Automotive painters

[JoshPeters]

Anyone around here have any advise?



I just picked up a couple spray guns. I have a good ammount of house/industrial painting knowlege, along with airless sprayers.

I haven't used an air type sprayer before.



I know, prep work and cleanlyness is key in automotive spraying.



JP

 

[mberry]

First, find something to paint that you don't mind using over and over. Second, Paint it.



If I remember correctly, turn both the air and material screw adjusters in all the way, then back them out 4 complete turns as a starting point. From there it depends on your style of painting. Less material if you go slow etc... Set your regulated air pressure to 40PSI. Try your best to keep the temperature and humidity close to what the paint is needing to dry correctly.



From here, it's just a matter of practicing to find out how you paint with it. Be patient and don't get mad at yourself when it runs (not if it runs). Test different air and material settings on the gun. Test spraying different types of paint. It really isn't as difficult as you may think.

 

[JoshPeters]

That's what I'm hoping. I was told there are drying/humidity/temperature tables some where that are nice to have?



I plan on messing around in my garage at home. I'm going to do the prep work, move the parts/vehicle out, plastic the entire thing, floor and all, move it back in and spray.



I have a furnace in my garage... I have a feeling I may have to control the airflow a bit better. Right now it just blows out of the furnace into the garage. No duct work at all.



Josh

 

[JoshPeters]

Any ideas on those dry tables?



Is the airflow out of my heater something I should worry about?



JP

 

[Philip]

The air flow out of your heater will most likey stir up dust and get into fresh paint. Been there,done that. :-laf :-laf



Now if I go to paint. I bring the garage up above what I want it to be. Shut the heat off. I'll be good for an hour or so before I turn it back on. By then the paint has flashed over.



Are the guns HVLP?

 

[JoshPeters]

I've got one that is a suction design, the other is a gravity feed.



I found out a little to late, that my "good deal" on the suction gun is more for primer or a VERY simple base coat.



I just went out and grabbed both guns...

One is a Sharpe, Cobalt

The other one is a Mac Tools, "sg1250-13" it has a 1. 3mm tip. The box says, "Conventional gravity spray gun. "

( https://www.mactools.com/portal/sit...toid=dafa86c81dcac010VgnVCM100000104d840aRCRD)





I'm hoping that between the 2, and a car that... well I don't really care about... I can learn how to paint... and ya never know... maybe find I can nitch I didn't know about!

 

[tugboatphil]

Josh,



Like you, I have spray painted most things except cars. I had to paint some boat hulls in the Navy, which needed a glossy finish to them (nothing like a car finish. ) Before messing with my gun settings, a lot of the time I would change the distance of the spray tip to the surface. Mainly because I'm lazy.



It's good for minor differences, but not a cure-all. I was told to try to get the spray to be "almost" dry when it hits.



I have also been wanting to give that a try and have an old truck hood that I am going to practice on. It may not look pretty when I get done, but it will definitely be heavier! :-laf

 

[mberry]

The tables you want are, or should be, on the packaging of the material. If not, wherever you purchase the material should be able to provide you with the tables you are looking for. You definitely want to avoid any heat source or open flames while you are painting. I know you already know that but it never hurts to be thorough.



I worked corrosion control in my squadron for a year and really want a good spray gun like we had back then. It was a very nice HVLP DeVilbiss.