doing paint at home

DONT DO IT. I did the same thing. Started with the base coat and ended real quick. To many variables at home, temp, wind, bugs, dirt, humidity, etc. Find a spray booth to rent trust me. By the way, I used a booth and it is way easier.

Paint work is not bad if you realize what is needed up front and are prepared for it. It can be very fun too. Prep work is very important - make sure you wet sand the whole car first getting out all the dings, scratches and all that stuff - I suggest using body filler applied with a razor blade in small quantities over the small imperfections and wet sand with it with 600 grit on a sanding block feathering it out nicely then shooting primer. Knock down the primer with 800 wet sand grit and make sure it is sticking good and cured before applying the color coat. I prefer to shoot enamel in small sections when doing it at home - pick one panel to do a day and do it. If you want to paint the whole car start at the top and work your way out and down making sure to keep moving to reduce runs. The main thing to remember is you can WET SAND OUT every imperfection imaginable as long as you have enough thickness to do so. I usually do not worry about the orange peel texture as long as I do not run the paint - wet sanding is fun if you take it panel by panel. Start with 800 grit then 1500 then 2000 then compound it out then let it cure for a few weeks then wax it with a good wax. I prefer to do all the steps by hand versus buffer or air sanders because I can feel my work and know when to stop. It is an art form not for those who like to rush things but I find it relaxing and enjoyable to take it one panel at a time and sit back and look at the shine/reflection. I suggest you start with a straight white for your first few paint jobs as this is the most forgiving color and easiest to work with - I like to accent with flat black stripes.... but that is personal preferance.... you can actually get a much better paint job by doing it yourself than at a 3000.00 shop job if you take your time - even with a small compressor and a cheap gun in your garage panel by panel - done it lots of times...

bsedwebt70-5.0 said:

Paint work is not bad if you realize what is needed up front and are prepared for it. It can be very fun too. Prep work is very important - make sure you wet sand the whole car first getting out all the dings, scratches and all that stuff - ...

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Where were you guys (or the Internet) when I tried painting my own car years ago... It was a disaster. I could have used some good advice. I had a lot of paint on it, now after reading this post, I'm wondering if I could have cut the orange peel. I tried sanding it, but probably not enough.. I never got it to shine.

Well put bsedwebt70-5.0. Patience is definitely the name of the game. There’s nothing quite like the feeling when someone says: “Beautiful Paint Job. Who did it?” and you respond: “I Did.” I wish the net was around when I was doing this too RGS0907. I learned everything the hard way. Heck, my first attempt at painting my car was with custom mixed spray cans. Don’t do it, it doesn’t work.

Find a local automotive paint supplier and ask their advice. Read and follow the directions for proper application on the can. Pearl, Metallic and Red paints are more expensive and can run as much as $200 per quart, though they are reduced 50/50 so you actually end up with a half gallon. You can do a whole car exterior with 1 Gal (after reducing, thus you need 2 quarts of color). I usually end up running into a 3rd quart since I remove each body part and paint it off the car. This allows me to rustproof areas like fender interiors prior to painting the exterior. Major color changes, from dark to light, require more paint to hide the original color.

Depending on the temp. and humidity variations in your area, you may want to pick up 2 different reducers so you don’t end up having to run to the paint store to get the right one for the weather condition on the day you’re going to paint. (Yes, you can mix 2 different reducers - weather permitting). The reducer controls the evaporation rate. Too fast and you’ll have over-spray (partial paint drying in the air landing on partially dried painted sections). Too slow and you increase the risk of runs and sags.

I’ve always painted the roof, 2 rear quarters and rear end, at the same time. For this, I turn one bay of the garage into a makeshift paint both with plastic sheeting (not too thin, you don’t want the plastic blowing onto your wet paint). This serves the dual purpose of reducing outside dust and protects the rest of the garage from the dried paint, which lands on everything (been there, done that).

Most paints recommend a constant 45 PSI at the gun. The longer the air hose, the bigger the compressor you will need to do the job. Do not use air hoses that have had oil running through them for air tools (one cause of fish-eye). The difference between professional and low budget paint guns is the amount of paint they can lay down in one stroke (note the higher number of orifices on professional guns), thus they also require a higher constant PSI at the gun. Do not expect a professional grade gun to work with a 5HP Craftsman compressor – It won’t. A medium grade gravity feed gun ($100 +/-) is fine. Bottom line - make sure your compressor is capable of producing the constant PSI output that is required by the gun and use the shortest hose possible. You will also want to put a moisture filter in the airline.

Your paint supplier can recommend a good pre-cleaner to wipe the parts down with right before painting. Parts must be free of all oil, wax and silicone (another cause of fish-eye). You will also need a good cartridge respirator mask. Do not attempt to paint with cheap coffee filter type dust masks.

Here's a cardinal rule of do-it yourself paintjobs: if you're doing it to save money, forget it. By the time you buy a compressor (HVLP guns need a minimum of 10-15cfm of air flow, that means a big compressor), a spray gun (more like 2 spray guns) plumb your shop for air, buy a fresh air supply (needed for spraying isocynate-hardend clears) as well as all the materials, you could easily exceed what it would cost to have someone else do it. But if you're doing it to learn, or because you enjoy the feeling of a job well done, or because you really don't trust anyone else with your car, then by all means give it a shot. Here's a site with lots of great guys who are willing to help www.paintucation.com

bsedwebt70-5.0 said:

wet sanding is fun i

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My dad and I did it once..he has done several cars in addition to that one. Getting the area clean is just about the hardest part. As far as saving money goes....yeah, you might save a little. What you get is that you learned something, you know exactly how the job was done (no suprises later). You will NEVER get a home garage as debris free at a real booth. And that debris will end up in the wet paint...as well as every flying insect for miles around.....then comes the wet sanding...and sanding....and sanding....What was that about it being fun?

mfp4073 said:

...then comes the wet sanding...and sanding....and sanding....What was that about it being fun?

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Who needs fingerprints anyway

Let's face it, you can hire someone to do everything that needs doing to restore these cars. Better yet, as has been stated many times, the cheapest way to restore a classic is to go buy one that's already done.

zookeeper said:

Here's a cardinal rule of do-it yourself paintjobs: if you're doing it to save money, forget it. By the time you buy a compressor (HVLP guns need a minimum of 10-15cfm of air flow, that means a big compressor), a spray gun (more like 2 spray guns) plumb your shop for air, buy a fresh air supply (needed for spraying isocynate-hardend clears) as well as all the materials, you could easily exceed what it would cost to have someone else do it.

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Starting from scratch, everything necessary to paint a car (including paint) can be purchased for about $1,200. Most paint prices I've seen quoted around this forum are at least twice that.

I'm right in the middle of a home paint job. It is a huge amount of work. I have put up a DIY paint booth (more to keep the paint contained then keep crap out). If i had the money, i would have much rather payed to have it done. I've been at it for 3 months and i'm ready to be done...

Platonic Solid said:

Starting from scratch, everything necessary to paint a car (including paint) can be purchased for about $1,200. Most paint prices I've seen quoted around this forum are at least twice that.

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Here's a list of what it's cost me thus far:
compressor: Sears 6.5hp/60 gal- $459
air line plumbing: $180
Sharpe filter/regulator:$85
hose & fittings (hvlp guns need hi-flow fittings): $80
Devilbiss Finishline 3 gun & regulator: $160
Various sanding blocks: approx $60
Body tools (hammers, dollys, etc): $95
HobbyAir breathing system: $572 (because my lungs are not yet replaceable)
House of Kolor KP 2 CF primer: 6 quarts total @ $27/quart
sandpaper (various grits): $75
filler: (approx) $45
Note that I did not include the stripper needed to strip the old paint (about $80) paint or clear, because I haven't bought any yet, since I'm still blocking the car, but I'm figuring about $600 for both. I can tell you this, when you get into doing the work, it seems like there is no such thing as a $20 trip to the paint store. Everytime I need paper, fillers, spreaders, primer or whatever, it seems to end up costing $50 for odds and ends stuff. I stand by my opinion that there is no way you could start with nothing and paint your car for $1200.

I am in the middle of restoring my '70 Mach in my garage. I am learning allot and you will feel good when you are done and you can say you did all the work. The one part that I will not do is the color paint. Do all the body work and priming in the garage. Find a paint booth in your area that you can rent or take it to someone. You will not keep the debris from entering the garage no matter how many precautions you take. If debris gets in the primer, it will be removed when you guide and block the car. No matter how good of a painter you are or no matter how good of tools you have to apply the paint, it can be all ruined by dust and particles in the air. Granted, you will wet sand after you color paint but it is a good idea to apply the color paint in a booth. It will not only be cleaner but will also give you correct air temperatures and will also have better light. Light is a major factor if you apply clearcoat because it is hard to see your coverage area due to it being clear. If you email me, I can send you pics of the homemade platic barrier walls that roll up and down when needed. I salvaged two air conditioner condenser fans which I framed and put on legs to use as my exhaust. And yes, filters were used so the neighbors wouldn't be killing me afterwards. Body work and primer will keep you busy and can save you money if you do yourself, but spend the extra $$$ for the booth when applying the color paint. Good luck.

zookeeper said:

Here's a list of what it's cost me thus far:
compressor: Sears 6.5hp/60 gal- $459
air line plumbing: $180
Sharpe filter/regulator:$85
hose & fittings (hvlp guns need hi-flow fittings): $80
Devilbiss Finishline 3 gun & regulator: $160
Various sanding blocks: approx $60
Body tools (hammers, dollys, etc): $95
HobbyAir breathing system: $572 (because my lungs are not yet replaceable)
House of Kolor KP 2 CF primer: 6 quarts total @ $27/quart
sandpaper (various grits): $75
filler: (approx) $45
Note that I did not include the stripper needed to strip the old paint (about $80) paint or clear, because I haven't bought any yet, since I'm still blocking the car, but I'm figuring about $600 for both. I can tell you this, when you get into doing the work, it seems like there is no such thing as a $20 trip to the paint store. Everytime I need paper, fillers, spreaders, primer or whatever, it seems to end up costing $50 for odds and ends stuff. I stand by my opinion that there is no way you could start with nothing and paint your car for $1200.

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I don't want to get into a pissing contest here, but if you were to have your car stripped and have body work done you'd be paying a pro more than $2400. Not to overlook the fact that when your done painting this car, you can paint another at a fraction of the cost since you already own all the expensive equipment.

As with so many things, painting your car can either be viewed as a major PIA or a major source of pride. Personally, I'd sooner paint a car than rebuild an engine. (I'll gladly pay a pro to do that for me.) To each his own.

I guess you're right about the cost, especially considering the high cost of paying someone. I should have said that it's not as cheap as some people think. It's also nowhere near as easy as some people think. We've all seen perfectly good cars waste away in pieces, because the owner thought it would be easy to do a paintjob, stripped the car down, lost interest in about the 6th month, then lost some parts, then sold the car (in pieces) for a huge loss. But in the end, I have to agree that it's less expensive to do it yourself.