[SuperDave1984]

Back with more questions. Since $$$ are always an issue, I noticed the Paint Shop System by DuPont in the local parts store. This stuff work pretty good? Lacquer is easy to spray and easy to fix if (when) I screw up. Plus it will allow me to do the paint scheme I wanted to do to begin with.

Also, I really don't know if I want to spend hours and hours color sanding and buffing, so what clear can I use over it that I don't have to do that? I know clear lacquer looks AWESOME when it's on right and color sanded/buffed, but I got a house full of kids to deal with and time is also an issue.

[SuperDave1984]

Sorry, my mistake, it's Duplicolor not DuPont.

[Stomper4X4]

Skinner1, on 09 March 2009 - 07:57 PM, said:

ok gang , welcome to paint application 101 with skinner .

in this write up im gonna touch base on paint applications , procedures , products and tips .

your prep work .
your prep work is the base of your finish . your finish will look no better then your surface preperation . im gonna walk you through a recent paint job i did on a jeep .

first i started by washing down my jeep body with ( T0015 ) surface prep wash . works great for removing contaminents then i follow up with a damp wet rag and allow to air dry .
next i begin my sanding work the types of paper used depends on the surface being sanded . i like to begin with (280 grit ) followed by ( 320 grit ) . now that my surface has been sanded i am ready to apply the primer coat . depending on the type of primer you are using always follow mixing instructions .

now after sanding is complete i wipe the surface down with water allow to air dry then tack the surface clean . in this application i am using a white eurathane primer coat .
after mixing i will allow the primer to set on the table while i get my gun preped for the application usually takes about 10 -15 minutes . is best to allow the primer to mix well with it components and reducer .
after suiting up i am using my binks 2001 gun for this application with my 2.0 a.k.a. 256 tip. which allows a full flow of fluid at 40 psi fed to the pot and 10 psi at the gun tip .
starting at the right fender always working from bottom up - ( never top down ) i begin my 1st pass . working my way down the drivers side of the jeep and finishing at the hood .
now my hand stays between 13-16 inches off the surface at all times with my fan spread set at 3" at the tip with a full 10 -12inch spread .which allows me to cover more area at 1 time .
after allowing a 15 minute flash in between coats i come back and apply my 2nd finish coat . at this point i increase the fluid flow just a touch and lower my air pressue to the pot by 10psi .
because i want a heavier coat at this point so i move my hand closer to the surface by 4 inches . following steps above i work from bottom to top and finishing up on hood .
next . after allowing primer to cure fully i begin the final sand work by wet sanding the primer coat at this point with 400 wet dry paper
(Tip:) wet sanding your primer coat by hand will always produce a smoother finish then dry sanding and doesnt really take that much effort . also while your sanding your actually cleaning the surface at the same time .
now -- my jeep is primed , wet sanded and washed down, recovered and ready for the finish .
im gonna be using a base-coat clear coat finish on my rig .
following the same mixing procedure as the primer coat i allow the paint to set on the table after i mix it for the 10-15 minutes .
now im ready to paint . i do 1 final pass of cleaning , i use the T115 again and wipe the surface down followed by a wet rag and dry rag
(Tip:) always follow up with a dry rag at this point to eliminate any rags mark .
now i do 1 final tack rag pass and im ready to go .
( tip i have changed my gun tip nozzle to 1.7 tip a.k.a.165 tip
starting at the drivers side front fender i begin with the top to bottom passes moving down the side of the jeep following the coutours of the body i apply my 1st pass of top coat . now since this type of paint requires clear to make it glossy it goes on flat so i layer it on in passes like mowing the lawn .
once i have applied my base i allow to flash 15 minutes between coats and the last coat i allow to flash a full half hour .
now on to the clear finish .
( tip:) with clear top coats you can add things like metal flakes and effects if you wish to enhance your finish . but to spray metal flake you will have to use a larger tip and higher air pressure . to do my standard clear application i am using my 1.7mm tip on the gun
following the same pattern i painted i apply the clear starting from top to bottom i follow through with the clear in an even pattern not trying to cover so much at 1 time . clear should be applied in 3 coats aprox. 2 mils thick at higher air psi then paint i like about 15-20 psi at the gun tip at this point and 45-60 psi at the gun feed note:im using a pressure pot ......and while applying the clear i keep my hand off the surface atleast 13 inches at all times .
( tip:) while paint and clear applications some painters like the crisscross method which works great for full even coverage but this method should be left to the pros
because it is very easy to over load and run the clear .....( hence the feel i spoke about on the other tread . )
some issues you may encounter when applying clear are as follows :
clear to dry ...Cause :your hand is to far away solution : adjust your air flow lower raise your fluid out put and move a bit closer and slow down some .
clear has orange peel effect .( very common )...cause : you are applying the clear to heavy and your air is to low solution : adjust your air higher and lower your fluid out put .
now my job is complete and i allow clear to cure fully over night .

now some more tips .
a. you can never clean your surface to much ( more is better )
b. never lean into your job per-say back off a bit move that hand back .
c. never-ever try to cover in the first coat you will run the paint every time .
d.( lacquer -thinner ) is NOT a surface cleaner !!! it is exactly what the name implies it is a paint thinner and wiping your paint with it thinking you are cleaning ,you are really weakining your base .
e. resperators are your friends USE THEM .
f. do not get impatient !! take your time . time is good
most people on the tread will probably never experience the industrial use products i have used as a painter and detailer of 20 + years and i have used so many different products and tips etc .. it is impossible to address them all here
so i hope the above walk through so to speak helps out a bit ..................and i am open to feild any questions you may have or would like me to address about your paint projects .
i am also very exp in body repairs so i can feild questions about products and tips there also .

[jimmy]

question, i have 2 spots on the hood where the clear coat is peeling ( about the size of a dime ). how hard is that to fix? can i do it or should i take it to a paint shop?
btw, its on a 2002 tj, left side of the hood.

[SuperDave1984]

Let's revive a really old thread shall we? I need to do a repaint on the wife's minivan. Of course it has the flexible bumpers, not really sure what they are made of. Couple spots will need a little repair and I have used some flexible two part epoxy (that sorta looks like JB Weld) type stuff in the past. Is that still the correct filler?

Next question, I don't know if an additive needs to be put into the paint for the bumpers. If I went single stage urethane would I need an additive? What about if I went base clear?

It is going to have to get down to bare metal as the paint comes off when you wash the thing, bad primer is my guess. I know I will need an etching primer, but will I also need a primer sealer before the color?