55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Hi all, as most fo you know I am in the process of painting my car at home, this is a first for me at home, and anything like this. I have runs in the paint, some peel here and there, even a little dust and over spray. But the car, is a fellow member stated, " at least it is 1 color now". I may reshoot some panels where the runs were big and bad, when I do the roof, which remains to be painted seperately, with the rest of the car bagged. Here are a couple of pics, I will not be in a hurry to do another paint job at home, for a good while, having a proper booth, with real good lighting is a must......... Quote
55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 Pics always look better, got a couple of big runs. My trouble is I could not see well on the 2nd and 3rd coats, so got paint sags as a result. Well my inexperience is probably the biggest factor. This car looked like crap, when I brought her home, besides the runs, it looks 1000 times better now. I can always redo some panels, or shave the runs, wet sand and polish............ Quote
hkestes41 Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Rockwood, That is looking good. Can't wait to see it rolled out in the sunshine for some good pictures. If you are like most of us, you are much more critical of your own work than most others would ever be. I am sure the runs and orange peel are not nearly as bad as you think they are. Quote
PatS.... Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) That looks great, Fred!!!! For a first timer at home...can't be beat. I'm envious!!!!! You don't have orange peel...THIS is orange peel!!! Edited May 31, 2009 by PatS.... Quote
randroid Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Rockwood, That's sweet, truly sweet! I think I'll share your opinion of doing another one by the time I get mine painted, but I hope it looks half as good as yours when I'm done. -Randy Quote
55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 Well thanx guys, bu there are a bout 3 runs, that are fairly big, not sure how I will approach them. The roof is getting painted next, then car will get all her trim back on, may drive with the runs, peel and all for a while. I am not in the mood for doing anymore painting once the roof, and maybe a 1 or 2 panel reshoots get done........... Pat, it looks better on pics, it is only a very mediocre job, by a very green painter, wish I did not get the pell here and ther, and the paint runs, other wise it would look real good Quote
RobertKB Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Fred, get the trim on and the orange peel and runs will not be as apparent. I think it looks great and you gotta be proud of what you have accomplished. Now drive the wheels off her! Quote
55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) Fred, get the trim on and the orange peel and runs will not be as apparent. I think it looks great and you gotta be proud of what you have accomplished. Now drive the wheels off her! Thanx Robert, gotta paint the roof next hopefully later this coming week. The will let everything sit for about a week. I already have the front bumper, and some trim back on the front end. I was getting peel, , but today I got runs easier. I really thinned out the paint, it went on nice, but I was having trouble seeing as I painted. I tehn got paint runs as a result, on my 3rd coat, I added more reducer, to thin out the paint, then did a lighter coat, with very thin paint, this leveled right out, giving the paint a super glossy reflection almost immediately. Live and learn, will drive her , with paint peel, and some runs. I am hoping I might be able to razor shave, westand and polish the big runs...........Fred PS I was planning to go to a local small country car show, but not sure I will attend with paint runs and such, don't want the experts scrutinizing my flaws in the paint Edited May 31, 2009 by Rockwood Quote
RobertKB Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Fred, don't worry about the "experts". They either paid big bucks to get their paint job or if they have a nice job they did themselves they know what it takes, have had practice, and will be complimentary about your "first" paint job. Drive the wheels off her and take her to the show!! Quote
Fireball Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Thumbs up that you did it Fred! The only way to learn painting is by doing. Who cares about runs and sags and peel, they can be repaired and next time you will not reduce that much, you will arrange better lightning and so on. So you already got better even if the current end result is not that satisfying. It's good to be self critical, that's the only way to develope. My appreciation goes to all individuals who are trying new stuff with their hands, that's the carrying force on this whole hobby, live and learn by doing. My friend has painted over 500 cars, and still makes mistakes every now and then. I have painted half a dozen, and it's never spotless, but I like it. Keep on Rocking the Wood Fred!!! Quote
dezeldoc Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Fred, Glad to see it coming along, the body work looks like it came out pretty good. don't be to hard on yourself, it don't matter how long you have been doing this things happen. i was painting a tailgate for a friend last night and wouldn't ya know it got a run right above the handle! oh well guess i'll be a color sanding! lighting is a big factor, but ya work with what ya got. keep at it it will look great when it is done and you can say with pride that you did the whole thing yourself. Quote
55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 Thanx everyone for your "votes of confidence", the runs, are hard to see until your about 5 feet from the car, this color hides well. We will see how it is in the sun. I may let everything sit for a few weeks, then paint roof, and rear 1/4 and rear fender where the run is, or may drive like this for now, and correct them panel by panel in fall. If I can isolate and paint 1 panel, can get better results. I really had to develop my own mix, with the paint,wnet with 8-4-1 adding wet look hardener too, as it being Industrial enamel, it had very limited instructions. So add this to a very green spray painter, and a cheaper gun, and it becomes challenging. No doubt an experienced paitner would have made her lay down better than I. I did reduce paint almost 50%, then for the 3rd coatreduced to 60%, my runs happened in the 2nd coat. The 3rd coat being reduced more, helped the paint flow out, and made it super glossy and smooth. My gargae temp was only around 62 to 64, this did not help matters...........Fred Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 let it cure real good..get a paint run/nib shaver..color sand and polish..you will be surprised at what you can correct without a re-shoot. Quote
greg g Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) Fred, do as Tim says. I don't know what you are shooting, but if its single stage, some times you can pull a run off before it flashes. Get a piece of masking tape about 1 foot longer than the run. Stretch it tighly between you hands, How you position it to hold it will depend on position of the run. Lightly touch the tape to the top of the ridge of the run. The adhesive and the surface tension of the paint will consprire to lift off the excess paint, and as it continues to flow will fill in any hollow left behind. Yes it takes some practice. If you have an older style syphon style paint gun, put some straight reducer in it. again before the paint flashes you can mist over the run area to enhance the flow out. http://www.tptools.com/p/2487,116_Run-Razor.html Edited May 31, 2009 by greg g Quote
55 Fargo Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 let it cure real good..get a paint run/nib shaver..color sand and polish..you will be surprised at what you can correct without a re-shoot. Tim, I am sure hoping for this, the worst runs below 1of the 1/4 window, and right rear fender, I may re-shoot with roof. Any chance I can do a spot spray, especially on fresh paint, probably not as there is hardener in the paint......... Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Congratulations, Fred. I will be shooting epoxy primer pretty soon. I probably have less optimal working conditions than you and it will be my first paint job too. I figure I'll be lucky if I do as well as you have. Like you, I want to give it a shot and try to save money. Plus I like the challenge of doing it myself. I'll be asking you for advice since you just went through it. Quote
PatS.... Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Fred, don't let the runs stop you from getting it OUT on the road!! The boost you'll get from the positive comments and just the fun of driving it will make you forget about any flaws. I'd give my left...well never mind, but I would love to be driving mine so throw the trim on and hit the road. Lotsa time next winter to tinker more. Does Manitoba get winter EVERY year??? Quote
Allan Faust Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Fred, You did a great job..... a pro painter once told me, anyone can do a pro paint job, it will just take the green ones 4 times as long, because you will have all the elbow grease to do that I don't have to.... ie because of the runs etc, you have to sand them down and recoat..... also, take your time.... 10 light coats are better than 3 heavy ones..... whenever I've painted small objects, the first 2 coats don't even look like I've put anything on.... just take your time.... and even if you are critical of it.... you did a great job.... you didn't have a paint booth, you didn't have good lighting and you aren't an experienced painter..... but you still did a decent job.... and I've seen lots worse.... Allan Quote
55 Fargo Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Posted June 1, 2009 Some outdoor shots of the paint job, she's far from perfect, but perfect from afar...........But I did it myself, so no one to blame for mistakes but me Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Looks good Fred. My car was painted probably 12 years ago by a friend, who has restored cars and built rods for many people. Due to "iffy" weather conditions....was rather cloudy & looking like rain.....he used the wrong temperature thinner. Got several runs, which are still there. They show more now that the paint is older, than they did at first. Paint is acryllic enamel with hardner. All I've ever done is wax the car. If you do use the razor blade on the runs, be sure to then use a sanding block to keep the area wider than the run and flat. Just to prove that a few little runs don't always make much difference, the car was given first place in "stock class to '48" at a car show on Saturday. Quote
55 Fargo Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Posted June 1, 2009 Thanx Bob, weather,temps, redcution of paint can all affect outcome, then throw in my inexperience to boot. Thank God , it may have turned worse with many other paint problems. I will live with most of it, might immediately re-shoot 2 panels, right after I do the roof, the roof is getting painted within a week.........Fred Looks good Fred. My car was painted probably 12 years ago by a friend, who has restored cars and built rods for many people. Due to "iffy" weather conditions....was rather cloudy & looking like rain.....he used the wrong temperature thinner. Got several runs, which are still there. They show more now that the paint is older, than they did at first. Paint is acryllic enamel with hardner. All I've ever done is wax the car. If you do use the razor blade on the runs, be sure to then use a sanding block to keep the area wider than the run and flat. Just to prove that a few little runs don't always make much difference, the car was given first place in "stock class to '48" at a car show on Saturday. Quote
dezeldoc Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Fred, looks good! i like your comment about "no one to blame but yourself" that is why i always do as much as i can because nothing worse than paying someone else and having problems and having to deal with them to get it fixed. i think once it is all together it will not be as bad as you think! Quote
55 Fargo Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Posted June 1, 2009 Fred, looks good! i like your comment about "no one to blame but yourself" that is why i always do as much as i can because nothing worse than paying someone else and having problems and having to deal with them to get it fixed. i think once it is all together it will not be as bad as you think! Thanx Deez, it will be alright, may re-shoot 2 or 3 panels at a lter date, will isolate tem anby covering rest of car with ploy and paper. Doing 1 panel at a time is actually fun, and more relaxing then diving in on a whole car or even major sections on a big car like this. I would have had a hard time painting this car in 1 session, in a modern spray booth, with good equipment, and experience yes, but not at home without anyof the before mentioned. But I am happy with it, car is sitting on the driveway, it's been sunny/cloudu/partly sunny, it looks pretty good outside.......Fred Quote
Allan Faust Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Fred, don't let the runs stop you from getting it OUT on the road!! The boost you'll get from the positive comments and just the fun of driving it will make you forget about any flaws.I'd give my left...well never mind, but I would love to be driving mine so throw the trim on and hit the road. Lotsa time next winter to tinker more. Does Manitoba get winter EVERY year??? Nope, just ALL year.... Allan Quote
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