DIY quality paint job

[paintman69]

Hey guy, Im a professional automotive refinisher by trade for over 20 years. Yes you can definately paint in your garage... You will need lots of air in reserve in your compressor, and a good exhaust fan. Especially if using solvent basecoats. We use waterborne basecoats in our shop now, and its far better than trying to keep your solvent born metallic basecoats in control to prevent any streaking, and it wont get you stoned outta your mind while doing the job (maybe thats a drawback for some though haha). But seriously, dont waste your time with any solvent born single stage paints. They will not last like a basecoat/clearcoat paintjob. Prepwork is the key before you even attempt to paint your car. Theres nothing worse than spending hours on a job only to find out you used too coarse a sandpaper in the prep and seeing every sandscratch coming through your paintjob. If your not going to seal the car, then a quality wet/dry 600 grit will be fine. Final wipe with a wax/grease remover, then blow and tack and start applying your basecoat. Even strokes medium wet and when each coat flashes off (eggshell) then tack and apply next coat. After letting last coat flash sufficiently, your good to final tack and clear.

There are so many variables in achieving a quality paint job that its hard to write them all down. Im sure ive missed several and appoligise in advance. Good luck, and lets see some pics when your done...
P.S. WEAR A REPIRATOR WHEN PAINTING!!!!

 

[greenmonsta79]

JRdart those bubbles in your rocker area are not from the water evaporating, they are water droplets that got thrown on the car when you drug or moved your air hose around the car and when you painted over the water droplet and it dried that is what the result is from! TRUST ME I DID IT ONCE!! I always wet the floor but after that first time don't DOUSE the floor just get it damp!

 

[JRDART]

My air hose is set up like the water hoses at a carwash..theres a hinged arm on the ceiling that swings out so i couldnt have dragged the air hose around.

 

[mattb1977]

never had that problem, how much water do you leave on the floor? I wet it and sqeegie it .

 

[JRDART]

i dont wet the floor anymore...but when i did that time i actually mopped the floor

 

[jaws]

I never wet the floor when I paint. I make a booth out of painters plastic, and then start blowing everything down, and out the exahst fan. I do this several times. Then mask and paint.

 

[Longgone]

We have a member here Daves66valiant, that did an awesome home paint job on his 66 convertible. You might try searching some of his posts for the details. A few of the key things to remember is that preparation is super important, quality products applied properly will generate good results, and patience is paramount if you want a good job. Best of luck with your paint job. Post pictures when you`re done.

 

[xempirex]

Lots of great pics and advice. Thanks to all for the input

 

[greenmonsta79]

JRDART, Then you either kicked the water on there with your shoes or when you mopped it the mop flung water onto the car, doesnt take much.

 

[JRDART]

Didn't have the car in the garage when I mopped

 

[xempirex]

what size air compressor is being used here? PSI? Gallons?

 

[67Dart273]

"exhaust fan."

You guys would be FAR better of "turning your fan around," so to speak

Use a SUPPLY fan IE a outside air inlet that is HEAVILY FILTERED, through which the fan SUCKS clean filtered air and blows that INTO the booth, then an "open" duct out the top/ side where exhausted air can flow

WHY is this better? Because an INLET (supply) blower can ONLY get it's air through the filters, and because it is keeping a "slight positive" pressure in the booth, dust cannot infiltrate under doors, through cracks in the constrction, etc.

This would be especially important if your garage/ shop is on a dirt alley/ road with some traffic.

 

[zigs]

wow what a joke 4days to do one panel and in the end will peel quickly.... I could have an entire car painted sanded and buffed in less time with much better results...

Not nessesarly true. I watched a guy do the same thing to a 68 Charger. At that time I was looking in to doing my own so I E-mailed him for particulars. He told me that, that video he made was 8 years old and the paint was as good as the day he did it. Its not always how quick we can get something done but the satisfaction of doing it how ever long it take. I've seen some pretty shitty jobs done in a day.

 

[xempirex]

I was actually looking for the compressor for the spray gun.

 

[jhdeval]

Also I forgot to mention. You can probably find someone that rents paint booths in your area. I found one near me i plan on using check craigslist they seem to be on there often

I actually have a VERY simple design for a paint booth. It is not professional but I have put a lot of thought into it. basically. what you are going to do is build a PVC cage wrapped in plastic. I recommend having a dual door entry. IE you will wrap the inner and outer compartments so you don't track dirt in. Use 3+ mil plastic drop cloth and plastic DUCT tape. Not the quack quack but heating and air tape. On the roof use 1 or 2 box fans to pull the air out be sure to NOT throw the plastic away as you will use that as a cover over the fans.

Now everyone laugh but my thought on this was A you are talking like 50-60 dollars worth of parts and B a clean environment as large as you may need.

 

[xempirex]

I actually have a VERY simple design for a paint booth. It is not professional but I have put a lot of thought into it. basically. what you are going to do is build a PVC cage wrapped in plastic. I recommend having a dual door entry. IE you will wrap the inner and outer compartments so you don't track dirt in. Use 3+ mil plastic drop cloth and plastic DUCT tape. Not the quack quack but heating and air tape. On the roof use 1 or 2 box fans to pull the air out be sure to NOT throw the plastic away as you will use that as a cover over the fans.

Now everyone laugh but my thought on this was A you are talking like 50-60 dollars worth of parts and B a clean environment as large as you may need.

Excellent Idea

 

[75Sport]

My son is a painter..mostly motorcycle and BMX bikes but he has done bigger stuff.
And he did them outside.
There was a little bit of dirt in the paint but he sanded it out and spotted it in before he laid on the clear.
He is really good and takes his time.

My Shaker Hood

His Girlfriend's Camaro

Your son has talent!!!

 

[67Dart440GT]

I used water on the floor in a crossflow booth for almost ten years. I didn't just damp it down I hosed the hell out of it, including the walls. Never once an issue with water on the car. I would also open the booth and re wet the floor before clear because of the airflow the floors would dry out.

 

[grimreaper]

Get a LOT of light on the subject too..I don't think you can have too much. You can't paint it well if you can't see it!!

 

[prrc]

We are ask to do this 2 or 3 times a year, we provide the booth and the painter(Me) and charge 500 to spray your car.

Also I forgot to mention. You can probably find someone that rents paint booths in your area. I found one near me i plan on using check craigslist they seem to be on there often

 

[Badart]

All of these were done by me in my garage.

 

[340plot]

inside a garage? how bout picking a day that there is a light 10 mph wind day, with temp around 70-75.
here is a car i just painted in my side yard, outside!. let me tell you, there is no dust or forien material in the paint. paid 1500 for car, 100.00 for paint and 300 into engine rebuild. car is up to 5,600.00 on ebag right now color is candy apple red, and it was urethane enamal

i have found it is easier to paint outside, so you get natural light on all parts of car, so you see your work evenly, as you spray, and also, in a garage, even if you wet the floor, you still have to worry bout all the other dust in 80% of the garage that still gets kicked up.
if you look at some of the other cars i have sold on here, they also have been done outside, with great results

 

[erobbins]

Just a bit more info. I also painted some parts of my car outside, but the bulk of painting was done in the garage. My color is banana yellow. Bugs love it! It was impossible to keep them away from the paint outside, and trust me, every one of them shows up like a sore thumb in yellow. Had great luck inside the garage. Plastic covered all the walls, kept the floor wet, and sealed around a box fan in the entry door. No bugs, very few dirt nibs.. Base, clear.. turned out very nice.

 

[Badart]

inside a garage? how bout picking a day that there is a light 10 mph wind day, with temp around 70-75.
here is a car i just painted in my side yard, outside!. let me tell you, there is no dust or forien material in the paint.

You must live in an area with no bugs, dust, lint or dirt. Now I have heard it all.

paid 1500 for car, 100.00 for paint and 300 into engine rebuild. car is up to 5,600.00 on ebag right now color is candy apple red, and it was urethane enamal

My guess is that someone will be a little upset when they see the finish up close. Did you include in the ebay auction "was painted outside on a warm sunny day"? LOL

i have found it is easier to paint outside, so you get natural light on all parts of car, so you see your work evenly, as you spray, and also, in a garage, even if you wet the floor, you still have to worry bout all the other dust in 80% of the garage that still gets kicked up.
if you look at some of the other cars i have sold on here, they also have been done outside, with great results

How about you invest in some good lighting, plastic, a heater and good ventilation unit?

There are good garage paint jobs and then there are paint jobs. I would not recommend painting your car outside in the sun to get "natural light" LOL.

 

[340plot]

what are you a jerk-off? did you read what i wrote? there is no bugs or dust in the paint. about the light. the sun is still the best light to see your work. you can disagree, but, who cares?

please do not come at me like this because i called you a snitch on another thread of yours!. pm me your problem. p.c tough-guy