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Another Paint thread

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Stupid question, but couldn't any paint be used? Why look solely for rustoleum or it's equivalent?
 
From what I've read (about 20 pages in 4 hours, 23 more to go!) the enamel ingredients are the key, the properties of the Rustoleum are what apparently makes this work.
 
I remember tipping - my dad was a resolute do-everything-yourself kind of guy - he taught me how to do dozens of things I have long forgotten about, including tipping. Your mention of tipping broke that memory for me, and I thank you for it. BCF is such a cool place to hang out!

Maybe ncbugeye should get a brush paint job... I always enjoyed painting with a brush and have never handled a spray gun in my life.
 
Wow Baz! Thanks for doing that. I read about 3 pages before I felt like I had had enough for life.
 
bugimike said:
Kim, wet-sanding is a finishing prep stage to painting. The cardinal rule is that paint does not hide anything. If you have a "wart' it will still be evident even with a coat of paint over it. Paint application is only the final finishing touch of a good paint job. Your primed surface should be perfect before paint is applied! By wet sanding, you get a super-smooth surface on which to apply the paint and let it flow for the "showroom shine". Wet sanding will also allow you to check your bodywork for trueness by observing the reflection or shine on the wet surface. A dimple or a wave is much easier to see on a wet surface than a matte, dry primer surface! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
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But I keep seeing where people are wet sanding after painting. I don't understand that.
 
It is one of the FINAL steps to a mirror finish. After the steps mike describes, the paint is applied and THEN the 1500 grade wet sanding flattens the paint itself. THEN you polish/buff what's left.

It is a "process" that yields an amazingly beautiful finish. 99 out of 100 peeps don't know ~why~ it is stunning, but they stare at it amazed none-the-less.
 
jlaird said:
You do know that all cars were painted with a paint brush untill the 30s and even then the expensive ones like RR were brush painted.
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I had a relative in the SF Bay area whose business was restoring old RR's for some very wealthy people. Brush painting was the only way. Don't know about today's paints, but then, it took months for the paint to cure between coats & sanding. No wonder it took years to restore a car, but his customers would have it no other way.

Slow drying paints do flow out very well, because it takes a whole lot of time for them to cure.
D
 
Morris said:
I read about 3 pages before I felt like I had had enough for life.
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If it saves me $2,950:00, so be it.
A lot of the stuff is regurgitated over and over as people try to change the technique with disasterous results, but typically, the refridgerators, lawnmowers and cars do come out very well IF it is followed. As mentioned, the wetsanding is vitally important.
I'll edit down at work today, I have about 15 pages to sift through, but the proof will be in the pudding so to speak.
 
Thanks for putting in the effort, Barry. I skimmed through a bunch of it as well, but I'm a long ways off from a paint job. Can't wait to read through your summary.
 
I was thinking last night that this would be a great way to paint the inside (rear)of my tub. Seems like a tough place to spray. And I see that Rustoleum has an Iris Blue, which I plan to have someone (professional) applys(spray) to the outside. Most of the inside has been covered with Grey POR-15.
Just thinking about it. Also look forward to the edited down version of the many pages of writings.
 
If anyone is painting their car, or any parts thereof black, white or "stainless", I would strongly recommend the Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy finishes! They flow well, offering a beautifully glossy finish, and due to the epoxy component are exceptionally hard! Probably the next best thing to actually powdercoating!
 
That final wet sanding after the paint has cured is called color sanding. If you brush paint on there will be brush marks, even if you are good at tipping. If you spray it there will be some orange peel. The slower a paint dries, the better it will level out but still never perfectly smooth. Color sanding knocks down all the high points to make a glass (almost) smooth surface.

Any lacquer cures hard and can be color sanded. Most, if not all, catalized paints also cure hard enough to color sand. Most enamels do not cure all the way through. Instead of polishing, they gum up or at least the top surface sands away, leaving a partially cured finish that does not have the right chemistry to ever really finish curing.

Depending on the quality of the surface, color sanding might start with anywhere between 400-100 grit paper and end with at least 1500 if not 2000.

Bayless
 
According to the originator of the low cast paint job post, thinning the Rustoleum with mineral spirits and applying it in ultra thin "build-up" coats allows it to harden enough to color sand.

I personally know nothing about paint, I am just repeating his words.
 
I'll have to look later tonight, but I had another link that I saw a while back about this. Guy did a Corvair in white with a blue racing stripe. Looked great to me. He used rustoleum. I'll look later tonight, I think I have it bookmarked at home.

I think his pics are better than the ones being shown in the thread posted in there for the Charger. I also like seeing multiple people that are unrelated having good results. What can I say, I am an auditor, I look for unrelated support to come to the same conclusion ;-)
 
Bear with me, I had a second thought.
I won't post any summaries or what not until I, myself can verify what I'm posting by actually doing it, and showing some pictures; before, during, after etc.
I'd hate to lead anyone astray with 2nd hand info. What I will post at that point, is what I did and my results so you can conclude from an independent BCF member whether this is viable or not.
I've PB'd the bumpers and will have a go tomorrow.
 
So has anyone been able to confirm if Rustoleum and Tramclad are indeed the same formulation. I thought I read they were different. As another source, Tractor Supply sells all of the Implement Colors(Farm Tractors) for something like $20 per Gallon. Someone one this list reported great results using their paint for a sub $100 paint job.
 
That's pretty impressive for Rustoleum, I must say!! I do have reservations as to the durability of the paint! Using the same technique outlined in that link for application of the paint, marine Awl-Grip paint can be applied in the same manner, using less coats of paint to achieve the final coat (still a min. 3 coats!) . The draw-back to Awl-Grip is the cost of the paint and thinner/hardener (it is 3 stage, i.e. pigment, thinner and hardener) and the precise ratios with which the components must be mixed together. It also requires a MINIMUM of 8-10 hours drying time between coats. The plus side will be much less buffing and polishing required to achieve an outstanding luster and a far superior durability (it is after-all formulated for use in the salty marine environment!) I will be using this paint on my BE, and have been contemplating whether to roll or spray it! (a different thinner-reducer is used for each type of application) There is also a pretty decent array of color choices with Awl-Grip, including metallic colors (which MUST be sprayed to achieve a nice even coat). Color charts and paint should be available through any marine supply store!
 
Just an FYI, I just purchased all the 'stuff', lo and behold, $56 with sales tax. I did by a little less than the original poster, purely from a surface area point of view.
 
We're waiting with baited breath, Barry. Thanks for being our test subject.

I've got visions of nice green rustoleum racing stripes for the Tunebug... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
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