DIY car painting help

[Chipper]

I don't really know why folk use etch primer on 'glass, though it seems it is used, the acid is surely pointless on anything except metal? I've used epoxy before, it's a proper sealer and used on boats; but is 2k.
You can etch your ally panels, may as well use etch on the 'glass I guess.

Buying paint is no prob, either over the net, or at a local shop. Advantage of a local shop is leafing through books of chips. Or if you have a factory colour in mind they might well be able to suss a code/mix it. Also if you have a code to hand you can get it mixed and posted.

 

[piman]

Hello SDH,

all glassfibre bodies are gel coated as far as I know, so do find out what you can about the best way to paint them. Aluminium panels most definitely need to be etch primed prior to any subsequent coats.

Alec

 

[brightspark]

i painted a fiberglass boat it needed special primer at 20 quid a ltr. i had a sniff of it . it smelt of fiberglass resin . on the tin it said do not mix with celly primer or thinners that got me thinking .so i got some grey celly primer thinned it a bit .tipped in some fiberglass resin added a few drops of styrene mixed it up and sprayed it onto a sheet of fiberglass . 3 hours later tryed scraping it off it was stuck like sh ,.,.t to a blanket :worked a treat

 

[the snooper]

Yeah, 1k is commonly called "basecoat" as a shorthand. No hardener.
.

1k simply refers to the paint being single pack No activator is needed.
basecoat is exactly what it says its the first coat in a (at least) 2 stage paint process.

all base coat is a matt finish and has no gloss properties at all so must be laquerd over that includes metalic, pearl metalflake and so on

 

[jaykay]

fiberglass does need etch primer.along with the ali.
make sure you wash it with panel wipe a few times,as they use a wax releasing agent on moulds.
if you use metalic paint.try to get a gun finish,as it will not take to much buffing be for it shears.( cuts thru to the metal particles in paint and it's ruined.)

 

[Chipper]

1k simply refers to the paint being single pack No activator is needed.
basecoat is exactly what it says its the first coat in a (at least) 2 stage paint process.

Exactly but for instance you hear e.g. "what paints that?" "I used basecoat". or in a paint shop, "d'you want that in 2-pack or basecoat?"

 

[sdh2903]

Again guys thanks for all the replies, and Alfaman you might regret offerring help with the kit car build!!!

I'm gonna get some cellulose solid colour to have a practice with then maybe upto metallic basecoat when i feel a little more competent.

Only problem is my compressor purchase has now fallen through so back to square one!!!

 

[the snooper]

Exactly but for instance you hear e.g. "what paints that?" "I used basecoat". or in a paint shop, "d'you want that in 2-pack or basecoat?"

what you may be confusing there is "do you want that in 2k" ie a solid colour or "basecoat" ie basecoat then 2k laquer.
as an exampe
the white fiat punto uses basecoat and laquer (2 stage paint job)
while ford use straight soild 2k diamond white (single stage paint job)

 

[Alfaman]

Only problem is my compressor purchase has now fallen through so back to square one!!!

Don't worry mate, you won't be doing any spraying in this weather anyway!

 

[Chipper]

what you may be confusing there is "do you want that in 2k" ie a solid colour or "basecoat" ie basecoat then 2k laquer.
as an exampe
the white fiat punto uses basecoat and laquer (2 stage paint job)
while ford use straight soild 2k diamond white (single stage paint job)

No mate, know what you mean but round here and at last paint shop, say you walked in and said "I want so-and-so black" or something, the guys might say "basecoat or 2k?". interchanging it with the real meaning of a part in a staged finish, sort of thing.
No wonder people get confused. Even seen celly called "two pack" on some websites, guess because of the reducer...

 

[sdh2903]

Don't worry mate, you won't be doing any spraying in this weather anyway!

Very true but want to get using my airtools again too, sick of charging my cordless batteries now!!

On more question bit off topic. In a shed / garage enclosed space is a belt drive compressor a Lot quieter than say a v-twin direct drive? I'm just trying to justify the price difference.

 

[pedrobedro]

Any electric tool is a lot quieter than a compressor, uses less power and doesn't freeze up. Just get a compressor big enough for your spraying needs or buy a HVLP turbine set from B&Q and flog your air tools to someone with a big workshop where the air is filtered and the noise is outside.