Help me spray on a budget!

[hooblah]

I'm looking to spray a vehicle or two on the cheap. I'm looking for products that are the cheapest available, but of reasonable quality.

I have a suitable compressor, air line and a gun. Oh and a face mask. just need the rest to get up and running:

Water separator
Gun pressure gauge
Paint
Filters
Thinners
Mixing cups
Wax and grease remover (do I need this or can I use something I already have?)
Gun wash
Anything else you can think to add to the list.

Is it ok to get everything off ebay for the lowest price? Are there things I should avoid? Are there things I should not skimp on?

Thanks for the help!

 

[RonA]

I’m by far no expert(I have sprayed a couple of cars & minor repairs) & I have most of the gear you describe but your gear (& mine) is geared to spray celloulose paints. Whilst celloulose paint is I believe still technically available, its becoming harder to source.
The world has moved on & more modern paints are effectively like epoxy resins with a paint & hardener albeit highly toxic requiring full respitatory protection with a compressor delivering clean oil free air.
The alternative is water based paints but as I have mo experience of these perhaps somebody else could chip in. They may be less demanding safety wise.
RonA

 

[steveo3002]

waterbased is typically just the basecoat so still onvolves using 2k clear

i tend to find ebay is pretty good unless you happen to live near a decent factors , sometimes autojumbes might be a quid cheaper but then you pay to get in

missed tack cloths off the list...and dont skimp with cheap tape , 3m is good

 

[postie jon]

what are you specifically painting and what type of finish are you after ,if its a quick flashover and not worth much try synthetic enamel coach finish ideal for vans and low value vehicles.

 

[hooblah]

I'm intending to paint a transit. It needs a quick blowover, nothing special.

 

[graffian]

I'm intending to paint a transit. It needs a quick blowover, nothing special.

Wash it and flat it with a wet scotch brite.
When it's really dry mask it.
Clean it with transport thinners or panel wipe.
Spray it with a few coats of a synthetic paint.

 

[steveo3002]

^ yeah...red scotch pad with hot soap water , sand paper any scratches etc

rustoleum combi sprays okay...if you want a cheap tart up

 

[ukracer]

I’m by far no expert(I have sprayed a couple of cars & minor repairs) & I have most of the gear you describe but your gear (& mine) is geared to spray celloulose paints. Whilst celloulose paint is I believe still technically available, its becoming harder to source.
The world has moved on & more modern paints are effectively like epoxy resins with a paint & hardener albeit highly toxic requiring full respitatory protection with a compressor delivering clean oil free air.
The alternative is water based paints but as I have mo experience of these perhaps somebody else could chip in. They may be less demanding safety wise.
RonA

I am no way an expert but 90% of painting is prep work. So take your time.

I did like the comment about the world "moving on" and now requiring full respiraratory equipment to put some paint on metal...lol

 

[ukracer]

I'm intending to paint a transit. It needs a quick blowover, nothing special.

Ignore my comment then

 

[RonA]

I am no way an expert but 90% of painting is prep work. So take your time.

I did like the comment about the world "moving on" and now requiring full respiraratory equipment to put some paint on metal...lol

Presume you're penning your reply from the COPD ward.
RonA

 

[RonA]

This might prove useful https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/paint-safety.htm
RonA

 

[hooblah]

Thanks for the responses. I've done a few body repairs so should I be primering it first or is it safe to go straight to metal/body filler?

How many litres of paint would I need for a transit?

The cheapest cellulose I found is this:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/172918095013

It says to mix with anti bloom thinners. What is bloom? What's the difference between that and standard thinners? Will it make much difference if I just use standard thinners?

Other than that, there's rustoleum. They do a 2.5l tin of PU floor paint for £23.19, which is slightly cheaper than combicolor. Would that be suitable? I know they paint cars in polyurethane...
Rustoleum probably works out cheaper if I need more than 2 litres of paint.

Thanks for the h+s advice, though I'm not doing 2k so won't be needing an air fed mask. I'll be painting outside, albeit in a tent.

 

[steveo3002]

bloom is when paint goes cloudy /dull in cold damp conditions

never tried the floor paint..combi works ok

as for repairs, how good do you want it , a smoothish repair can be painted over with a dusting of etch primer , or if you want it nicer then etch and high build primer , then block sand until its nice

id want 4-5 ltrs of ready to go paint for 2-3 coats ..depends what colour , good coverage maybe less

 

[8ob]

Other than that, there's rustoleum. They do a 2.5l tin of PU floor paint for £23.19, which is slightly cheaper than combicolor. Would that be suitable? I know they paint cars in polyurethane...
Rustoleum probably works out cheaper if I need more than 2 litres of paint.

Thanks for the h+s advice, though I'm not doing 2k so won't be needing an air fed mask. I'll be painting outside, albeit in a tent.

@graffian `s suggestion of using synthetic is your best bet. It stays wet just long enough to get around the whole vehicle without coming to a dust line, it will also polish with a leccy mop and water to get rid of any imperfections. We use it on the trucks and plant but I would not cheap out on it, go for a decent brand and you will use a lot less of it. The cheap gear seems to be lacking in pigment and gives poor coverage.

Bob

 

[bert]

I'm in the process of painting a Mini after fixing some rust. After filling and sanding The car got a coat of etch, then 4 coats of primer. This then got blocked so it was smooth. If any metal showed it would have got another coat of primer. It then got 3 coats of black base coat then 3 coats of colour. Then final 3 coats of clear.

All done with a very old cheap spray gun but in a propper booth and baked.

Make sure your paint, hardener and thinners are all from the same manufacturer. I use mipa and deltron at work and don't mix them.

 

[Burdekin]

For a transit and if you want something that’s isocyanate free then this would do you: https://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/topcoats/two-pack/hardtop_ca

 

[hooblah]

Thanks. It's probably worth going for rustoleum combicolor in that case. Do I mix it 1:1 with thinner?

I won't be going to extreme lengths with flatting primer. I want to knock it out as quick as possible with a reasonable finish.

But if I'm going with rustoleum, will it be quicker and cheaper to just roller it?

 

[steveo3002]

i wouldnt roller if you have the facilitys to spray

combi is typicly 10-20% white sprit

the synthetic suggestion isnt bad...prob the cheapest way to paint something if youre not too fussy

 

[hooblah]

So this is the cheapest synthetic paint:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/172909454013

I've read 2.5l should be enough for a transit.

8ob - how much difference does it make going with a quality brand rather than the cheapest stuff? I'm going with white over white, so hopefully 2.5l will be enough.

 

[8ob]

So this is the cheapest synthetic paint:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/172909454013

I've read 2.5l should be enough for a transit.

8ob - how much difference does it make going with a quality brand rather than the cheapest stuff? I'm going with white over white, so hopefully 2.5l will be enough.

Probably OK with white on white, I would add paper overalls with a hood to your list and unless spraying inside in the warm use this thinners https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Comm...h=item5ad2978b04:g:M24AAOSwo4pYIdFZ:rk:1:pf:0

Bob