cps432
SILVER Star
That’s exciting! Looks good so far. I worked in a furniture shop that had an old auto booth. I could spray in that booth with no mask and I was osha compliant. What a dream that place was.
Painting an 85 Copper 60 (with headliner install video) (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter CenTXFJ60
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
georgebj60
SILVER Star
Wow. That's looking amazing, Jimmy. Nice work so far. I'm getting inspired to spray my truck when the time comes! I agree that the gun makes a huge difference. I spray woodwork finishes regularly, my go-to gun is a Kremlin HVLP unit. I've tried some other guns and things just got way harder to finish properly.
My feeling is that spraying wood finishes is not comparable to spraying cars. I think the advantage probably ends with knowing how to hold and trigger a gun properly - which is a huge leg up to be sure. I have sprayed some auto paints on my project and they turned out fairly well, but it was easy single stage stuff. Not BC/CC. I think spraying the large panels that a vehicle requires is an acquired skill.
My feeling is that spraying wood finishes is not comparable to spraying cars. I think the advantage probably ends with knowing how to hold and trigger a gun properly - which is a huge leg up to be sure. I have sprayed some auto paints on my project and they turned out fairly well, but it was easy single stage stuff. Not BC/CC. I think spraying the large panels that a vehicle requires is an acquired skill.
cps432
SILVER Star
Muscle memory is muscle memory. You have a leg up there. The issue is with the flow rate and the speed at which the finish cures. Nitro will cure in the air before it’s even touched the work if you don’t have a heavy enough flow, if the atmosphere is too dry/hot, or if you’re spraying too far from the work. Other finishes can act the same way. I’ve sprayed a lot of conversion varnish and it’s way more forgiving than nitro, but has completely different properties. If you’re atomization isn’t right for the product you’re using you will never get good coverage. With conversion varnish I can lay down three heavy coats around 3-4mills within 15 minutes of each other and then sand out any imperfections with 600 and then buff it out to high gloss. You can’t even think about doing that with nitro. Not even in the same ballpark. You need weeks minimum for nitro and 8-9 coats minimum at 1-2 mills. Best advise is to follow MSD suggestions for your product. Use the correct needle for the viscosity of the material you’re spraying. MSD charts should have suggestions for this. There are so many variations between set ups. You need to know your system and it’s shortcomings. They all have them.
Getting a proper pattern is key. Having a consistent overlap is certainly an art no matter what you’re shooting. Some products are more forgiving than others and some spray systems are better for some products. There are many ways to get a layer of paint on any number of surfaces. Spraying wood is way different than spraying metal. You don’t have to worry about grain and absorption.
I’ve sprayed huge conference tables for corporate installations and the next day sprayed two hundred table tops with the same gun using the same finish in the same booth. Very different beasts indeed. Laying layers is most defiantly an art and nothing can substitute experience. You want a challenge???? Spray a 30”x80” table in true white with zero indication it’s a wooden surface. That’s the toughest job I ever sprayed and my boss had to come in and fix it for me.
Finishing is the scariest part of the job for me and had always been my weak point. It’s why I try to do it as much as I can.
Thanks for the updates and please keep them coming... I have one I am about to start on as well and you are giving me inspiration...lol.
@cps432 I’ve never sprayed nitro … you’re kind of making me not want to haha! Thanks for the insights though, while I know how to dial in a gun for atomization (years working a pressure pot rig), there’s a lot more going on than I thought. Kudos to you for getting good at it.
And kudos to @CenTXFJ60 for taking on this project. I have a new appreciation for what it takes.
And kudos to @CenTXFJ60 for taking on this project. I have a new appreciation for what it takes.
cps432
SILVER Star
I lived in Boulder for 10 years. I tried to move to Orlando but didn’t last six months before I got sick of the humidity. Just landed a job with Gibson guitars in Bozeman Montana. Currently on the road headed that way! I wanted to do SAS but my rig was never trail ready when sign up was open. Maybe next year…
I live in downtown Denver. I’ll be at SAS again this year, are you going? I’m really trying to have my blue 60 ready by then but I’m not sure if it will happen. I can whip the red 60 into shape if an have to though. Feel free to pop by when you’re dragging that 60 up this way - if you get the time.
CenTXFJ60
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #51
Oh…I did have a spot on the roof where I “ tiger stripped” it. Camera won’t pick it up but it’s right over the rear drivers seat. I actually ran out of paint during my second coat and had to mix some real quick. Made the mistake of starting back in the wrong spot. Learn as I go. Working on ladders was not the easiest way to spray and I got better by the final clear coat. I’ll be on the ground the rest of the paint process.
Looks great so far, excellent work. Follwoing closely I have dreams of doing a home garage re-spray on mine down the road, hopefully in basic white it's forgiving.
Gretsch
SILVER Star
I will second this (or third or fourth). I shot my Bantam trailer myself in metallic single stage using the HF stuff having absolutely no experience shooting anything in my garage. It worked out enough for me just being a trailer but it was clear right away a better gun and air supply would have made it better. No where near as good as your stuff. Its a metallic gunmetal but my gear couldn't get the flake going as well so kinda just looks black. You can see it in the light OK but overall.....just black. Would love to see how you do this in person sometime. I know I would get a ton of tips watching the magic happen live.
Truck looks great to me man. Gonna be sweet. #LEGEND.
CenTXFJ60
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #55
Yes sir. I agree 100%. That trailer is really cool. Paint looks great. Any plans to build a frame for a tent/camping. You’re welcome to hang out and and even participate in this job. As much work as it is…it’s my favorite thing to do. I learn a ton every-time I do this. Keeps it interesting to me. I have not mentioned the air, but you’re absolutely right. I have a big compressor but it’s not dry air. I need to get one of those charcoal filtration systems. I think about that every time I shoot paint but just have not done it yet. If I was painting a whole truck at one time my exposure would be a lot greater.
cps432
SILVER Star
Color is always hard. Metallics and fades are an art. A dying one at that.
CenTXFJ60
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #59
Did have a fu*k up. Got lazy and tried to turn the corner on the 2nd coat of color. Immediate run. Did not get a shot of the actual run but it was crazy looking as the metallic made a huge “U”. I just watched it slowely move. These are pics of when I stopped painting and fixed it. Hit it with 400 and everything worked out.
. 
