Starting to Paint - got questions, need comments

[45Kevin]

So, as part of the ongoing saga in keeping my truck in reasonable condition, I have been collecting parts to replace the deteriorating body.

I picked up two fenders several years ago from Crushers that needed some patching, and cut my teeth with my HH140 welder repairing some rust spots. I also got two doors from a mud member in Idaho that just needed some heavy sanding to be ready for paint. I did need to weld in a washer on each door where the bolt that holds the window track had pulled through.

Anyhow, I had planned to spray the paint with a siphon feed gun I have had for years, but when I dug it out the needle was stuck and after cleaning old paint/gunk off it the seals must be shot because air bleeds out everywhere when hooked up to the compressor.

My plan-B was to buy a new gravity feed gun, but then I remembered an old HVLP system I bought years ago to spray doors and trims in basement renovations I was doing for a living.

I dug it out last night and shot a coat of paint on one of the doors.

It did a decent job, but I had to lay it on bit thicker than I would have liked to get it to self level. The gun doesn't seem to atomize the paint enough. I will need to play with the adjustments I guess. After I learn a bit more about spray guns.

Here are pics of the HVLP system, the paint and the door.

 

[45Kevin]

Back at it again. There were a few runs in the door I did the other day, so I sanded them out and resprayed. I also did the other door and the two fenders.

How long until the paint hardens? I found that sanding the door I sprayed the other day, the dust balled up like the paint was still soft.

How long should I wait before I put the door hardware back on, and how long before I put the new weather strip on with the 3M contact cement supplied with the Cool Cruiser weather stripping?

.

 

[45Kevin]

And then it rained



So I am hoping that the rain will just evaporate off now that it is sunny again. It was just a shower so the fenders didn't get sopping wet. Just sprinkled on.

 

[45Kevin]

I have used about half a quart of paint for the two doors and two fenders.

Two coats on everything, and inside and outside of each fender.

 

[Melloj123]

You would get much better results if you invested in a cheap HVLP gun. I have bought them on sale at Harbor Freight for like $20. They do a good job for occasional use but you must clean good after every use. If you used the correct mix, your paint should be dry enough the next day to do about anything except wax.

 

[69fj4069]

Looks good. The fender could have been a little straighter. But the paint looks fairly smooth good job.

 

[45Kevin]

You would get much better results if you invested in a cheap HVLP gun.

See post 1. That is a mid level HVLP. It is a single stage air pump. I am happy with the results so far. Any issues are due to my lack of spraying / mixing experience.

The Friday night painting resulted in several runs and the paint did not seem to harden very well.

Yesterday's spraying went better, with a slight orange peel effect. By last night the paint had sun dried enough to be picked up without issue.

The rain left the tops of the fenders with a little bit of fisheye. No biggie. I can live with it, or may sand and respray that area the next time I paint.

The fenders were well used and I was learning to weld and the 4x4 patch I put in warped a bit, hence the wavy front of it.

 

[hedgehog23]

love that 45 , Is it forsale

 

[45Kevin]

love that 45 , Is it forsale

No not for sale yet.

Check back in 30 years or so and my kids may want to unload it.