Paint Selection - Single Stage

I am getting ready to complete an overall paint job and am looking for a little advice from some of the professionals that do this type of work on a regular basis.

I used to restore vehicles often as a hobby and have previously painted several cars, cycles, jet skis, etc.. However, I have been away from my hobby for a few years now and am not as familiar with some of the current products that are available. This is where I need your help!

1st - I am looking for a good premixed sealer that I can utilize to get uniform coverage. The vehicle has been prepped with Variprime 615S over bare metal and primed with a Nason 2k primer. The vehicle has been sanded and is ready to spray. I previously used Dupont 1986 gray sealer that was easy to apply and fairly inexpensive. I was told they no longer produce this product so I am looking for a good alternative.

2nd - I am painting a white vehicle and would like to spray it in a urethane single stage paint without the need for clear coat. I am looking for a decent product that lays down smooth, flashes quickly, and can be rubbed easily. Additionally I would like a product that does not create allot of sticky overspray. (I know I can't avoid this issue entirely but past experience has proved that some brands are worse then others).

3rd - I am looking to purchase an inexpensive HVLP spray gun. (My old JGA siphon feed guns are pretty outdated for the newer products). However, I don't want a top of the line production gun as I will likely only paint a few more cars in my lifetime. So any suggestions you have concerning a decent spray gun would be helpful.

I appreciate any feedback that will save me some time and give me a great finished result.

Thanks - Mike

 

Eastwood also has a good low cfm gun you can use on a smaller compressor... You have to have a Bigger compressor to use these guns.. This one needs 13cfm @ 30psi, The eastwood brand one uses 4cfm and will work on smaller compressors like my 22gal 110 volt unit that only produces 7cfm @ 40psi .... Oh and there single stage paint is pretty good for diy home paint jobs... I'm not a pro but I have done lots of reading on home paint systems and the cfm thing is the biggest oppsticle....

 

as always...the first 3 replys were from...non-professionals...

 

I'm another non-professional but would like to add a caution from my experience. When you're looking for a single-stage urethane, I wouldn't order up a gallon of Nason Wimbledon White. I bought Nason single-stage urethane twice and both times the color was off when mixed by their formula. The Wimbledon White was way too yellow. Turns out that wasn't a problem for me because I had to sand off and redo everything because of flaws. The second time I bought Wimbledon White, they used a different, less-intense yellow in the mix and got the right white.

 

Why the need for sealer?....If the car is completely primed and sanded i don't see a need for sealer....It's more expense and more material and i like to keep mil thickness to a minimum.....I never use it

The quicker the paint dries, the less sticky but regardless, single stage white is going to get all over..If you're looking to save money and are going to rub it anyways, get some Nason....It's made by Dupont and it's less expensive and dries quick

Spray guns are only as good as the guy pulling the trigger...Eastwood seems to be expensive to me....Try these guys....You should be able to get a decent gun for $100.00

http://www.tcpglobal.com/?gclid=CL_LrOWvlq4CFQnd4AodUTynLQ

 

As a tech rep for a paint company I will pass along a few things I have seen/done myself. Before anyone starts arguing with me, let me say, this is just my opinion based on experience.

First off, before you paint or seal anything, sand the car one more time. Or at least that morning lightly go over it with a scuff pad. Primer surfacers will skin over after being sanded and left alone for a while. It's called case hardening. If you sand a panel one week, then go back the next week to paint it without resending it. The paint will potentially fail. I have seen it many times. You will still see sand scratches, but the primer has healed and you will have less adhesion. Be careful.

Spray guns: As it has been said in the prior post, a good painter can get any gun to look good. Don't waste your money on a $700 SATA when you are only going to use it a few times. But don;t also get the cheapest gun out there.

Products: I am a PPG guy myself, so I can't speak on Duponts products. I would strongly recommend staying within Duponts line. Each paint companies chemists spend tons of time making sure their products works together. Don't become a bench chemist and start mixing product lines. It may work for you, but it may not as well. I have always believed that no matter what paint system you are using, you should stay within that line of products.

Sealer: Sealers do two things. They are an adhesion promoter, but they also allow you to get better color match by using the correct undercoat color. Another side benefit is that if you are spraying the car white and you use a white sealer, you will be covered in fewer coats. Therefore the mil thickness idea goes out the window. White over grey will take more coats than white over white.

Bottom line, take your time, read the product bulletins that come with the products and pay attention to flash times and mix ratios.

Good luck!

 

I wanted to use a sealer because the car is not completely primed one color. There were some panels that had extensive repairs and some that only required small spot repairs for imperfections. I have found that the sealers provide a uniform base to go over and also fill any remaining small sanding scratches that may still appear in the primer.

Thanks for the link to view the other available spray equipment.

 

This is really good advice as I have had good success following similar procedures. I usually go over my final prep work with a red or gray 3m Scotchbrite pad, wash it well with wax/grease remover, and tack prior to application of any top coat. I have had great results with no adhesion problems ever.

I am also a PPG guy but will admit that I am a "bench Chemist". My favorite products were the DBU or DBC basecoats with DAU82 clear over top. I used PPG DP40 self etching epoxy on bare metal with Sikkens primer, Dupont sealer, and PPG top coats with great luck. However, if anything were to ever fail, good luck getting any assistance from any of the companies as they do not guarantee their products unless used exclusively throughout the job. Does PPG offer a similar single stage product as the old DAU line that you have utilized with any success??

I use the sealer for the same reasons, however I will need to check to see if white sealer is an option as in the past I was only able to buy red, light gray, or dark gray. I would select the one that would best work as a base and help with coverage. Does PPG offer a white premixed sealer??

I have been looking at the Devilbiss spray gun packages with the 1.3 and 1.5 fluid tips. However Mavgrab302 brings up a good point about CFM. I have a small two stage compressor with a 60 gallon tank that only produces about 11 CFM and am worried that the guns will not perform well as Devilbiss recommends 13.5 CFM. Has anyone used these guns with small home air compressors with any luck?? As a paint rep I am sure you see painters using different equipment. What spray guns are they using or what are you recommending your customers to buy that have smaller limited CFM compressors??

Keep the advice coming folks.

 

I painted my car with primers and paint from these people: www.paintforcars.com
I used single stage enamel, then clear coated with single stage clear. I'm no pro, but have done several home paint jobs and have had good luck with their products. And their prices will beat most any of the "name brands". Not to say they're any better or any worse, just less $$ spent....

 

This is really good advice as I have had good success following similar procedures. I usually go over my final prep work with a red or gray 3m Scotchbrite pad, wash it well with wax/grease remover, and tack prior to application of any top coat. I have had great results with no adhesion problems ever.

Good to hear that. You are doing things correctly.

I am also a PPG guy but will admit that I am a "bench Chemist". My favorite products were the DBU or DBC basecoats with DAU82 clear over top. I used PPG DP40 self etching epoxy on bare metal with Sikkens primer, Dupont sealer, and PPG top coats with great luck. However, if anything were to ever fail, good luck getting any assistance from any of the companies as they do not guarantee their products unless used exclusively throughout the job. Does PPG offer a similar single stage product as the old DAU line that you have utilized with any success??

If you are interested in using PPG products I would lean you towards DCC Concept single stage. There are other less costly ways to go, like Omni. But the superior coverage and long lasting durability is worth far more in the long run than the extra up front cost difference.

I use the sealer for the same reasons, however I will need to check to see if white sealer is an option as in the past I was only able to buy red, light gray, or dark gray. I would select the one that would best work as a base and help with coverage. Does PPG offer a white premixed sealer??



I would recommend using DAS3021 white urethane sealer. It is an easy 3:1:1 mix ratio of sealer, hardener and reducer. You will love the way it sprays and lays out. Very smooth.

I have been looking at the Devilbiss spray gun packages with the 1.3 and 1.5 fluid tips. However Mavgrab302 brings up a good point about CFM. I have a small two stage compressor with a 60 gallon tank that only produces about 11 CFM and am worried that the guns will not perform well as Devilbiss recommends 13.5 CFM. Has anyone used these guns with small home air compressors with any luck?? As a paint rep I am sure you see painters using different equipment. What spray guns are they using or what are you recommending your customers to buy that have smaller limited CFM compressors??

I am not sure of the cfm ratings on some of the value priced guns. Iwata makes some really nice spray equipment that are lower pressure, 16-20 vs. a SATA at 29 psi. Again, can't off the top of my head tell you what they need for a CFM rating, but it is fairly low compared to most. Around my way, most of the shops I am responsible for, and thats around 100 or so, are using SATA, Iwata, and I am now starting to see a bunch of Tekna guns out there. Tekna is owned and manufactured by DeVibiss.

Keep the advice coming folks.


I hope this was helpful!

 

their synthetic enamel primer is great! Im using it right now! Im also using their arctic white and jet black on my current project car

 

I don't do paint, so I don't know anything about that, but I can say for certain that every single profession was invented by an amateur, and some of the finest craftsmen I have ever come across do something completely different for a living.