[Che]

Alright, post 1000 on this. I need someone to suggest a suitable spray gun for me. There's a few on Ebay, but need the right advice before I buy.

I got a compressor cabable of 162L p/m, 8 bar pressure as the sticker on the side says. Got all the hoses and stuff (hoping attachments are standard), just need the spray gun so I can get cracking.

I read the application and data sheets for the 342-1166 and 401 primer and they suggest a nozzle of 1.4 - 1.8mm for the job...will I need to scale this back further with the setup I have, or will I just have to do short bursts with the recommended nozzle size to keep a stable pressure?


I'm hoping to use this compressor just because i have no option but to prep the car from bare metal in sections (partly to fix my rattle can fuck ups) as time permits while still keeping it on the road. My only real spare time is at this time of night when job #2 winds up, or Sunday afternoons. Hiring a compressor works out too costly, and buying one is off the cards as i'd never use it again.


If I buy a gun to suit this compressor I think it's my best bet to a half decent job. Noble advice?

[shep]

go to a paint wholesaler and tell them what ya want to do and how much ya want to spend.

if you are gunna paint then pull the front off ya car so you can do it properly.
the bit between the guard and firewall is a grate rust spot. i reckon
that ya could easily paint a car on a long weekend.

[xedent]

Just remember that the painting of the car is the easy part, the preparation is the most important.

Good luck.

[ajsr]

you should be able to buy a cheap gravity feed spray gun under $100 that will work fine.
a star brand may be just over $100 and are a well built gun.
a good trade spec (use it every day gun) sata or devilbiss start at $350-800
the tip size has nothing to do with the air useage and compressor keeping up, it relates to the fliud tip the paint comes out of (ie 1.4 mm hole in the fluid tip)
you will be able to paint your car with the compressor you have and if it can't keep up just slow down (wait a minute between panels)
any TOP coat spray gun you can buy at an auto paints place will be fine for what you are doing so if you are never going to use it again dont spend a lot on a spray gun.
the trick to all spray guns is to keep them clean.

[bazook]

also ive been told to keep your compressor at a solid 50 psi is this true

[stockman]

Don't forget a moisture trap on the compressor.

[2stroker]

Mate you are overthinking this whole thing, seriously go to Supercheap and get a $50 gun mix paint as per the instuctions and just spray it on, I have used this paint a few times, it is unlike anything else you will spray, it is basicly fool proof. My advice is drive past a couple of panel shops and pick up a bent bonnet or two and have a little practice.

[ajsr]

2stroker wrote:

Mate you are overthinking this whole thing, seriously go to Supercheap and get a $50 gun mix paint as per the instuctions and just spray it on, I have used this paint a few times, it is unlike anything else you will spray, it is basicly fool proof. My advice is drive past a couple of panel shops and pick up a bent bonnet or two and have a little practice.

thats VERY good advice find something to practice on before your car

[31zook]

2stroker wrote:

Mate you are overthinking this whole thing, seriously go to Supercheap and get a $50 gun mix paint as per the instuctions and just spray it on, I have used this paint a few times, it is unlike anything else you will spray, it is basicly fool proof. My advice is drive past a couple of panel shops and pick up a bent bonnet or two and have a little practice.

X2 or the underside of your bonnet, or the bit under your dash

[lizzard]

The big question is what paint are you are going to use???

Acrylic?
2 Pak?
Enamel?
Enamel with hardener ?


It makes a MASSIVE difference what tip you use and paint will depend on what gun you select

[Che]

I got a spare door to practise on so that'll be my trial and error panel to work the ins and outs of my setup. I'm glad to know nozzle size isn't a massive issue. Cheers 2Stroker, that puts me at ease knowing it's a dead simple paint to use.


The paint i'm using is a Protec enamel alkyd based top coat. I have to use the recommended Zinc Phosphte primer also, as it's a two-part paint system I guess you'd say. This also means going back to bare metal everywhere.



But before that there's something I need to consider - the Killrust primer I first trialled took well to the car and still looked good after a month, so I decided to get a can of Killrust topcoat and see what results I could get from the bonnet. After three coats and a wet rub with 1200 grit between layers, I think it's come up pretty good.



Are you guys sure rattle cans are so bad? I'd be happy if I could get the whole car painted to this standard, and it's pretty close to the colour i'm chasing.

[shakes]

Nothing at all wrong with a rattle can spray job. It will just look a little rougher, the paint wont be on as evenly. But if your happy with that finish go for it.

I have a feeling that you may need to fully remove that paint anyway before applying paint from a gun... Is that my lack of sleep talking or am I on the right track?

[zook37]

You are spot on. Killrust is an epoxy and any auto refinish product will basically fry when it comes into contact with it.


You will need to get the killrust off before you even consider using protec.

Protec Enamel is particularly sensitive to foreign substrates on the painting surface. But it is a bloody good product!!!

[laurie]

protec went on easy for me. three coats. one day.
but that was in katherine, great weather for painting

[Che]

Laurie - is this done over the top of your stock paint or did you also prime?

[atari4x4]

im pretty sure it was only scuffed with scouring pads.

[laurie]

atari4x4 wrote:

im pretty sure it was only scuffed with scouring pads.

yep fast and nasty sticking good so far.
resists light scratches does not show dirt.
when it does scratch i just touch it up with a small brush.
ive done my chassis and bar work in the army black.
rust guard paint at 15 bucks a litre

[ball]

atari4x4 wrote:

im pretty sure it was only scuffed with scouring pads.

less thought and more do makes it happen

[atari4x4]

i've seen some awesome 3M scouring pad resprays, 1 day paint jobs are the future.

[PJ.zook]

Go to bunnings and have a look at their White Knight Rustpaint selection. Theres like 15 different colours. Then give the whole sierra a scuff with some sandpaper, wipe it down with spirits, mask it up then whip out your paintbrush and go to town. Brunswick Green was my selection.

[steak_knife]

i spayed my first car with house paint..

[xedent]

I did my last sierra with the protec enamel & harder, this time ill be using 2 pac because mud made stains in my last paint job?

Looked good but.

[4x4ish]

Mike(Hizook from nbs) used the cans of spraypaint on his red sierra for the whole thing and it came up pretty dam good. the good part is he has spare cans left for when he gets scratches.

personally id rather use cans, i didnt get a good job with a spray gun and as someone said it left mud stains. on top of that it was ALOT of work. sanding is the worst of it.

[2stroker]

Lizzard you came in late mate, he is using a special satin/matt finish fast drying industrial enamel designed for the Australian Army to be sprayed with anything in any conditions and still get a good result.

Zook37 you are totally wrong mate, Protec 342-1166 army Camoflage green is is actually not very sensitive at all, you can (and I have done this) spray it on anything - enamel, acrilic, 2pac, plastic, wood, bare metal, bog, glass, concrete, fibreglass even water based house paint without it reacting or flareing.

ceh_guitarra says The paint i'm using is a Protec enamel alkyd based top coat. I have to use the recommended Zinc Phosphte primer also, as it's a two-part paint system I guess you'd say. This also means going back to bare metal everywhere. ---- Mate what are you talking about, it is not a two part paint system and you do not have to go back to bare metal at all, if you try to all you will do is ruin your car, leave as much of the original paint on as possible, stop using killrust etc because it is not made to be painted over.

No priming, just scuff the old paint with a scourer


and two years later it still looks like this

[ajsr]

2stroker is right
if this stuff is like most emamel and i'm betting its very similar, you can paint it over basicly any existing substrate , dirt,rust and probably grease.
personally I'm not a massive fan of sctochbriteing a car and then painting but tI works ok particluraly if you use automotive grade red or green scothbrite and ajax powder cleaner from the supermarket (wet) it dulls the paint well and cleans it a treat.
I think that a quick rub down with 600 wet is a better way of preping a vehicle even for a quicky, but each to their own

[royce]

Trade tools have a 3 gun set of Spear and Jackson branded gravity guns for $69

[2stroker]

Yeah Royce that is the go.

Yeah ajsr, the tech sheet on this stuff actually says to use a kitchen type scotch brite and dishwashing detergent. This particular paint is self filling and will flaten and fill reasonably deep scratches, it is the madest paint I have ever used, it is self priming so no primers, sprayputty etc is needed.

[ajsr]

Although paint like this is not something I'd normally use Im going to have to paint some thing in it just because is sounds cool

[royce]

ajsr wrote:

Although paint like this is not something I'd normally use Im going to have to paint some thing in it just because is sounds cool

I might paint the vit just to see what all the fuss is about

[Zook_Fan]

2stroker wrote:

Yeah Royce that is the go.

Yeah ajsr, the tech sheet on this stuff actually says to use a kitchen type scotch brite and dishwashing detergent. This particular paint is self filling and will flaten and fill reasonably deep scratches, it is the madest paint I have ever used, it is self priming so no primers, sprayputty etc is needed.

Is this all protec paints or just the camo green?