What paint brand are you spraying and why?

I'm not talking krylon or rustoleum.....

I am debating on switching brands. I have always used PPG but they are killing me on prices lately. Some of us were talking about this at Flat Top's BBQ, got me to thinking. I am looking for bc/cc mainly.

 

Dad got me started on PPG in the 80s, my pal who repped for them left his job. Now my only hookup is at the Dupont jobber, I have tried some of their stuff and will prob go that route.

 

Limco is the elcheapo PPG. I'm very happy with it. Of course, I'm not building any Riddler or AMBR cars...

-Abone.

 

House of Kolor colors and Martin Senour undercoats. Why? price and looks. I was using DuPont and got sick of having a sore butt every time I left the store. Tried PPG and still had that burning sensation between by butt cheeks. So, I switched and so far I'm happy with the price and definitely the looks
Ray

 

I have always used Dupont, but they are pricey now too. Nason is now owned by Dupont and is their cheaper line of paint. Primers are supposed to be good and cheaper than dupont according to my buddy who sells Dupont. Also compatible with Dupont top coats. I haven't tried Nason yet, like to stick with what I am familiar with. Pat

 

I hate mixing primers and topcoat brands but I really like the DP line. If I could find an epoxy primer/sealer that I liked I would prolly change that as well.

How is Sikkens? I bet it's pricey as well. I am not even sure if we have a dealer here. I'll hafta google this one.

 

I cant remember what Dupont/Nason primer I sprayed? It went on noce however, good adhesion,flow and sanded well.

My old boss like RM, I thought that stuff was like prison sex. Plus the durability on pals cars sprayed with it SUCKED. Remember that blown red Model A? Chips when you look at it wrong. Might not be the paint, might be the jackass that sprayed it..........yeh, prob the jackass, no mind, they shit is too pricey. $160 for a gallon of their primer/sprayable?

 

sikkens all the way with there lower end clear utech for production work higer end cars get the sikkens clear. I have been using it for over 15 years and found no other base that matches as nice. price is steep but ease of use makes it worth it.

 

This is stricktly my opinion, and you have to remember I am a cheap, (thrifty) cynical bastard, that goes for "best bang for the buck" so take this info below for what it's worth:

I guess from my perspective it depends on the job at hand. I am very framiliar with PPG stuff, and I agree it is very pricey.

I have used their cheaper "Omni" brand of BC/CC's, associated primers, hardeners, reducers, sealers, etc- offshoot products which cost less, smell the same, and the rumor is that it is just the "bottom of the barrel" leftovers from when PPG drains their tanks...sort of like Budwiser in a bottle vs. Budwiser from a tap. The Tap beer always gives me a headache, but has the same initial effect. The Cheaper "Omni" paint looked/sprayed/buffed out identical to me as the "PPG" stuff.

I don't have any experience using HOK or Dupont, so I can't speak for those from direct experience...

Recently I had the pleasure of mixing a Dupli-Color brand gloss black enamel (from the local auto parts store) with some of PPG's flattening agent...once I figured out how to spray it, it came out about the same as all the other single stages I've sprayed...and a gallon of the Dupli-Color gloss black was only about 40 bucks. Don't know yet how it will hold up in terms of durability, but for the way we use our cars, it shouldn't be any different from the high dollar stuff.

I think paint is overrated, they all have the same basic chemical makeups. It comes down to (like everything else) prep work & reputation. The underlying factor is surface prep. The guy that shoots HOK over a crappy base- crummy filler work, crummy sealer and gets crappy results blames it on the paint. The guy who preps his stuff right, then sprays some "cheap" off brand paint winds up with a nice paintjob (if sprayed, sanded & buffed right.)

To most people, PPG, HOK, Dupont or Sikkens is the best money can buy, but spray it and put it under the same conditions side by side with another brand and I doubt you'll see a difference in terms of durability. Workability-wise? Paint is paint, it will all buff up, and sanding is always the same too...too many variables...how long did it cure before you started sanding, what grit paper did you wet sand with, what was the temp you sprayed it with, how humid was it, what was the gun pressure, what buff pad did you use, what compound did you use, did you have a water seperator? I've seen cars shot with "cheap" paint look better after buffing and hold up better than those painted with the "good stuff".

I guess it comes down to bragging rights- I got HOK vs. I bought Dupli-color...who's cooler?

FWIW, HOK does offer some stuff the other's don't in terms of candies...so there you go if that's your department.

 

Sikkens is topshelf stuff with great support in my area.We spray alot of their Lesonal brand stuff as we are moderate production sized shop.The price is good as well.The Lesonal brand is basically the last sikkens formula before they revamped sikkens in the last year or two.Also remember when shopping for paint supplies always look for who is offering money on the backside of the statement if you pay on time etc etc ect.....You may already know this.I also look for who can give me good delivery service when we are in a bind.If you would like some more info on this brand PM and I can get you some assistance as a friend of mine just hired on with akzo nobel as a rep.
Shoe

 

I don't paint enough to get any kinda of price break. I am just doing my own stuff mainly. I just have a couple of cars to do in the next year or so.

 

I use Endura, Its made here in edmonton, cheap, looks great and last long. It is a simple two part paint, mix it 50/50 and spray it, The last vehicle i painted cost $202.02 for 2 quarts of primer and a gallon of paint ( it was a big car).

 

ppg, dupont, rm, spies heckler, sikkens...all are goin to be a little pricey. all have had or will have a 25-30% increase in the next month or so. even the "el cheapo" omni line for ppg and the nasson line for dupont will see some increase. hok stays sorta steady but unless your doing some high mil. custom paint jobs it's really not worth the $. not sayin their pearl base or kandy base systems won't do a great job for ya but they are really designed for multilayered custom jobs. with all that outa the way....if you are buyin paint, go ahead grab yer ankles and back on in the door..ya pretty much gonna feel like they stuck it to ya when ya leave. also for the diy'ers watch out for NADA and ASA to pass a bill that will make it impossible to buy paint without a lic. like a/c refrig. gonna suck soon I'm afraid.

 

R-M I don't work at a body shop anymore but I help out at my friends when he needs some help. I have painted all my cars with R-M and have had great results. Last year I painted my wife's corvair (I know, I know) with R-M base and 5 star clear and it's holding up good so far.

 

Valspar is a company to check out -they own House of Kolor line.
I personally used some WESTERN brand and Sunbelt brand they are decent and loe=wer priced.
I prefer PPG .
Dupont is too complicated with thirteen steps and products to do just one job!
Their Nason topcoats suck-rather use Rustoleum .
Omni is PPG s low price line,it is second best -[fades bad if a single stage] -But their clear and primers are good .

 

Been using PPG and SW, been reading about this place on another board, prices looks good depending on shipping.
Anyone ever use any of this stuff?
http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/Pricing Info.htm

 

Been using PPG and SW, been reading about this place on another board, prices looks good depending on shipping.
Anyone ever use any of this stuff?
http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/Pricing Info.htm

 

I've used Kirker brand with success.

 

I'm a PPG man myself. Good products and support. Yes it's pricey, but they stand behind it. Also like DuPont but not all the steps. If you try and skip a step by leaving out the Value Shade sealer, it covers like shit. The Omni clear in the PPG line works well and costs a lot less. Just my .02

 

I try to balance price and performance here's what I now use: Transtar epoxy prime, Good price and when thinned is great sealer,eliminating one more product to buy. Nasson select prime,cheap,fills nice,easy to sand. Nexa AutoColor for base coat(a PPG co.) Pricy but covers well and lays down extremly flat. For real cheapo base Dimension (dupont). For clear: Southern Poly,Good price,Great product,nice people. When I cant wait for that to be shipped I haven had nice results with U Pol and the Transtar clears, both decent price Equally as important as price is the knowledge,information and service I can get from the people selling the product.

 

I plan on shooting my base and then 2 coats of clear, colorsand then add 2 more coats of clear and colorsand again......looking for a deep gloss.

What clear is the best from Omni for a deep gloss?

 

I have been using the southernpolyurethanes.com Clear and primers for a few months now on my woodgrain jobs. The clear buffs up like glass so easy. The most easy paint I have ever sprayed for sure...
Jdee
PS: when I used Omni a few years back I had a bad time with it getting a white haze when I tried to buff to a hi gloss. The SPI does not do that for me.

 

I agree with sirleadfoot, its all expensive. Its petroliem based so take a look at pump prices for an indicator. Nothing will start a fight sooner at a gathering of bodymen then the topic of what is a better (like ford vs. chevy vs.mopar) brand of paint.You hope the old addage of you get what you pay for is true but sometimes you wonder. Considering the ethics of corporations and the art of marketing sometimes I wish there was a "consumer reports" agency to cut through the crap. And yes beware of big brother, I've been told by my paint supplier that the day is comming that the little guy will be unable to buy the supplies to paint their own car!! Things to consider to get back on topic are resistance to uv, ability to repair, ability to sand and polish. Thats my rant and I'm stickin to it like epoxy primer

 

I switched to Dupont primers and Nason topcoats. Yes it's not the cheapest system but I really like the results.

 

I know the day is coming for the little guy, but it works the same way as buying R-12. Everyone knows a guy with a license and he doesn't mind buying it for ya.


The problem with buying the Southern Poly stuff is it's all mail order. I don't know of any dealers around here. If I need a custom mix, will they do it?

 

I used PPG for a long time but the price got out of hand. A friend told me to try the OMNI stuff. Lower end of PPG. Just like someone else on here acts just like the high end. The only difference I have noticed was the metallic bases didnt cover as good as DBC. The price however is an unreal night and day difference.

 

Valspar makes a real good line of wood coatings and stains that i've used, so i can attest to the quality of that line... they are based right here in the twin cities, wonder if they have better dealers or pricing up here?

 

I use ppg and h.o.k., If you do a spray out of omni and ppg black and hold them side by side you will see that the ppg black makes the omni black look almost brown. I've used omni on things that arent that critical like circle track cars and old gas pumps but as for the big dollar cars I wouldnt take the chance. Pat

 

R-M and H o K.hands down.why price,and compatability.

 

I'm the cheapest bastard there is, and I don't think I have EVER painted a car with a whole system, it usually ends up being me using whatever crap is laying around.

Epoxies I've used the Omni stuff and it's OK as long as there's no old paint underneath. I've had problems with the Omni primers lifting old paint. Not a problem with bare bodywork and no old paint showing. 5 star epoxy was always trouble too, I hated that shit. DP is the best shit there is, but it's pricey. Luckily I found an underground source of it so I can buy it reasonably.

All the high build, or 'fill' primer I use, is Marhyde Ultimate 2K. That's my favorite shit to sand, sands off so nice. I won't use anything else, unless it's free.

I only use basecoat paint when it's laying around. If I'm painting a car and I can raid someone's paint shelf and put together a bunch of basecoats to make a color, I'll use it, but usually I only do acrylic enamel, for the look and for the cost. Not only is BC/CC more expensive, I always thought it looks too modern for an old car. You can tell you're looking at a clearcoat paintjob usually and I don't like that on old cars. Like radials on a roadster, they may do a better job but they just don't look right.

If I am using basecoat, I buy DuPont Nason clear. It's cheap, like around $70 a gallon and my buddy swears by it if I'm going to cheap out on clear. I've had the PPG shit too, like 2042, and it's great but I won't pay for it.

I personally love to use Limco Supreme Acrylic Enamel for all my paint. Looks really good and really authentic too. If anyone sees any of my cars this summer that we painted, that's what will be on it. Again, super cheap and looks nice, buffs out nice, easy to touch up. I never understood the attraction to base/clear paints, except maybe for metalflake and candies and shit like that, but I don't ever get that deep in a paintjob.