Who does their own painting?

[evanpdavis]

Hi Folks,

As I am designing my truck project, I am wondering about painting. Who does their own painting and is it possible to get a good paint job with patience and the right tools?

My goal is to do a full frame up restoration and would like to keep the costs down while also learning new skills so I am considering doing my own painting.

Other questions that I need is what is the approximate cost of good paint (and how much do I need)?

Lastly, any recommendations on a good spray gun? I need to make sure I get a compressor that can handle a good spary gun.

Thanks!

Evan

[crazy larry]

Hey. I painted my truck. I will also be the first to say that my first paint job really sucks. but the second one will not suck so hard. I can guarantee that. Unless some freak thing occurs with the paint or something like my compressor crappng out in the middle of primer. (at least it was primer and not bc or cc....)

Like most everything else auto related, the learning curve is kind of expensive. I used PPG Omni paint,

• 1. because of the price
• 2. local shops and others recommendation.
• 3. because of the price.

the most important factor in a good paint job, be it your own shooting or a shops, is the body prep work.
you can do all of the body work in your driveway, and still save a ton at the paint shop and have a bitchin paint job. or you can get down with paint and do it all. i'm a do it all kind of guy myself. might not be the best, but i did it.

spray gun, you can not beat, FOR the PRICE, the harbor freight HVLP spray gun. get two. not because you'll need them, but one for bc/cc, and the other for primer. depending on which paint system you go with, bc/cc is a thinner material, and can spray with a smaller tip, primers are thicker and need a bigger tip.

get a fender or hood and shoot on it. learn how to use your gun well before you go to town on your truck.

i say go for it.

[evanpdavis]

Forgive my ignorance...

What is "bc" and "cc"?

If I do mess up, what is the downside of stripping/sandblasting the paint and start over besides the cost of the paint itself?

Evan

[tcb1969]

I will back up crazylarry on the idea of doing all the bodywork yourself and getting the vehicle in primer and then taking the truck to a pro for painting. You can take it to maaco, peach or even earl schieb and get a pretty nice bc/cc job for 250-400 depending on color. The guys who paint for these companies paint many, many cars. Alot of high end painters only paint one or two cars a month. You can barely buy good quality paint with all the needed chemicals and supplies for what you pay at one of the above places.

Also - you can learn the basics of painting by shooting primer and it's alot more forgiving then the color coat.


Just my 2 cents -

[crazy larry]

bc = base coat
cc = clear coat

the only down side is the work you have into it. work or money for someone else to do the work. I don't know about you, but i rate my hourly rate pretty high, not shop high, but close......

[jor]

I have painted four trucks. Three turned out well but the last one was a disaster. An unexpexed windy condition and the damn Arizona sun did me in. Anyhow, I recommend, as others have, that you do all the body work yourself (priming too if you're brave), buy your own high quality Dupont or other brand paint (base and clear coat) and have a pro shoot it for you in a pro shop. You will have the satisfaction of doing the hard work which is the most important part of the job. Shooting the paint looks easy but a lot can go wrong when you don't know what you're doing.

You'll have to pay about: $50 for a gallon of primer; $200 or so for the base/clear; $30 to $100 for a mask; and lots for sand paper, tack cloths, and so on. The money will seem inconsequential compared to the labor. It will take you many hours of preparation, mostly sanding. It is really a lot of work but worth it. If you intend to do the intererior, you will have the problem of not being able to drive the truck down to a shop without partial reassembly.

Having said all this, if you choose to do your own priming and color, MAKE CERTAIN you get a professional quality breathing aparatus. Modern paint is deadly and its effects are cumulative. Don't mess with it. Good luck.
jor

[MudinMan4x4]

I dont have any adivse but this is what i'm gona do ,gona do all the body work,primer,sanding,wet sanding at my house on my own and then get the paint sprayed by a pro , even though i have a a couple spray guns and can spray perty good but I think i'm gona tak ethe easy road out and if I'm not satisfied with it blame it on the painter but maybe that will change when i get a quote on paint??

['68 FEVER]

what would b the minimum size compressor that one would need for a satisfactory spray set-up? i have a monkey wards 8 gallon-is that enough?

[cobraF100]

Here's the link from the Old WebSite where it was talked about.

NO,your 8Gal. is not big enought,Sorry

http://com3.runboard.com/bthefordificat ... ptools.t16

[jor]

The 8 gallon won't do it. I have a 30 gal. 150 psi which is barely adequate. You need to consider pounds per square inch that the compressor can hold while you are working. For example, if you are spraying at 50 psi, your compressor needs to maintain that at the gun at all times. Also, just as important is cubic feet per minute which is the amount of air the compressor can move. Of course, you need an adequate size tank, probably 30 to 50 gallons. In addition, you'll need a good gun, an at-the-gun regulator and a tank regulator that will maintain the proper pressure.

There is a lot to this painting stuff. The guys doing it for a living are earning their money! Good luck.
jor