also wish to spray a little soapy water on the walls carefully without getting it on the paint surface (I.e., spray bottle).

I find the tape come back off easier the sooner you take it off.

I’ve had the same problem with the tape being very difficult to remove, especially if it’s there more than a day or two. On the Chrome, and even on the plastic, you may want to experiment by putting some wax on the Chrome and/or maybe spraying it with a very light coat of WD-40 or Teflon spray like you use on a window sash. Maybe just spray a little on a rag and then wipe it on. Then test putting the tape on and off. Personally, I’m much more in love with olive oil then I am with things like armor all. My point is, you can put a tiny little bit of surface down before the tape, just make sure the tape is going to stick with it with the pressure of the spraygun on it, but then it will be much more easily removed even a few days later.

My two cents, hope it helps

 

[Shran]

If you're using "real" paint...urethane or whatever... do not go spraying ANYTHING before you paint. I knew that before I painted one of my doors recently but needed to clean something in the shop and I used aerosol glass cleaner, figuring it would be OK... not so much... had several fish eyes when I painted later that day!

Regarding masking tape: I don't buy the cheap stuff...ever... blue or green or nothing. It's worth the extra cost if it comes off without a fight! Also, there is automotive grade masking tape. I have not personally used it but I may in the future. I discovered that the adhesive in 3M Blue masking tape will react with urethane base coat.

I really can't knock anyone who paints a car with Rustoleum. Properly done, it looks OK. I painted my crawler truck with a couple cases of Rustoleum Painter's Touch gloss black years ago and aside from some oxidation and minor cracking in a few places, it has held up pretty well. I use their Alkyd 7400 paint frequently as well, both in roll-on and spray on applications. I usually thin it 25% with lacquer thinner if I'm spraying.