Paint

[dirifto240]

Hi everyone!! So first off Id like to say Im a newbie here and love what you guys are doing. Ive seen that someone has already posted on paint, but my question is different I guess. In the past Iv had my buddy at a bodyshop paint all of my cars. Well he dosnt work there anymore and Id like to be able to paint my cars like he did. Where should I start? I dont have a compressor or gun, also I live in the an apt. so not to much room to paint.

Well any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

JP

[diymirage]

Hi everyone!! So first off Id like to say Im a newbie here and love what you guys are doing. Ive seen that someone has already posted on paint, but my question is different I guess. In the past Iv had my buddy at a bodyshop paint all of my cars. Well he dosnt work there anymore and Id like to be able to paint my cars like he did. Where should I start? I dont have a compressor or gun, also I live in the an apt. so not to much room to paint.

Well any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

JP

rattle cans is always a place to start

i personally aply primer and clearcoat by rattle can , but the base by airbrush

but if you do not want to spend the money (yet) on a compressor and airbrush rattlecans will make a decent start

but even with a rattle can i would suggest finding an area to paint where overspray wont hurt anything (i use my garage or basement)

[dirifto240]

Right on thanks! Ive tried some rattle cans but I cant seem to get that "REAL" car look from them. Should I wet sand or anything before clearcoat or after clear?

[Harry P.]

Right on thanks! Ive tried some rattle cans but I cant seem to get that "REAL" car look from them.

Try using "real car" paint! Go to any auto parts store and check out the Duplicolor display. Duplicolor paints work great on models, and they also make a clear topcoat. The cans have a nice smooth spray pattern. Try a can...you'll like it!

[MikeMc]

Quick lesson ....TAKE YOUR TIME......

Paint is 90% prep work (note work not fun )....then putting on color is a breeze.

First lesson is learn from others...READ...everything you can find. 1:1 or model, it is all the same jobs...just a diff in size!

look up the paint "masters" Mike Learn, Mike LaVallie, JoAnn Bortles,Bob Downie.......all have great airbrushing books

and are a great source for special jobs.

But just as in real estate there are 3 words that sum it up:

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!!

now go have some fun!!!!!!!

[dirifto240]

Thanks so much so far for all of the input. Im going to go ahead and look at some of the duplicolor paint today, and try and look those books up

[diymirage]

Right on thanks! Ive tried some rattle cans but I cant seem to get that "REAL" car look from them. Should I wet sand or anything before clearcoat or after clear?

depending on the paint i would say yes and yes

you want a nice shine (sheen, whatever) and the best pay to achieve that is by getting a smooth surface

so you want to wetsand before primer (not per se needed depending on how good the body is)

after primer

after base coat

and finally, after clearcoat

specially when you use metallic paints it will look a lot better if you wetsand it before aplying the clearcoat

make sure you give the paint a few days to cure before you sand it.

i always do my sanding in the shower, plenty of nice hot water and im there 2 times a week anyway

(im totally kidding, i shower daily )

other then that, it has all been said before

duplicolor is definatly my favorite paint

im building a 74 plymouth which got a duplicolor gunmetal job

i still need to detail paint it and clearcoat it but so far im loving the way it looks

and practice

if i were to ask my wife to arange my cars in order from lousy to good i can garantue you she will put them in order from oldest to newest

you just get better at it every time you do it

[evilone]

what these guys are sayin is completely true

heres what i have

i have: krylon metallics and some glosses,duplicolor metalspecks silver(used for my flaked out lowrider paint jobs),duplicolor acrylic laqure clear (gives it that wet look)

as for my paint area

i have: boxes that you can get from costco,and a cloths hanging rack from walmart

as for airbrush

i have: a paaschae starter kit and compressor

airbrush paint: three simple letters H.O.K

odds and ends

laqure thinner,dixie cups,mixing jars,and a ceramic bowl for soaking my airbrush parts when im done using it

now my suggestion if you want to do a 1:1 get the duplicolor toutch up pens

find a way to get the paint out of the pens and shoot it with a airbrush

if and when you get an airbrush dont get the cheap ones

my starter kit hit $30.00 and my compressor hit $150.00

if you get the cheap ones expect a sh@#ty out come

hope this helps bro

[diymirage]

compressor and airbrush are great tools but you can do a good (good not per definition great) job with rattle cans

i used to have a badger airbrush which back then was well over 150 bucks but i gave that to my cousin when i moved (long story)

when i picked the hobby back up i bought a cheap airbrush at menards, not persay build for model kits but it gets the job done

i think it might have been only 25 bucks

it is a single action, so nothing fancy but i would suggest it as a good starter gun

as for my aircompressor, i use my garage compressor i also run my 1:1 airtools on

just make sure it has a watertrap

but i would suggest starting wiht rattle cans, get the hang of it and just work your way up

[dirifto240]

Thank you all for the great ideas!! I ended up deciding to just take a 57 cameo pickup and choppin the top. Im in the semi final stages of that now. Ill try and post pics soon. But as for my wet sand what grit should I use?