*Painting in Cold Weather*

[Smoke Wagon]

48 minutes ago, Zippi said:

the Rust-Oleum 2X primer really takes a couple days before it's really cured. Probably a day or two longer in colder weather.  Sorry it did turn out better for you man. 

Thank you for the info, I think that might be what did it. I only let the primer set for a day before I started shooting color. At least I’m getting my money’s worth out of that tub of super clean 

[Zippi]

2 minutes ago, Smoke Wagon said:

Thank you for the info, I think that might be what did it. I only let the primer set for a day before I started shooting color. At least I’m getting my money’s worth out of that tub of super clean 

Haha...I know what you mean.  Back when I was doing all my airbrush testing I went through a lot of different elixirs and settled in on the Purple Pond.  That stuff is rough on your hands if you don't wear gloves.  

[Zippi]

43 minutes ago, David G. said:

Thanks for the update Bob. Although it doesn't often get that cold in Phoenix, I have painted outdoors when it was in the low 50's. Like I said, warm paint, warm surface, no problem.

I'm glad yours worked out for you.

David G.

Thanks Dave.  Yeah I think the key was warming everything up.  I may do some testing in the dead of winter and see what happens.  

[Smoke Wagon]

4 minutes ago, Zippi said:

Haha...I know what you mean.  Back when I was doing all my airbrush testing I went through a lot of different elixirs and settled in on the Purple Pond.  That stuff is rough on your hands if you don't wear gloves.  

No kidding, I came home tired one night and decided to clean some parts, forgot gloves and dove both my hands in that lagoon. After only a few seconds of scrubbing my hands got tingly. Needless to say my skin didn’t appreciate that all too much.

[Zippi]

11 hours ago, Smoke Wagon said:

No kidding, I came home tired one night and decided to clean some parts, forgot gloves and dove both my hands in that lagoon. After only a few seconds of scrubbing my hands got tingly. Needless to say my skin didn’t appreciate that all too much.

Yeah..my fingers gets wrinkled up and get really slick.

[bill-e-boy]

Zippi

I paint in the garage and have used a light box for years. I paint any time of the year and warm the model and paint in the hot box before painting. It does not get as cold here - 6-8deg C - but I do not have any issues. In fact the light box was a game changer as it does more than warm the paint. It cures the paint quicker than leaving it in ambient air temps. The most important is it decreases the chances of BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH getting into the paint finish

I recently got around to building a spray booth and incorporated the hot box which is under the booth. I put it on wheels so that I can move it about the workshop and stash it when not needed. The filter is a unit I changed from a air exchange unit in the house. I use throw away wrags that come on a roll as a sacrificial pre filter. The main body of the spray booth is particle board (we call customwood down here) and was titivated with a coat of white paint. I also recessed an LED light into the roof for lighting. I also made up a drawer so that I can stash my airbrushes, cleaning gear, empty bottles and BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH associated with painting.

The other good thing about a booth is you do not get all the fumes in your face and lungs

The booth has worked fine but I find I still take up space on the bench with paint prep etc

 

 

I am sure with your abilities you could coble one together - I just procrastinated as I have had the parts for ages

Cheers

Bill-e-boy

[Zippi]

2 hours ago, bill-e-boy said:

Zippi

I paint in the garage and have used a light box for years. I paint any time of the year and warm the model and paint in the hot box before painting. It does not get as cold here - 6-8deg C - but I do not have any issues. In fact the light box was a game changer as it does more than warm the paint. It cures the paint quicker than leaving it in ambient air temps. The most important is it decreases the chances of BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH getting into the paint finish

I recently got around to building a spray booth and incorporated the hot box which is under the booth. I put it on wheels so that I can move it about the workshop and stash it when not needed. The filter is a unit I changed from a air exchange unit in the house. I use throw away wrags that come on a roll as a sacrificial pre filter. The main body of the spray booth is particle board (we call customwood down here) and was titivated with a coat of white paint. I also recessed an LED light into the roof for lighting. I also made up a drawer so that I can stash my airbrushes, cleaning gear, empty bottles and BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH associated with painting.

The other good thing about a booth is you do not get all the fumes in your face and lungs

The booth has worked fine but I find I still take up space on the bench with paint prep etc

 

 

I am sure with your abilities you could coble one together - I just procrastinated as I have had the parts for ages

Cheers

Bill-e-boy

Thanks for the info Bill-e-boy.  You have a nice setup.  I have a 2  1/2 car garage and keep it pretty nice do to the back that I keep my 49 Chevy pickup.  Its a driver but more of a show truck so I can't take the risk of any over spray getting on the finish.  Ill just have to deal with it but thanks for the info.

[bill-e-boy]

Yup I hear you. Mines a 56 Dodge, its a driver, tidy but not a show car. Sometimes I just have to suck it and back it out in the cold and wet to get work done in the garage.

 

 

[Dave G.]

With a decent booth I don't see how over spray would ever reach the first bay never mind the second bay in a garage. If that were the case spray booths would be useless inside a house.

[Zippi]

Ok fella's.  It got to 60 degrees and the humidity was at 59%.  Did a little paint testing with Testors paint.  When I tried this some months back it did not go well.  Using my Paasche H airbrush, Klean Strip Lacquer thinner, Testors red paint in the small bottle.  Air pressure was set to 28-32 psi.  I am so pleased with how this test turned out that this is my new paint process.   

Edited November 10, 2021 by Zippi

[Dave G.]

1 hour ago, Zippi said:

Ok fella's.  It got to 60 degrees and the humidity was at 59%.  Did a little paint testing with Testors paint.  When I tried this some months back it did not go well.  Using my Paasche H airbrush, Klean Strip Lacquer thinner, Testors red paint in the small bottle.  Air pressure was set to 28-32 psi.  I am so pleased with how this test turned out that this is my new paint process.   

You're catching on.

[Zippi]

21 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

You're catching on.

Well....I'm gittin there I guess.

[Smoke Wagon]

Looks great! 

[Zippi]

1 hour ago, Smoke Wagon said:

Looks great! 

Thanks Riley.

Edited November 11, 2021 by Zippi

[Dave G.]

13 hours ago, Zippi said:

Well....I'm gittin there I guess.

Ya, busy day yesterday. I should have clarified that you're catching on to the almost effortless magic of enamel. The harder we work at it the more we screw it up, when it's actually a simple system.

[Zippi]

54 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

Ya, busy day yesterday. I should have clarified that you're catching on to the almost effortless magic of enamel. The harder we work at it the more we screw it up, when it's actually a simple system.

I know what you mean Dave.  I'm now thinking...Did I get enough paint on, do I clear it, wet sand and polish, or just polish.  What's your experience with it?  

[Zippi]

5 hours ago, Dave G. said:

Ya, busy day yesterday. I should have clarified that you're catching on to the almost effortless magic of enamel. The harder we work at it the more we screw it up, when it's actually a simple system.

Say Dave....what's the cure time on the Testors enamel paint after airbrushing it before you can do anything with it?

[TransAmMike]

Under the catagory of things that make you go hmmmmmm😀  I had a thought....I find it interesting that you can't spray lacquer paint over enamel but you can mix lacquer thinner into enamel paint. 🤔

[Dave G.]

31 minutes ago, Zippi said:

Say Dave....what's the cure time on the Testors enamel paint after airbrushing it before you can do anything with it?

Ah, the hitch in the works lol ! Think days to weeks unless you have a dehydrator to push that up to hours.

[Zippi]

8 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

Ah, the hitch in the works lol ! Think days to weeks unless you have a dehydrator to push that up to hours.

Dang-it.  I find something that seems to work good and now not so good.  Well....I always do try and paint the bodies first thing before I start a build so maybe I'm good after all or buy a dehydrator.  How much for a cheapo??? 

[Dave G.]

5 hours ago, Zippi said:

I know what you mean Dave.  I'm now thinking...Did I get enough paint on, do I clear it, wet sand and polish, or just polish.  What's your experience with it?  

If need be I polish enamel, often to my eyes it doesn't need that.. I've only ever clear coated if over decals. I have used the candy clears over gold or silver metallic. But people do sand and polish it, most notable among them is Donn Yost. He's a long term contest builder and winner using enamels.

[Zippi]

30 minutes ago, TransAmMike said:

Under the catagory of things that make you go hmmmmmm😀  I had a thought....I find it interesting that you can't spray lacquer paint over enamel but you can mix lacquer thinner into enamel paint. 🤔

Isn't that strange.  Well....I do know from experience that you can spray Tamiya TS-13 which is a synthetic lacquer over enamel because I've done it by mistake one time but had no reaction.  

[Dave G.]

18 minutes ago, Zippi said:

Dang-it.  I find something that seems to work good and now not so good.  Well....I always do try and paint the bodies first thing before I start a build so maybe I'm good after all or buy a dehydrator.  How much for a cheapo??? 

Not too bad for a dedicated food dehydrator, cut the racks to fit parts. Just make sure it has temp control. One guy over in FSM forums made one from a box, put a computer fan in it and a light bulb. All he shoots is enamels. I shoot everything, poly acryl, acrylic, lacquer, enamel, acrylic craft paint. I just use the kitchen air fryer that has a setting for dehydrate. I give enamels a 2-3 hour bump in the cure time, that way in a couple days can move on to building but you can handle without finger prints the same day.. Full cure is more like 6-10 hours but certainly by overnight, 108- 110f.

Edit: here's one, think Walmart has something similar: https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjM95KF6JD0AhWnbW8EHbXTDFQYABASGgJqZg&sig=AOD64_2y05Us7P9th2XYx8rK971ZuEnUpw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjf4IaF6JD0AhX7mWoFHRO-BVoQ9aACegQIARBE&adurl=

Edited November 11, 2021 by Dave G.

[Zippi]

8 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

Not too bad for a dedicated food dehydrator, cut the racks to fit parts. Just make sure it has temp control. One guy over in FSM forums made one from a box, put a computer fan in it and a light bulb. All he shoots is enamels. I shoot everything, poly acryl, acrylic, lacquer, enamel, acrylic craft paint. I just use the kitchen air fryer that has a setting for dehydrate. I give enamels a 2-3 hour bump in the cure time, that way in a couple days can move on to building but you can handle without finger prints the same day.. Full cure is more like 6-10 hours but certainly by overnight, 108- 110f.

Ok....here's my "poor mans' dehydrator ☺☺☺  

[Mr. Metallic]

24 minutes ago, Zippi said:

  How much for a cheapo??? 

A cheap new one should run about $30 plus another $5 for an oven thermometer (if the unit you buy doesn't have it's own thermostat. 

I would check 2nd hand and thrift stores for a used one to save more money, but it may take some waiting to actually find one.

I think there's a pretty extensive topic dedicated to dehydrators somewhere here on the board.

edit- found it- 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by Mr. Metallic