Ok, I'm ready to buy. This is just for hobby use, I'm not starting any business. I need to do some small parts and a few panels on my vette, and will be painting them probably off the car, in my single car garage. I can turn off the water heater gas during painting and plastic off everything, even get the concrete floor wet to keep dust down.


PAINT GUNS:

My little bit of research says Sata (german) and Iwata (japanese) are highly recommended. Astro is a Sata copycat, and the best bang for the buck.

LVLP is barely doable with my little 2hp/26gal compressor (6.5cfm @ 40psi, 5.5 cfm @ 90psi). I don't have to do the entire car in one shot anyways.

http://www.spraygunworld.com/products ... %20EVO%20Auto%20Combo.htm

So why does everyone use a seperate gun for primer? This kit shows a HVLP primer gun that is ok for panel work at 7cfm@40psi. In fact it uses less air than the LPLV gun, which is confusing.

These kits come with a pressure regulator, which should give better control than what's on my compressor now.


DA SANDER

Something like this? The larger ones hog too much air, and won't get into the tighter areas on the car.

http://www.irtools.com/IS/product.aspx-en-256


POLISHING

So I need a rotary for sanding, and a random orbital for polishing?



AIR DRYER

Everything I've found so far is more expensive than my compressor. Where do I start?


PAINT

I guess I'll look in the phone book, I've never bought auto paint before. Who's good? Dupont? PPG? Who's not?



I can get a bigger compressor later but right now have no room for it.

Central
As far as an air dryer you can get what they call a "passive" dryer or you could make your own. The passive dryers use silica gel to do the job and you can reuse it by putting them in an oven. You would need a tube to put it in and have it screened on both sides. Another trick is to make a high loop out of solid air line and add a 3 foot(guestimate) line with a ball valve at the lowest point to collect the water

Oh one major thing I do not see on your list is proper respirators - depends on the type of paint and hardners or activators. Do not want to breath this stuff or even absorb it into the skin. A tyveck suit IMO is a must as well rubber gloves and maybe even a hood ( 2 part paint systems).

Quote:

CC, First get this catalog at www.autobodytoolmart.com
Spraygunworld is good too. Also spraygundepot is good and has a lot of links.
I've backed off the LVLP because I've heard that you can't blend with it as good as an HPLV and the CFM isn't that much different.
How much do you want to spend on a gun?
The difference gun for primer is because the tip is bigger since primer is thicker. A primer gun uses a 1.8mm tip and finish guns use 1.3 or 1.5. I think the inretnals are a little different too because og the flow. Most guys use 2 guns.
I'd love to have a Sata but who wants to spend that kind of money? Good 2 gun kits (primer and finish), DeVilbiss, StartingLine #6979 (Autobodytool p/n) $148.
The next step up: Devilbiss Finishline #6988 -$ 259 or Sharpe Finex # 8073 - $ 264. These come with 2 guns, tips, air regulator and case.
The Astro may be good too, haven't used any of their stuff yet.

Your compressor's fine. I've been spraying with a 1hp 12gal for years, I just have to wait for the compressor to catch up, you won't.

Air drying: Always drain your tank before painting. I've had no problems using the inline cheap dryers. Check out the Devilbiss Desicant Snake #6997 -$13

DA's: I have a 6in. orbital air sander and a 13in. inline air body file. But I find using my Dewalt electric palm sander more than I use the air stuff. Also, Miguiar's has a good DVD on color sanding & polishing.

Polishing: Rotary's fine if you're carefull on the edges so you don't burn the paint. It has to be a variable speed.
Summit has an electric one for $79.

Paint: I use a lot of PPG. It has really good resistance to chipping. Emron's even better but harder to find. All this paint is expensive. House of Color is even worse but the color selection is bitchin'.
I'm going to try out the Kirker paints next because the prices are really good.
Also suggest you use epoxy (urethane) primers.

I agree With BillH....I have an Iwata for my base coat and two Harbor Freights for Primer and Clear...You could do it all with one gun,but changing the tips and cleaning is a real pain..Ya got to watch your Flash Time also..So multiple guns is the way to go..I Have used Kirker and it's Great..You can get a complete Kit for under 250.00 and that includes the paint suit!!! Heres a couple Pics
[IMG width="500"]http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/netfish52/DSCF1449.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/netfish52/DSCF1446.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/netfish52/DSCF1438.jpg[/IMG]

Nice paint job. A friend bought a Harbor freight HVLP and we couldn't get it work right, just wouldn't shoot a good pattern. I took it apart and cleaned/inspected it but it still wouldn't shoot.

On the other hand, before HVPL, I bought a Binks knockoff gun for $48 and it was shot really nice.

Yeah..Old Skool Binks are still Great for Primer..They hold about enough for two coats..LOL

I will add some things to this...

1. Make sure ALL of your chemicals of the wet variety are from the SAME manufacturer...each company has their own special formulas that work best together...

2. Painting is not rocket science....anyone can do it well if you are willing to follow the manufacturers' direction and do a few tests on unimportant pieces

3. If you are painting small items, you may want to check out the SATA Minijet guns...they are the best IMO...and they won't cost much more than some other brands full size guns...I paint Motorcycles with these and they produce flawless results...

4, Play with whatever gun(s) you get until you feel comfortable with them...I'm not kidding about this...take your time...until completely comfortable that you are getting the results you will desire on your important stuff...

5. If you are strapped for money but still want nice results...go with DuPont...they have a great selection of colors and it is very easy to paint with...read forgiving...

6. Do not sand metallic paint...once you've sprayed it...remove it and start over...make sure you mix it well and keep it agitated...don't let it sit in the cup...

7. Before you paint....especially if you are doing irregular shaped objects....figure out your spraying sequence before you shoot it...some like to go around edges first... some do all angles corners first some paint top to bottom some go from the bottom up...just plan it it beforehand...

Good tips!

My tax return is gonna be big enough to pay someone else. But I'll buy the damn tools anyways, paint it, then spend the rest on the 3-car garage. I found my property boundary markers this weekend so now I don't need to pay a surveyor $500. Woo hoo!

I shot my car with a Kobalt HVLP gun from Lowes. It is a copy
of something else. My 2 horsepower compressor cycled on and
off while i was painting. It never ran too low to spray. I got
tired before it did. I have a small drier, 10cfm Hankison.
Humid here most of the time. If I can do it anybody can.
benny

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