[Mark777]

OK folks,

Now the fun really begins. I need to ask those that are interested and contemplating painting their project to please remember this:

Learning to paint, handling the paint chemicals and spray painting your projects is like setting off Dynamite....It's FUN AS H*** but extremely dangerous! And like explosives, if you use caution, handle it carefully and protect yourself you're going to enjoy your new found passion.

I urge you to read the following warnings authored by a CA insurance institute. I explains some of the hazards related to spray painting and using personal protective equipment (PPE)!


"Spray Painting Safety:

Spray painting is a common and effective way to protect and beautify parts, products, vehicles, and buildings. Spray painting allows coverage of large areas with even coats of primer, paint, sealers, and other coatings. However, workers in spray painting operations need to recognize and guard against the hazard associated with spray painting processes.

Many paints, coatings, catalysts, sealers, hardeners, and solvents contain hazardous chemicals. Exposure to chemicals can occur during mixing of the coating, spraying the material, and grinding or sanding it. Even some surface preparation and cleanup solvents can pose a hazard, if not handled properly. As such, workers should avoid using solvents for cleaning paint from hands or skin. They should use water-based cleansers that are meant for personal cleanup.

Hazardous chemicals in coatings and solvents can enter the body several ways. Workers can inhale chemical vapors from spraying, absorb the chemical by skin contact or inject the chemical with high pressure spray painting equipment. Symptoms of overexposure to hazardous chemicals include nausea, rashes, and long term illnesses like asthma, lung cancer, and sensitization (becoming severely allergic to the paint). Before work begins, spray painters should read the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the chemical they'll be using then wear the appropriate personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, a respirator (if medically qualified, properly fit-tested, and trained), gloves or coveralls to protect themselves against its hazards.

As proper ventilation is important when working with paint coatings, a spray booth is an excellent way to remove spray paint vapors and debris from a worker's breathing zone. Many coatings contain flammable substances that are aerosolized when sprayed through powered equipment and without proper ventilation, such as in a spray booth, these vapors can build up and create an explosion and fire danger. But to provide maximum protection, the spray booth must be properly maintained, including regular cleaning of filters and overspray. And to prevent sparking a flammable substance, smoking and other sources of flame near spray painting operations should be prohibited and tools should be properly rated and grounded for work in a spray painting area.

So, it's pretty obvious from their warnings that using common sense and learning to paint needs rules of engagement. Don't let this scare you off though. Like any fun and interesting profession where one can have fun and, in many instances, grow from a hobby to where they supplement their income...you just need to be careful.

Thanks for reading!

 

[eaglenick130]

MARK I am salivating. I can't wait to get going on my AMF restoration! Good stuff you are posting! Keep it going. I will post pictures soon! Nick

 

[Mark777]

Thanks, Nick!

I want to include just three more pictures of guide coating and how important it is. Once that's out of the way I'll start the paint process A to Z. The guide coat, when done correctly, gives a perfect base for your paint to rest upon. If you skip the guide coat process then you risk waves, blemishes, high and low areas and, in general, the paint magnifies all these small imperfections drastically!

The Hood (again)

If you recall, I had the hood outside while drying a final repair coat of primer. After it dried thoroughly I brought it back inside to...you guest it...apply one last guide coat. As good as those cotton gloves are, a final fogging of guide coat will show the slightest blemish and imperfection that the hand can't feel.

I've switched from 180 grit sand paper, which is fine for adhesion of primers but still too course for paint. I'm now using 320 grit dry sand paper and still blocking in the X pattern. As you can see in this next picture what looks like some horrible low spots and very bad areas...are really only slight imperfections that sand out in less than 10 minutes.

This time, it really is ready for paint:

That's it for primer and guide coating. I'll be adding (better) pictures of tips, tricks and actually shooting the paint on all the sheet metal parts very soon. In the meantime please ask any questions if you have some.

Mark
​

 

[waffler]

I got lots to do with my 738 project will have to post some before and after pics

 

[Mark777]

I got lots to do with my 738 project will have to post some before and after pics

Waffler,

I wish you would. In fact I wish you would start a thread...something like what you just said ("My 738 Project").

I'd like to see what it looks like today, hear your plans and ideas about the restoration or modifications that you may make. Variety is the spice of life and I'm sure other members want to see what's up your sleeve too!

Mark

 

[Mark777]

Test Panels & Paint

I'm Back

For those of you who have been following along, the hard part is over. Shooting paint from a spray gun OR a rattle can, and applied correctly, is the big reward for all of your efforts in preparation. If you take a few basic steps, develop them as a routine and don't skip or take any shortcuts, you will produce the same (or better) results as your local body shop and their spray booth. The only difference between a professional painter and a beginner is knowing what to do when things go wrong. And when things do go wrong, it's almost never chemical failure but the painter who skips a step or takes a shortcut. YOU can learn what to do when things go wrong as you develop your skills...but it's much less expensive in materials and labor to do the basics so nothing does go wrong.

Test Panels:
Good, experienced painters use some form of test panel to accomplish several things before the paint hits their target. Each painter has their own panel that can come in any shape or form. Some use old car doors or fenders, others use a piece of clean sheet metal, and still, others use a large piece of solvent proof masking paper (not newspaper). I use the paper as it's cleaner and easy to read the results...and disposable when I'm done.

There are good reasons to use a test panel. The first is to adjust your gun fan width and height, material thickness (viscosity), and distance. Distance is especially true when using a rattle can. Once the paint gun or spray can is adjusted the next process is critical and if you follow it faithfully, you'll never have runs and sags again! If everything is ready and your paint is well shaken or gun if full:

The "Tack Coat"

1)-Make one slow, even pass across your test panel (not back and forth but one direction only). It should look almost transparent (see through) and very little material thickness covering your test panel. Stop right there and disconnect your air supply and set the gun down and look at your panel. Good idea to look at your watch or clock too (I have an inexpensive 5.99 wall clock and thermometer on my wall). Study the test panel for a moment and watch what happens! You will be looking for dirt or debris, bubbles or anything suspicious....You will know immediately (30 seconds) if something goes wrong. It should look like this:

2)-If nothing happens and everything looks cool, reconnect and apply the tack coat exactly the same as you did to your test panel! The tack coat is nothing more then a light film of paint that promotes the adhesion between your primer and the following color coats that follow on it's top. This is one, single pass that doesn't cover or hide anything...you have to teach yourself to think of it as the "Glue" before the paint because that is exactly what it is. It should look something like this:

3)- Set your gun or can down and (@ 72°) you have about 10 minutest to refill the gun, have a coffee and wait. As I said earlier and what I'm trying to convey is a cycle of events. They make a circle from your paint bench, to the test panel and ending at the project color application. Bench, Panel, Project....bench, panel then the project. 3 steps and all important.
4)- The flash coat. The term flash coat means nothing more than the time that elapses from the application of one coat to the next. Testing when it's time to apply the next coat is a simple procedure. Simply stick you gloved finger in an area at the edge of your test panel and pull it (your finger) away. If the paint looks wet and stringy, it's too soon to apply another coat of paint. If you finger in the test panel feel sticky (like the back of masking tape) it's perfect and ready for another application of paint. BTW, If it's not sticky and seems too dry, go ahead and apply the next coat anyway....just remember to wait less time on the test panel and you will be OK.

 

[tackit]

Man I'm enjoying this. I like how your teaching and explaining in easy to understand steps, your pictures are first class too.


Mark, does the paint company whose paint we choose to use tell what kind of resperator to use for their paint or do we ask who we buy the paint from? thanks

 

[Jim_WV]

Mark, great tutorial and pics, you've done a nice write up with this thread .

 

[Mark777]

Man I'm enjoying this. I like how your teaching and explaining in easy to understand steps, your pictures are first class too.

Mark, does the paint company whose paint we choose to use tell what kind of resperator to use for their paint or do we ask who we buy the paint from? thanks

Tackit,

I'll put this the best way I know how.....NO!....those guys, in their little white shop coats, with pocket protectors will not answer a single question because they are followed around with a half dozen, brief case toten' attorneys....the same corporate types that tell their scientist's to put "FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY"on all their products. They claim they must do this because if they field questions and the answers are somehow misinterpreted, they'll be open for legal liability. They do however have product bulletins that recommend mixing ratios, proper temperatures and list their MSDS web site on their products.

From this point on IF you're considering painting, you are completely on your own when it comes to protecting yourself with adequate and proper PPE.

Yes, for sure, the best and appropriate respirators will be found at jobbers (automotive paint suppliers) that sell high end products for professional painters and body shops. These same jobbers often carry "P" sheets, which are product information sheets that sometimes DO recommend the correct respiratory protection. It's a good idea to make friends with your local paint jobber! If you confess you're just starting out most of them are quite helpful...others can be real jerks and not give you the time of day. If you find one that's helpful, early a.m. visits with Coffee & Doh-nuts works wonders

Mark, great tutorial and pics, you've done a nice write up with this thread .

Thank you, Jim

 

[Mark777]

I forgot to mention this some time ago.

For anyone that's a little shy, unsure or just not comfortable asking questions openly in a public forum it's OK to send me those questions or comments by Private Message or to my email.

Mark

 

[Brad]

Excellent thread, Mark. Very nice job, quite clear and easily understood. Thanks for the time and effort. Lots of members will get some extremely valuable help here.

 

[tackit]

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your candidness and advice..

 

[Mark777]

Aw shucks guys

I thought this might be important to some folks out there. Painters have developed their own vocabulary and some of it is absolutely baffling, impossible to translate and a mystery to most normal people. Because I forget to translate sometimes, here is a great dictionary tool that defines the 'Jargon" from A to Z. It's put together by SHARPE manufacturing:

Paint Terminology

Mark