Paint Procedure, tools and cleaning?

[Blown&Injected]

Getting very close to doing the body work, and paint and looking for some ideas on tools and materials.

This is the supply place near me Mattos Profinishes > Home and there is a good chance that they will have a "system" that will determine what happens - but I do not want to get stuck with a bad option.

Due to paint checking, I took it down to the metal and I have been told self etching primer-sealer in one is the way to go. Then base coat and clear coat - it will be black.

I have used cup guns to paint steel but I have never painted an entire car - it looks like many use a different gun for the different stages, but a middle of the road gun may be used to do it all. I am not setting up a paint operation and I hate the fuss of selling stuff so I would prefer to not have to buy a bunch of guns. I understand that the base coat goes down easy, like primer, and I probably will not do enough painting to notice the difference in the guns anyway, so it sounds like the one gun should lean towards the clear coat type of gun???am I right???

Plan to go over all the bare metal with 80 grit - wipe down with some type of cleaner, and spray the SE primer/sealer. Then block with a contrasting fog from some rattle can and go over all the primer with 180 to 220.

What to use to do the cleaning on the bare metal and before shooting the black base and the clear?

Also, the RA sander is an air hog and I have water coming out the sander after an hour of sanding - what to do to keep the air clean? I was thinking that filling the compressor (60 gallon) the night before will let the air cool down but it is clear that the filter/separator I am using is not effective. I am told another filter at the gun and not letting the air line lay on the ground will help.

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[aminga]

Also, the RA sander is an air hog and I have water coming out the sander after an hour of sanding - what to do to keep the air clean? I was thinking that filling the compressor (60 gallon) the night before will let the air cool down but it is clear that the filter/separator I am using is not effective. I am told another filter at the gun and not letting the air line lay on the ground will help.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Can't help with the prep that's dependent on the paint manufactuerers' procedures.

But for the air. I had the same problem and fixed it like this.

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/how-tos/273674-how-get-clean-dry-shop-air.html

In reality you don't have to go as far as I did but you need a minimum of 25 ft of copper line between the compressor to allow the air to cool off and the water to drop out of suspension.

If you get it as a liquid running through the lines then you can clean it out with a water and vapor seperator.

 

[BILL HAINES]

Water

You Need A Water Trap On The Compressor,it Would Not Hurt To Purchase The In Line Water Filter That Attaches Onto The Spray Gun.. Moisture Can Be A Major Problem. Next After Stripping To Bare Metal,don't Be Afraid To Sand The Metal With 150 Or Finer Prior To Priming. 3m Makes A Metal Conditioner If The Metal Was Bare For Some Time..please Note If You Used Metal Aircraft Stripper,.....clean,clean And Re-clean With A Thinner Rags,changing The Rags Often,make Sure All Remains Of Stripper Is Completely Gone,especially From The Edges.. Follow Up With Etch Metal Primer,ppg Makes Dp 40 Green,or Dp90 Black..allow To Dry At Least 24-48 Hrs,scuff Down With 320 Grit,then Follow Up With Your Fill Type Primer..i Would Sand The Final Primer Coat With 400 Grit W-sand,this Is Smoth Enough So Scratches Will Not Show,but Gives The Basecoat Some "tooth" (adheasion) You May Want To Panel Paint The Car Being As Your Compressor Is A Bit Small But I Think You Can Get It Done... Best Of Luck..

 

[aminga]

Water traps need to be mounted on at least 25 ft of line to be effective, they don't work with vapor.

 

[Blown&Injected]

I had NOT planned on building an air system but you have changed my mind! Thanks for the fine write-up.

Thanks for all the procedural tips!

 

[aminga]

I had NOT planned on building an air system but you have changed my mind! Thanks for the fine write-up.

Thanks for all the procedural tips!

It doesn't have to be as elaborate but you do want to kind of fix it so the path of the air is separate from the water 25 ft of copper pipe is enough.

TP tools has a good water trap set for Around $250 bucks. Has seperator, regulator and sub micron filter.

 

[Blown&Injected]

It turned out to be just like your system - the lead in line cost me $75!!!!! But it is a 6 foot 3/4" line with 3/4" NPT fittings and a swivel fitting on one end. 3 drain legs: 1 where the lead in line T's in, another on the regulator/filter leg, and then a drain leg after the filter leg.

Was thinking about using this filter - but my sander did not blow water even with the small regulator filter I have.

Finishline 3 Spray Gun

and this gun:
http://www.spraygunworld.com/Information2/FinishlineIIIKIT.htm

 

[aminga]

It turned out to be just like your system - the lead in line cost me $75!!!!! But it is a 6 foot 3/4" line with 3/4" NPT fittings and a swivel fitting on one end. 3 drain legs: 1 where the lead in line T's in, another on the regulator/filter leg, and then a drain leg after the filter leg.

Was thinking about using this filter - but my sander did not blow water even with the small regulator filter I have.

Finishline 3 Spray Gun

and this gun:
DeVilbiss, Iwata, Asturo AOM, Sharpe, Astro Pneumatic, Binks - Spray Guns & More

You'll find 90% of the water in the downleg off of the horizontal run.


This is probably the best cheap air filter/water seperator out there and the guys selling it are decent to deal with.

Filter Regulator System - TP Tools & Equipment

I've thought about putting a Tap in between the regulator and coalescing filter for a little more flow. I get a little water in the moisture trap (very little) and the dry most of the time. I've since cancled my plans to ad a dessicant filter to my paint line