Who's doing their own paint?

[DoobieBrother]

Ok. So I've inherited a 68 C10 and I'm in the beginning stages of planning how far I want to take restoration, what I want it to look like, how much money I'm willing to put into it, and the multitude of other questions I feel like I should answer before really getting after it.

Now one of the biggest areas of expenditure I see is paint and body. So, I'm wondering. If I were to buy some quality tools including a good quality HPLV gun and other stuff and spent some time practicing, what are the odds I could come out with a nice paint job? I have no experience with paint other than rattle can, but I'm thinking with some practice it might be possible.

So, anyone else been in my position? How did it work out for you?

[GREASEMONKEY72]

the odds are good that with enough practice you could actually have a really decent paint job but then alot of factors come into play and i dont mean to scare you by saying that but its true you just have to make sure you prep the truck right, prep/mix the paint right, have the gun set right and dont spray to thick a coat, just remember many thin coats are a hell of alot better than one thick one and ofcourse many of the great ppl on the board will chime in and give more and im sure better advice than im giving but i hope i helped out a bit and i wish you much good luck with your truck

-steven

[BarryB]

First off a good HVLP gun isn't necessary. If you are spraying out of your garage. Just get a decent gravity feed gun. I have bought some from Harbour freight. They do good, but don't chench on your paint materials. Because I have learned the hard way. You get what you pay for in that department.
And a decent paint job is not the paint job. It is all in the prep work!! utting corners will show through.

[Musclerodz]

Its 90% prep, 10% application. Also, if you use good quality paint, that will also help you lay down a nice finish. At one time every one who pints was in your position. For a first timer, stick with solid colors and try and pick something to the lighter side. Lighter the color, less flaws show.

Mike

[bodyman9174]

Yeah u don't need a good hvlp. But a cheaper one would be good. With a reg gun there will be alot of overspray. I used a cheap hvlp gun for along timeI would still be useing it but got a great deal on a sata. I would buy some cheap paint to practice with.Your first coat u don't want to lay it on to wet. 2nd coat u can lay it on a little wetter and so on.

And make sure u buy a NEW respirator. A fresh air one would be best. I bought a hobby air when i first started worked good. Just step up to a SAS one. with a full mask. ISO's attached to the wettest part of the body ( your eyes) Thats anything with a hardner. There is alot to painting your own car. U could allso do all the prep work and find someone that would spray it for u. I wasted alot of money teaching myself how to paint.

[weasel29gm]

If you got a garage to work in and want to learn do it. I painted mine but had a problem so I blocked it back out and started over. Still cheaper and the practice was worth it. Try to get a buddy that can help or find someone. You don't have to spend a forture in paint any of the middle price lines will work. Main thing is have fun!!!!!!!!

[72armyswbtruck]

I blocked and primed a 77 Pontiac Firebird in my own garage. I say go for it, it was the first one that I had a chance to paint the whole thing on and yes IT'S MOSTLY IN THE PREP WORK, Take your time and it will show. I suggest that you go to your local paint store (autobody) and ask them for advice tell them what type of set up your running where it will be painted at etc. and they will help you with getting the correct evaporator or reducer. PAINT GUYS CHIME IN HERE PLEASE.
GO FOR IT. YOU CAN DO IT

[bigfredtn]

Don't get cheap when it comes to buying paint.

[Greaser]

I was a paint rep for 8 years, and everybody is right. high volume low pressure guns are good, but like the name they need alot of air, more than most have for a compressor. the old guns work good, but alot more overspray, which means you need bettor ventilation, and you waste more materials because alot goes into he air. Also temp is a big issue depending on where you are. 70 deg and 50% relative are the base line for most manufactures. I see you're in TX, and all though I've never been there, i bet it's always warm. (p.s. i just put deicer on my drive way cause my better half slipped on the way in the house tonight) There is what's called the 15 degree rule. for every 15 degree increase in temp the flash, and dry times are cut in half. this is a big point because when i paint in the shop now (maybe 65 deg) and summer (around 90) are huge recoat itme differences.
Primer is easy to shoot. it can be orange peely, or running, i kind of doesn't matter because youre going to sand it any way. but use those coats for practice. sealer is more important, because if it has texture, so will everything above it. base is hard to mess up, put on enough coats to hide but it is mostly solvent so it is thin. if you're running you're base , there's problems, stop now and pm me. clear is actually very forgiveing. just make sure you get enough on, the only thing hard to fix is no coverage. run's can be sanded, orange peel can be buffed, and dirt can be nibbed. Ask you're paint supplier about flash times, and recoat times. I'm a good painter, but it takes some time to get around a complete truck, and alot of times that cause's dry spray, or solvent pop.
Isocynates, THEY ARE BAD. somebody up the bored said that they attracted to water, and they are right. any exposed part of the body the body will atract them. and as much as i know and as much as i used to tell painters, i still shoot once in a while with out a mask or the doors open. The problem is that you don't build an immunity to it, it acctually builds in you're body untill you are really sensitive to it. The other bad thing is that it goes straight to you're boys downstairs, great if you don't want kids, bad if you don't want cancer. ps dont ever spray por15, it's good stuff but bad for you.
sorry to ramble, i like paint work.

[desertrat]

I can't give anymore advise (other than ask alot of questions) since I'm not a painter but I can tell you I plan on doing my own paint. I did paint my race car and it turned out amazingly well considering it was my first paint and I used a cheap harbor freight hvlp gun .

[QKENUF4U]

eventually

[Boog]

I have 2 cheap guns for priming and such and the wife just bought me a gravity feed gun for christmas. Can't wait to give it a test. I think I will start with the cab interior and go from there. I used to do body and paint many years ago. Loved to paint, hated the prep, of course. Used mainly Binks guns back then with acrylic enamel and acrylic laquer paints. I have R-M 2 part for my 69. Based on the info above I just may invest in a full face shield for these old eyes.
And for starting out buy some cheaper paint and prep and paint an old fender, hood or refrigerator as if it was a car and practice on that. When you get good at that then move on to your truck. You may want to paint and flame the lawnmower or something.

[Palf70Step]

I plan on doing mine, eventually. Like what has been mentioned, your biggest factory that effects the outcome is the prep and quality of paint. By the way quality, doesn't necessarily mean expensive either. Just take your time and practice some. Also, please use the appropriate safety equipment when painting. Especially with today's paints. A good breather is well worth it.

I don't know how good mine will come out since I have not painted a vehicle since the early 80's, but it'll be my work and that is what I wanted.

[49studebaker]

Some of the best advice I got, along with not using cheap paint, was to buy more than you need, If you screw up, you can always redo a panel, and you'll have the paint to match.

[rage'nrat638]

heres some pictures of my garage paint job i spent about 1200.00 hours don't ask

[zeeklu]

I did my own and it came out good. If you use Dupont paint they have a great web site covering all their products.It's definately worth it when everywhere you go everyone asks who painted it.Try to do your homework before you go to the paint store so you don't annoy them.You will definately need them on your side. Chris

[CMars45000]

You know I am just gonna chime in on the type of paint people are using... The brand, in my opinion is a moot point. In order to be even remotely competitive in the automotive refinishing industry, you have to have a good product. But I still see a lot of people using A/E (Acrylic Enamel) when the technology we have today has allowed Urethane Enamels to be brought to market at a VERY VERZY competitive price point... And urethane enamel is a FAR superior product, in my opinion. It is more durable and more versatile and has better holdout, and fewer problems with lifting and shrinking
I am a firm believer in using 2K products for anything automotive... The only A/E stuff I use is on irregation equipment...

[65-72 chevytoys]

Here is a good how to on the Southern Polyurethanes website for the do it yourself.

[jbon64]

lots of good info here. and here is my .02......read ANYTHING you can get your hands on about the subject . i did my 1st paint job about ten years ago , and it turned out great. i used a urethane base coat / clear coat. to this day i still get people asking me to paint their car

[mrein3]

I am in the middle of painting my truck.
I am no where near a professional. In fact I do a lot of stupid things. Like painting metalic paint on different panels at different times. If you are going metalic and want it to look killer, attempt to shoot it all at the same time.

My truck will never be a show truck so I don't worry about that.

I use a HVLP gun from DeVilbiss (sp?). My wife bought it for me for Christmas last year or the year before that. It works well. I have a loud, oilless Cambell Housefeld (sp?) compressor that I bought about 15 years ago. It works ok. I don't shoot the truck all at once so I don't run into problems folks above talk about with the HVLP consuming too much air.

I spray single stage, acrylic enamel paint. Others have pointed out that this is "old" technology but after reading on this forum and others about isocynates I'll stick with what I know and what hasn't killed me in the many attempts I've made at automotive finishing.

After painting a couple of my own vehicles on my own time in my garage - as in no paint booth - here is what I found works best:

1. Take the panel down to bare metal.
2. Cut out all cancer. This is an issue here in Minnesota. You guys in the desert southwest probably don't have to worry much about this step.
3. Spray epoxy primer on the bare metal. Here in MN you have about 5 minutes time to leave a panel in bare steel before it starts to rust from the humidity in the air.
4. Apply body filler over the epoxy where necessary. Hopefully in step #2 you didn't make too big of a mess that you need to correct.
5. AFTER everything is good and straight, spray more epoxy. This will seal the body filler.
6. Wetsand the epoxy when cured with 400 grit.
7. Blow all the water off the panel you are working on.
8. Use a tack cloth on the panel you are working on.
9. Spray three coats of color on the panel.

The above steps work well for me. I'll never see one of my paint jobs go across the stage at Barrett-Jackson but it works well enough to have people say, "nice paint". And it protects the metal like it is supposed to.

Oh. And if you stick with PPG Omni products you don't spend thousands.
A gallon of primer is around $80.
A gallon of color is around $80.
Hardener, reducer, laquer thinner to clean your gun between steps and you have a complete truck painted for under $500. Way under.

Here are a few pictures of what I'm up to. Before, last fall, and this fall. (I don't heat my shed so I can't paint in the winter.) All I have left is the box.

When I'm done with my truck I'm going to start on my '72 Chevelle. I MAY try to use base coat/clear coat on that car but again, that system and its potential effect on my health scare me.

[JustLiveIt]

I too would like to try to paint my truck some time in the future. Some day when I have more time (and money) I would like to do the whole "frame off, poweder coat, replace every bolt and nut" thing but for now I'm just fixin the leaks and drivin it. I would really like to do my own paint. I don't expect to have perfect results but with what paint jobs cost these days I would like to try myself. If I mess it up I can always take it to a professional later! All I would be out was my time and some money for paint and supplies. But at least I know that I tried.

[weasel29gm]

The mistake I made was usin' acrylic enamel, thats why I'm goin' to urethane. My local independant parts store handles Sherwin Williams.The Dimision line reasonable. $100 for color same for clear and the reducer is for both at $33 a gal. $20 or so for catayest. Remember if your buildin' a all out show ride pay the big bucks. But for a driver or cruiser try it yourself.

[sleepyboy]

I am in the sanding phase and I am tired of it...Hopefully, paint in Feb. You cannot go wrong in taking your time in the prep phase also...

[DoobieBrother]

Thanks for all the info guys. I know there is going to be a lot of work in this truck to get the way I want it. Lots of good info here. I'll have to keep reading and thinking to decide what all I'm going to do. Heck what I really need is someone with the facilities, patience, and good will to say, "Sure, bring your truck in and I'll tell you exactly what to do, A, B, C. LOL. Oh well. My other problem is room. I live in a suburb of the Dallas area. Small two car rear of the house garage, short driveway, and an Expedition and Sierra extended cab to get in the way. We'll see. The way I'm approaching it for now is to first decide what all I want done and how I want it to look. Next decide what kind of budget and at least as a partial consequence of that, determine how much of the work I'm gonna do.

Here's a picture of it sitting at my father-in-law's before we brought it home. Body is straight. Never wrecked. One small issue to fix on right front quarter panel. Rest is a few rust spots. Most if it is surface rust. So far I've only found one spot in the bottom of the cab where there's any full eat through of rust. Frame is solid but fairly well covered with surface junk, so it's going to have to be worked over. My thought was to take it apart, handle the frame, and then paint everything piece by piece.

[BigSky71]

Originally Posted by DoobieBrother

...I live in a suburb of the Dallas area. Small two car rear of the house garage, short driveway, and an Expedition and Sierra extended cab to get in the way.

I am doing mine in a two stall garage, can be done ala you don't need anything else in the garage while the truck is apart.

...My thought was to take it apart, handle the frame, and then paint everything piece by piece.

That is exactly how I am doing it, works but space is tight.