tips on painting?

[Disturbed_vegeta]

hey again...ive just recently sourced a ss front skirt for the statesman and it needed to be painted so over the weekend some mates and i started to get to work so far ive sanded all the scratches back and got it all smoothed out and then we primed it all up (4 coats) and now we've sanded it back with some 1500 wetn dry to make it all smooth and smick. now im at the painting stage and am not 100% sure to go about it...a mate of mine said we gotta spray 3 coats then sand it smooth then on goes the clear but im not really sure coz he doesnt have much experince in this kinda thing also i'd rather be safe than sorry(dont wanna sand it all back to the begining and start over again considering how much it has cost me to buy the paints etc). so any advise would really help...btw i still have to get a spray gun..My dads one died on me lol. so any tips on which one of those to get would also help.
cheers!

[vt1538]

It its a metallic color DO NOT SAND the basecoat. Apply enough coats to get an even base & apply the clear once the basecoat is tacky. A solid color can be left to dry & then rubbed with a scotchbrite pad or similar but the best way is the same as metallic.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Sand it with 400 wet n dry first though, 1500 is too smooth, the paint won't stick to it and it will start to peel not long after it is painted.

[Disturbed_vegeta]

so i gotta sand the primer with 400...im pretty sure its metallic being its the grey thats part of my 2tone.

[DannyboyDS]

Originally Posted by Not_An_Abba_Fan

Sand it with 400 wet n dry first though, 1500 is too smooth, the paint won't stick to it and it will start to peel not long after it is painted.

thanks abbafan, I was going to say, 400 to 600 is the most you would want to do.

this friend of yours sounds like he/she is talking about acrylic paint, what are you using, two pack or acrylic?

Acrylic will need to be color sanded (just means sand it after the basecoat) but that would smooth off your metallic flakes

this is why my mate (A panel beater) is doing the thinking/painting for me.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The primer needs to be sanded with a maximum of 400, the paint has to stick to something. Do not sand metallic colour coats. If you need to, sand the clear coat and buff it. The better the finish off the gun on your clear coat, the less elbow grease needed to bring it up to a high gloss.

[Disturbed_vegeta]

well today i went and got some more paper 400 and some 2000 i think..so i plan to put more primer on then go over it with 400....but not sure if i have to sand the colour or not...too confusing lol

[Banks]

Sand the primer with 400, apply the basecoat evenly (don’t sand the basecoat), apply 3 even coats of clear, let it dry for 2 days, then sand with 2000, then buff go buy a couple of "TACK RAGS" there $1 each, will help get rid of bits of dust that you cant remove when you blow the bumper off. I tack in-between the basecoat and clear stage as well, last line of defence. But don’t tack it when you start clearing!! A tack rag if your wondering is a sticky cloth that you wipe the surface with that removes dust and dirt. Don’t rely on it to remove all dirt thou, make sure you blow the panel with compressed air and a lint free cotton rag first, then tack, the more you tack the better. Just don’t press down to hard, as the stick residue in the rag will transfer onto the surface. Just rub it over as if you are wiping down a table for eg.

Remember when you sanding, if you don’t sand a bit the paint won’t stick. Spend that extra hour trying to get into little areas. Go in an oval direction not in straight lines. The sandpaper will dig into the panel and you'll see it threw the clear.

Only sand the bumper with 2000 if you have to. Like if its ****ty or you get runs. But try not to get runs in the first place and you wont have that problem.

You located in QLD yeah?

[Disturbed_vegeta]

im sorry if this sounds a bit dumb but wat is the base coat...is it just the first coat of the colour you apply?

[Banks]

nah your alright lol, the basecoat is the colourm in your case the dark metalic, and being a metalic its 99% going to be basecoat. Which means you'll probaly mix it 2:1 or 1:1 (depending on the brand) with thinners. Being a dark colour, i would give it 3 coats then evaluate it after the 3rd to see if it needs a 4th. When its dry it should go semi gloss. What brand of basecoat and clear did you buy?

[Disturbed_vegeta]

ok cool...well ive reprimed it now and resanded it...but i still gotta get a new spray gun...hopefully everything turns out sweet...i will keep it posted!

[vt_ss_5l]

Gday Bloke Hey are Ya using 2k or Arcrylic ?
Heres Some of My Work
Picasa Web Albums - Deano - Spray Piantin...
Picasa Web Albums - Deano - VL Calais

[vt_ss_5l]

This is 2k Basecoat its dulls off untill The clearcoat is Applyed Then the shine off the Gunn is Awesome i like to use 1.4 spray tip for 2k paint with 40 psi at the Gun Works well for some painters spray diffrent Psi Just remember to ajust ur Fan on gun Wide If Needed Make sure There is just abit more Sprayin in the center of the spraygun fan and Spray about 6 ta 7 inchs away in nice even 50% overlaps or u will get what we cal tiger stripping and looks NOT GOOD Also and if u need a Gun Then get one off Ebay HVLP 1,4 & 1.6 Tip Supply With The Gun go For real cheap Price and there not to Bad Have Used Them untill i got my Sata Jet

some things U can Look at is utube.com there is Heaps of help on there for you will make more sence find the guy with the long hair looks like JOE DIRT LOL

Picasa Web Albums - Deano - VL Calais