Thanks Dave. I see a trend here--local vendor. Gotcha. I will seek their advice. Thanks again everyone!

 

Normally sealer is a 1 coat deal and paint 2 - 3

but it will all depend on the product you buy, your local paint store will have data sheets for the paint you plan on using that covers thickness and everything.

 

So how many coats of sealer and paint did you guys ended up doing? I'm guessing 1 for sealer and 1-2 coats for paint?

 

Rather than using sandpaper you can use a scuff pad, they should be in the auto-paint section and come in different colours/grades, they will scuff the surface without removing any of the 'texture' of the previous paint surface.

 

Respirator--double check.

Lane why did you acid etch the joints? Is scotch brite finer than 400 grit? What color did you get?

 

I used acid etch primer just as an extra precaution, sometimes the joints and seams dont get as good of a spray as the rest, so i wanted to make sure i didn't get any peel.. as far as scotch brite compared to 400 Id say its pretty close.. I used green scotch brite, i tried the white, but its like 1000 grit, I could barely see the scuff so i decided to use green...

 

I just shot the front of mine, and I hit it with a scotch brite, then i acid etched all the joints, wiped it with wax and grease remover and it was good to go...

 

The PROPER respirator for those nasty Isocyanates - Double Check!

 

Single stage--check.

Urethane and local vendor--check.

Dessicant dryer--check.

I think I will use a sealer. Thanks guys.

 

I've been sanding the original paint like Kevin and then using etching primer, even though that is meant for bare metal. The original paint seems to vary in quality so priming gives a consistant base. Also, definitely get the dessicant dryer to keep your air supply dry (especially in Florida). Bought mine from Home Depot online for around $80 - Campbell Hausfield.

 

If you are going to paint it yourself a single stage is probably going to be the easiest to learn / apply in a short amount of time and get decent results. If I were going to paint something using a single stage I would go with Urethane over Acrylic enamel as it seems to last longer and does not fade / chalk out as easy as Acrylic enamel.

I would highly recommend buying your paint locally if at all possible, if you run short on something while painting chances are you can run down and get it or if you run into issues it is nice to have someone to ask.

 

I only primed the bulkhead because it had undergone a rebuild that basically replaced the lower half with new galvanized repair pieces. All the other panels were just cleaned, sanded and wiped down. I had a new bare piece of piece of aluminum for the tub floor which I prepped with PPG aluminum cleaner and conditioner. I used the same stuff on any spots where the aluminum showed through. My paint is a fairly flat finish, eggshell I guess, so it also hides well. If you are painting over old seasoned paint it will be stable and a sealer is not absolutely neccessary but I would consult the paint supply guys about the paint you use and if they think it's neccessary. I have found the paint shop people to very helpful to the amateurs, they enjoy it vs. filling orders for body shops all day.

 

I just finished a repaint over a 15 year old ECR paintjob that was holding up very well, I just took the shine off the clearcoat with 400 grit wet. No need to go any finer.

 

400 grit--check. Thanks Kevin. Been following along with your Goat Surgery. Very nice. I noticed you used PPG epoxy primer. Is that an etching primer for bare aluminum? I thought I was supposed to use a sealer over the paint after roughing it with 400 grit?

Ps. I apologize to all the painting professionals out there for all the novice questions. I have tried to do a lot of research before posting the questions here but I think the internet has too much info and have caused more confusion than solutions. Thanks again for any guidance you can give me.

 

If you want patina, single stage is the only way to go.
Enamel is more of a generic term.

 

I've used DuPont ChromaOne - its a great singe stage acrylic enamel. To be more precise, LenB used it for me and laid it down in a home-made spray booth in his driveway with nothing more complex than a Sears spray gun and a nice sized inline drier for the air supply. He used about 3 coats on a new set of doors I had, the color was AA yellow and the result looked like candy.

Don't sell yourself short and say you want the result to look "used" - if that's what you want get rattle cans. Do the nicest paint job you can and add the patina yourself with your own use!

 

.... Do the nicest paint job you can and add the patina yourself with your own use!

Yup, that's the plan. Thanks for the info guys. So one for enemal and one for urethane. Hmmm. Single stage seems to be a common factor.

 

Forrest,
I am about half way through doing my own paint (it's too bloody hot to paint in the garage now). I was planning to use single stage enamel because I think that was what the factory used, but the local paint store only had urethane. After applying it I would recommend the urethane becuase it seems much more durable (compared to the enamel from tower paint cans). I would also recommend looking around locally for someone to mix the paint - a quart of PPG Sandglow plus hardener and reducer was less than $150, much less than I found online. It's definitely a learning experience, the gun set up is crucial to get a good finish. Take the time to practice (I'm getting better with each piece I paint!)

 

Hey Dave or anyone else,

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I think I'm gonna try to do it myself, just because I want to learn how. I have found a place that can mix trident/bronze/conniston/eastnor Green for me. Haven't decided yet.

http://www.autocolorlibrary.com/

In your experience, should I use a single stage acrylic urethane or acrylic enamel? Or something else? I am not looking for a showroom finish. I want it to look like a Land Rover should--used. As it stands now, my 110 just has too many colors on it (5 to be exact). Once I get it down to 2 (Somekindof Green and Limestone) I will take it 4 wheeling and bust it up some. Give it some character. Anyway, I am not sure what "type" of paint I should use. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

 

Thanks Dave,

Exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I am just trying to plan ahead. This project is getting way out of control!

 

OLD parts

On your old parts it depends on the condition of the paint. My 90 has the original paint and it chips real easy and has a bunch of chips that will need to be sanded so I am planning to strip, etch prime, seal and then paint

If the paint on your old parts is anything like the paint on my 1984 it comes off real easy just 1 coat of paint stripper and the paint fell off. For me stripping the old paint off is less work that trying to sand all of the little chips and ending up with old brittle paint under a fancy new top coat.

Test a small area and if the paint on the old parts comes off real easy then you might want to strip the paint off and get down to a good base metal.

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NEW parts

Sand (I use wet 400 or 600, just depends on the top coats and how I am applying) or scotch brite, whatever makes you happy. When I am sanding / prepping a new part my goal is to make sure I do not see any glossy paint when done, I want it nice and flat.

Your local paint store will have the data sheets for the etch primer, sealer and paint that will have basic directions such as use grit XXX wait x amount of hours and so on and so forth.

The product you choose will make a difference in prep so ask them and they will be able to tell you what needs to be done.

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PAINT

If you prep everything, buy the paint and spray it yourself chances are you will spend more money on paint and stuff to do it than you would have spent if you had prepped it and paid someone else to do decent / nice spray job.

If you want to go bottom dollar even a cheap place can lay down a decent coat of paint probably better than you could and it would be less than you are going to pay for paint and supplies if you do the prep.

Trust me, I have painted many cars and trucks and that stuff adds up quick if you are not in the biz ( I am not).

If you do decide to paint it yourself you need to spend some time at the local paint store talkiong about product and think about the following.

Are you going to rent a booth, paint it outside or paint it in your garage?

Do you have a dry source of air that can keep up with a spray gun?

Do you have a spray gun that can spray the different products that you are going to use?

I honestly think you should give some serious consideration to doing the prep work and having someone else spray it for you. Paint stores normally have a list of painters and if you tell them what you are looking for they can point you in the proper direction

for example: I am looking for someone to paint some car parts with a single stage enamel, I already have them removed from the car, sanded / stripped / whatever can recommend someone that will do a (chose quality here) at a decent price? I bet they give you at least a few names.

 

I would not sand your new tub to bare metal. The factory does a great job getting paint to stick to aluminum. I don't know if your new tub has clear coat. If not, I would just wet sand with 600 grit, wipe down with a silicone remover and prep, tack cloth and paint with your primer/sealer. For a quick job, you can skip the primer/sealer. Check with your paint supplier as they should be able to give you good advice. For your old parts that have bare spots, Eastwood makes a great etching primer in a rattle can. I'm partial to Trident Green...same color as my 110.

 

Thanks for the info Dave. My new tub looks like it has been in storage since new. My old parts have been sanded by the original owner, down to bare aluminum in some places. I have always thought I have to use etching primer on the bare aluminum to get a good base to paint on? That is where to confusion comes in. I have 2 parts in 2 different stages of preparation. I would ask the painter for his preference, but I am the painter, with no experience. Haha.

Is sealer the same as primer?

 

If the current paint is solid do not strip it as it will provide a nice surface for the new paint (less effort cost and steps as well).

You want to sand or scuff up the entire thing to give the sealer and paint a good surface to stick to.

Sealer is a coat that goes over the old paint prior to the new paint. It will give a uniform color / surface for the new paint for example you new part is white and you old parts are green and maybe you have some new parts in black primer if you just sprayed it all with a top coat each one could end up a slight shade different.

It also helps avoid issuse with applying your top coat over different paint types for example the new paint on your tub might be a base/ clear urethane where the old paint might be single stage enamel and if you use any kind of primer what is it made of?

I would recommend checking with the person you are using to paint the tub and ask them how they want you to prep the tub and other parts for paint as each place is a little different. Some will say scotchbrite some will say XXX grit of wet sanding. And do not cut corners as prep is 99% of a good paint job