I'm a real novice in this old car stuff. I've learned by doing in rust repair, body work, and now painting. Mostly it is by trial and lots of error. My painter is coming in Sunday to finish painting my 51. I've used PPG DP50LF as a sealer but the "dust gremlins" seem to arrive after I've left the shop and I get some dust nibs. Today I fixed a couple of runs and the worst of the dust but I figure tomorrow I will have some more dust even though I have cleaned and wet everything down numerous times. What should I do before the BC/CC is put on Sunday especially if I do have more dust in this last DP50?
wet everything down, tack cloth the car and spray.. if your doing the DP as a seal coat, pretty much have to treat it like the first coat of paint..if you have a fan that can gently suck the overspray away from the car that will help..base coat dries relativley quick, so once you lay that down and the first coat flashes, I sometimes will tack cloth it between coats and always before the clear is shot. once you shoot the first coat of clear do a walk around and look for debris. if there are some get it out after each coat, tweasers or a needle work wonders..
A problem that a lot of people don't think about is static electricity. It attracts dust to whatever item you've just finished rubbing on. Like some old timers you can use a ground strap, not a bad idea but I ALWAYS spray a light (mist) coat of isopropyl alcohol before painting. Then a final very light tack and spray away. Also clothing and hair can be a source of dust. Bottom line, theres no substitute for wet sanding and buffing. People ask how I got a car so slick. I tell them I'm not a very good painter but I've worn out a bunch of buffers.......... Good luck!
I do have a chain off the frame to the floor to ground it for static. If I have some dust in the DP should I wet sand that? I was thinking of washing the car down on Saturday and blowing it all down to get rid of any water and then tack it before base coat sunday morning.
Even if the DP was thinned as a sealer it can be wet sanded with 600. Wet sand, blow dry, DX-330 clean, and shoot the BC/CC. Easy does it on the sanding if you are applying metalics as a base.
You can't blow it off & out too much. Blow out every possible place at every possible angle. Most of the dirt and debris comes from the car. A good tight masking job helps too.
^This. I nib mine when necessary with 1000, using DX330 in a pressurized sprayer instead of water. It's amazing though, how much the base color will cover those dust nibs. Chunks, no, but actual dust....don't worry so much--it'll give ya gray hair. You can nib your color before the last coat if you can't keep it clean
Plastic! Plastic sheeting (3m or any brand) seems to suck most the dust in the room to it. Whether on the vehicle, (mask the windows with plastic sheeting), or draped on the walls. Works waaay better than a chain to a frame or spraying the car with alcohol. You might still get a little in the paint, but you were gonna colorsand and buff anyway if you want a nice paintjob, right?
READ THE DIRECTIONS ON EVERY PRODUCT. Very important about DX-330, it is a solvent based cleaner that goes on WET to float and lift oil based contaminates that MUST be wiped off with a clean DRY wipe-all before it dries or a slick film remains that you can even see with good lighting. I usually wet a 2'X2' area and dry, then move to the next area. Look at the wet cleaning wipe-all and when getting dirty fold and dampen (not dripping wet) a fresh area. Wipe on Wipe off, grasshopper.
After you shoot your DP, let it flash a little, then shoot a coat of base on it. Nib the base, dont nib the DP. You will get a much better bond. If you get a little trash in the DP, act like its not even there..... Shoot your base, nib that, then just keep going, nibbing each base coat as you go, but dont nib the last coat of base. Make your last coat a mild wet coat... then drop coat, then clear it. You will have a much nicer job of nibbing with the base than you will with the DP. Its just so much easier to do, and your bond with the DP will be rock solid.
Most dust comes from the car or you. Both of those are pretty easy to control. Slamming the door to a dusty building with a freshly painted car isn't a good idea.
Also invest in a cheap paint suit . Yeah it sounds dumb .. But over 50% of contaminats and trash in the paint comes from the painter. Your local paint supplier should carry disposable paint suits.
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