More Paint Tips Sought

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
1,582
Reaction score
8
Location
SoCal
My Car
73 Mustang Convertible
Born an I-6, spent the teenage, 20 and 30 years as a 302, but at 40 will reach full potential as a 351C.
Previously, by an informal tally of 5 to 1, I was told I could get a quality paint finish out of a can.

I have taken the tips to heart, and begun testing the techniques on a

Timing Pointer

Engine Stand

Engine Lift Hooks

Results are mediocre at best. My review of the following paints:

Rustoleum 2X Coverage Paint. Sucks. Only use if you want to cover item, not if you care about finish. Simply appears to spray out more paint in a given time.

Rustoleum Gloss Enamel Paint. Stays sticky to the touch forever. Good coverage, decent finish.

Duplicolor Gloss Enamel. Stays sticky to the touch forever.

Rustoleum Primer. Good application

Rustoleum FILLER Primer. Very good application. Seems to fill in small imperfections very well.

Additional questions:

1. With each PASS of the spray paint, how much paint coverage should I have?

For example, if I were to take a BLANK piece of sheet metal and make a pass of the paint can, how wide of a stripe should I have and how much coverage should I have from the center out?

2. Should my first coat have 100% coverage of the part?

3. What is the best way to fill in CHIPS TO THE PAINT? For example, in preparing my paint stand, during sanding, some of the paint just came right off of the stand. I certainly am not going to take the whole stand done to bare metal. But how would I fill in the large chip?

 
Drying times for spray paints have gotten longer as the paint manufacturers have had to reduce the organic volatiles, so not much lacquer spray available anymore. Duplicolor says 30 minutes to touch, Krylon says 5 minutes, but not nearly the color choice that Duplicolor has.

The first pass stripe will probably be around 5 or 6 inches wide.

Even with an overlap on successive passes you probably won't, or shouldn't, get more than 75% or so coverage. At 100% you risk getting runs. Just make sure you add the additional coats within the recommended time.

For small chips I clean the chipped out spot along with loose paint around the edges and try to get the gloss off the metal so the paint will stick, ahve even used coarse pencil erasers. Use a small paint brush or even a toothpick to cover the metal with a couple of coats of primer, and then fill the rest of the chip in until it's at or a little above the surface of the surrounding paint, then all that's left is a little sanding and polishing...

 
Molulecular adhesion of one pigmented chemical product to another disimular pigment chemical product is typically dependent on preperation of the distressed paint surface. If your insensate enough to not realize that this is withought a doubt the most decisive aspect of of the outcome you seek. PAY A GOOD PAINTER!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Molulecular adhesion of one pigmented chemical product to another disimular pigment chemical product is typically dependent on preperation of the distressed paint surface. If your insensate enough to not realize that this is withought a doubt the most decisive aspect of of the outcome you seek. PAY A GOOD PAINTER!
:huh:

 
Drying times for spray paints have gotten longer as the paint manufacturers have had to reduce the organic volatiles, so not much lacquer spray available anymore. Duplicolor says 30 minutes to touch, Krylon says 5 minutes, but not nearly the color choice that Duplicolor has.

The first pass stripe will probably be around 5 or 6 inches wide.

Even with an overlap on successive passes you probably won't, or shouldn't, get more than 75% or so coverage. At 100% you risk getting runs. Just make sure you add the additional coats within the recommended time.

For small chips I clean the chipped out spot along with loose paint around the edges and try to get the gloss off the metal so the paint will stick, ahve even used coarse pencil erasers. Use a small paint brush or even a toothpick to cover the metal with a couple of coats of primer, and then fill the rest of the chip in until it's at or a little above the surface of the surrounding paint, then all that's left is a little sanding and polishing...
You paint guys know some stuff. Me, I intend to stick with what I know I do well and leave the art to the artists like you. After all. A winning car should look as well as it runs. IMHO

 
Couple of other questions:

If I have a sharp Edge, like a square tube, should I paint the perpendicular to the edges first with a couple of coats?

If my piece has a "cave" or a deep divot, do I paint this first and maybe mask it?

I have taken the tips to heart, and begun testing the techniques on a

Timing Pointer- Paint not stickinig, paint cloudy.

Rustoleum Primer

Duplicolor Dark Ford Blue Engine Enamel

Engine Stand- Paint not sticking, soft after 36 hours of trying, paint cloudy.

Rustoleum Primer

Rustoleaum Enamel Orange

Engine Lift Hooks- Way too much pitting

Rustoleum Fill Primer 6 coats. Softend but did not eliminate pitting.

Duplicolor Dark Ford Blue Engine Enamel

I also have some frame crossmembers from another vehicle that I am painting as well.

Engine Crossmember pieces:

Strip with paint wheel.

Sand with 80.

Wipe with tack

Wipe with paint thinner

Rustoleum Primer Filler. Did not fill scratches from 80 grit sandpaper..

Rustoleum Gloss Black Engine Enamal

Quality of Rustoleum Gloss Black Engine Enamel, Paint is okay, the button is extremely hard to hold down, the paint can does not provide an even spray, sputtering intermittently. Does not lay flat.

I am sanding/stripping these pieces and starting again.
 
It sounds like your final coats are too light / dry. You want a good gloss on your final coats.

When spraying a final coat, I can get a good gloss at the center of the spray pattern. But 1-2 inches out from the center, the finish is dull. So, when spraying back and forth, I just get lines of dull finish.

The primer filler paint, I appear to get a nice even finish. When I try to lay down the gloss enamel, that is a problem.

Current technique is:

1. Apply a coat to the edges.

2. Apply a 50-70% coat to the remainder.

3. Wait per the can, can't remember if it is 10 minutes.

4. Apply a 50-70% coat, which leaves me some patches here and there.

5. Wait 10 minutes.

6. Final coat.

 
On my seat frames (which can't be seen anyway, I know) I used the Rustoleum Stops Rust primer (2 coats) and Rustoleum Stops Rust black enamel (2 coats). Looks awesome, no dull spots at all. I overlapped about 50% or so, and didn't overthink it. Shame that they'll be covered. I'll download pics when I get a chance.

 
I am painting items that will be under the hood, so I am playing with the high temperature engine paint.

But, if these engine stands continue to look and feel like crap, I will strip them and start over for practice.

 
When spraying a final coat, I can get a good gloss at the center of the spray pattern. But 1-2 inches out from the center, the finish is dull. So, when spraying back and forth, I just get lines of dull finish.

The primer filler paint, I appear to get a nice even finish. When I try to lay down the gloss enamel, that is a problem.

Current technique is:

1. Apply a coat to the edges.

2. Apply a 50-70% coat to the remainder.

3. Wait per the can, can't remember if it is 10 minutes.

4. Apply a 50-70% coat, which leaves me some patches here and there.

5. Wait 10 minutes.

6. Final coat.
Make your passes closer together, so the "glossy line" overlaps your last glossy line by 50%.

 
I am not getting what appears to be better coverage, but not necessarily a better finish.

For the first time, when spraying, I was able to notice a nice "leading edge" of smooth, silky paint. I just tried to follow this leading edge and used it as a guage of whether I was spraying, too close, too far, or too fast.

My finish does have very good coverage, and initially appeared very smooth, but then went to a satinish type of finish...no orange peel at all. I also did a light sanding with 220 grit sand paper on the primer finish, and the sanding marks are apparent in the paint.

I have learned the following in going through 12 cans of spray paint, contributing about 6 pounds of aerosol to our 1E20 pounds atmosphere

(please let me know if these are good or not):

0. LOOK FOR THE LEADING EDGE, kind of a wave of paint. Keep it moving and keep it sized consistently.

1. It is better to start TOO FAR from the object being painted and slow down the paint stroke to build up a nice even film of paint. I would say my biggest issue is having too fast of a stroke(insert punch line here).

2. Fight the urge to release the spray can button when you screw up mid spray. Instead, move the spray can away from the object, then release the spray button.

3. After 60 hours of drying in the dry 60 degree California air, the paint is still SOFT. I don't know how you can handle anything within 4 days of spraying.

4. You never have enough sand paper of the proper grit.

 
Get a halogen spotlight bulb and set it in a fixture 5-6 feet away from what you painted. It will warm it enough to help with complete drying.

Wait longer between coats. Instructions assume a specific temperature and humidity level that you are not experiencing.

Keep the can 8 inches away from the items and overlap just enough that the satin looking portion of the prior pass is the target for the trailing edge of the new pass. I know that is not the clearest explanation, but think of it this way. If you paint a single pass the center will be glossy and the edges will be feathered out to satin looking then nothing. With some tips you will need 30% overlap and with others you may need more or less.

Prep work is paramount If you want a glossy smooth finish you must prep with a finer grain of sandpaper. Anything coarser than 400 will leave sanding marks showing thru the paint. I use even finer paper, not to get a perfect exterior grade finish, but to not have to lay on extra layers. Thick paint flakes and fails more than thin uniform layers.

Paint will not fill much in the way of a defect and if you manage to get enough layers to fill the defect, the paint will likely flake off.

There are two main types of primer 1) primer filler, which goes on thick and fills defects, and 2) Primer sealer which is harder and really is meant to be used just before the final coat. Primer sealer needs only a fine sanding to prep it.

For engine parts I use neither, just good metal prep, acetone degreasing, thin coats of high temp duplicolor engine enamel and a heat lamp to warm the parts before spraying and after to help speed and complete drying.

You might also consider that you can get your parts powder coated for a durable and thicker/shinyer finish.

 
Back
Top