Technical spraying Hot Rod Flatz.... outside?

so, I just replaced my visor. It involved cutting, grinding, etc. Now I have the need to match the old DP60. NOPE! Not going to try to do that. Instead, I am going to shoot a similar color of Hot Rod Flatz. Now, I have read everything about HRF, so I know what I am getting into.

This is not a show car.... its a driver. Its fun, its ratty *but please... lets forgo the rat rod moniker.... I get enough of that from yuppies asking when I am going to bolt on more skulls, spikes and coffins (sigh).

So.... any tips?
I am going to spray the car in my driveway, yep... outside... with my Lowes compressor and my HF HVLP gun.... did I mention its the first time I have ever painted with anything other than rattle cans? I am going to prep the surface, get it clean, spray on a nice day, etc.
So.... any tips (other than don't do it outside ?

 

Put down plastic on your driveway and wet it down,make sure there is no wind or you will be paying to have your neighbors cars compounded.

Pollen this time of year can be a problem painting outside and it's probably best to try and paint on a cloudy day. HRP

 

Good luck....what comes out of the gun is what ya get and anything in the paint gas a permanent home.....can't rub flat paint. Make sure ya have the gun set up right....lays out wet, etc

 

Nice little coupe ! We don't have a booth so we shoot everything out in front of our shop. Usually we wait until the entire complex is empty at night, which means we are shooting just before dark and rushing to get done before things go black.

We sprayed my 27 body........




My Son's rpu body and bed.......






And tons of frames and suspension pieces. Sometimes we set up lights and shoot in the dark !





Just shoot catalyzed paint so it hardens quickly to keep the bugs and dirt you get in it to a minimum. With flat paint you have one shot at getting it right because you can't buff out any mistakes. Buy one of those little in line water filters that look like a baseball , it will keep water out of the paint.

Don

 

Don't pick the bugs out of the wet paint... It'll just make it worse.

 

I've painted boats up to 75 ft outside - it can be done. Pick your day- no wind- no pollen- no seasonal bugs. Wet down everything you can get water to and keep your fingers crossed.

 

I shoot early in the morning. Calm and the critters are still asleep, push it back into the shop.

 

Why not hang plastic in the garage and shoot with the door open, and blow box fans out the door. half in half out kind or set up, you'll have protection on 3 sides and above. I've shot a few things this way and it keeps the fumes out of the house with an attached garage. Cuts cross wind down significantly. I still vote for budget base coat, pearl in a low gloss clear, great finish that holds up. Let's see the progress pics

 

What we do is take pvc pipe and make a shell how ever big you need it, cover it with plastic. then cut a hole at the back and front tape in a household ac filter in each hole,i get them the size of a house box fan put the fan blowing out threw one of the filter wet it all down spray paint. the fan will keep any crap out of paint and the filter catches bugs dust and paint going out. just painted a ot truck this way this week early in morn turned out slick.

 

Here is another thought! Why not purchase a two or three stage turbine unit that simply plugs into an 110 outlet and has a lot less over spray to worry about?

I have seen guys spray their car right in their garage without having a problem.

They may cover a few things with plastic but that about it. Sure saves time if you don't have to build a plastic spray booth in your garage.

Another cool fact is you use less paint then with a conventional compressor type system.

Jimbo

 

I think you would be better off with a rattle can. There's too many variables that are new to you. You've never sprayed anything before so do you really want your first try to be on something you drive/enjoy? It will be the first thing you see each time you look at the car. I know you said it's a driver but it's got a good look and I really like the new visor. Don't muck it up with nasty paint work. Do a little research and you can find a place that will load a rattle can with the paint you want. Make sure you prime it first. Etch or epoxy.

 

Agreed. Sunday mornings were perfect about 9:30 to 10am to start. The winds were calm, the bugs werent out yet. The sun was not to high. I was able to let the sun bake the finish. Shot my black Ute outside.

 

Imchris has a point about "do you really want this to be your first paint job" ?

My first paint job with my used HVLP turbine and new gun will be my son's pedal car. I will use that to figure out the system and settings. I can paint his car over and over until I can't afford paint anymore.

I disagree with imchris insofar as rattle cans go. If you aspire to paint with compressor and gun....the rattlecan ain't gonna git er done. Wait....that rhymes

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Really like the new visor, it looks good. But I have no advise on painting for you.

 

Nice ride !!!

 

All good points, I've used conduit for the frame instead of pvc, you have to cut a few unions apart and weld them up for 3 ways corners, but the conduit is cheaper and stiffer.

 

Have you looked at Squeegs epoxy sued....I was told its really easy to shoot compared to other sued/flat paints. I have searched for colored industrial epoxy and they run a little cheaper.

 

If you've never done this before I would get in some time shooting practice panels. There's a lot of factors involved that you need to become aware of and familiar with before you start laying down coats on your car.

Keep in mind also that shiny paint is a lot more forgiving simply because you can usually fix any mistakes. With flat paint it needs to be perfect right out of the gun or it's going to look like ass. I am not a pro painter but I have almost never had anything come out perfect right out of the gun. Just saying.

Everybody starts somewhere and I'm not saying it can't be done, but I would hate to see you end up with something you are not happy with. Practice shooting some panels first, using the same setup, same paint, same conditions.

 

Like this?

Sprayed early in the morn. Used a medium catalyst when it was roughly 65* outside. No bugs in it but you can tell it's my first paintjob in 18 yrs.

 

When you say "prep the surface", what do you mean exactly? That old DP-60 primer has been on there too long for your paint to correctly bond to it chemically. It will now require a mechanical bond, meaning sanding.

 

by prep I meant a DA and 150 grit across the whole surface. Everyone has me a little freaked out now about painting, but nothing ventured, nothing gained right? I will try a couple practice panels first, but really am not too worried about it.

The other option is.... maybe I will try to find someone local in Seattle who will shoot for me. Now that I think about it, that may be a better approach.

 

I say do it, my son painted my 33 with hot rod flatz out under my canopy, it came out really nice. Considering we never painted a car before. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, "experience" and to top it off you saved alot of money, so if you don't like it do it again

 

It's just paint. If it doesn't work sand it down and try again. They only way you learn is by doing.

 

Definately paint it, do it in the driveway if you want. In the garage with the door open is simple, quick and offers some protection. You're not spraying tricoat high buck paint here. You'll be able to scuff and reshoot if something goes terribly wrong. Then you'll know how to paint. Watch a few videos, keep your overlap pattern and gun distance consistent and have at it. I use HF guns to shoot rustoleum often, in non automotive aplications, they do pretty well and the paint lays down.

 

Nah...didn't mean to freak you out. You can do it. There are just some things to consider is all.

 

Painting outside can work well ....watch for overspray on other stuff and cars around you! Ive screwed up a lot of stuff not covering the surroundings .I wouldn't use 150 on it I sand to 400 with the DA.

 

Go for it. I primed and painted my truck outside and all the little pieces that go with it. Like others have said, spray early morning, no wind no bugs, wet the concrete down. I have a satin truck and there's not one bug in it. I paint all my stuff outside.


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I wouldn't DA it... Sand it by hand with a block... Dp is pretty thick so you can get little imperfections out almost like build primer your final sand should be 400 or 600 I have been told finer than 600 you won't get adhesion.make sure to get in belt lines cracks and crevasses .... You may get away with 320 but you will see scratches 150 will look like a nightmare... 90% of paint job is in prep... All you have to do when painting is mix correctly and pay attention get coverage and no runs

 

Don't get all scared on us, it really isn't all that hard to do. If you don't like the first time it is painted simply scuff it and shoot some more on it. When I painted my 27 body I got a couple of runs so I sanded those down the next day and shot it again.

Just take your time, make long sweeps with the gun and overlap about 50% per pass. Hold the gun the same distance from the car as you shoot it, and have fun. It will turn out great.

Don

 

ok.... I'm on board again, eff it, I want to learn!!
So.... the biggest questions is what color. I like the HRF because it seems pretty dummy proof
So.... there are like 300 colors.... but I think I want to do blue so I can stick with the DP60 as a base.
HRF color chart is.... http://www.tcpglobal.com/Customshop/rsflatz.aspx
I like the 1517 Coast Highway Blue because it seems close to my DP60, but then I want to do something different, like Speed Blue or.... OH SHIT..... Copper, Orange or something else.

The biggest question is.... should I stick with flat or venture into the HRF metallics or pearls with my.....

SHIT, I NEED THERAPY! and.... a warm day.... and to make a decision!