Thanks. Jon Kosmosky, the guy who started House of Kolor, has some informative videos out on YouTube. He says that he likes to shoot two heavy coats of clear on one day then the next day scuff it out with 600/800 grit and shoot a tack coat followed by two flow coats. He says that it cuts down the color sanding/buffing stage considerably and leaves a thick layer of clear even after the color sanding.

I started back in the day with lacquer and then Dupont Centari and Imron. These newer paints and high-atomization guns are really nice after you figure out how to use them. I think that my "learning curve" days are over though if they ever stop making solvent-based paints I'm done.

 

Hey Charlie, I have my micro spheres and a top of the line exterior latex paint. I also have a schultz gun brand new in the box, but it was mixing the pick up tube. I fabricated one and also have some 1 quart cans that will match the threads on the schultz gun. I think all I need is the "mixing tool" which is part of the lizzard skin gun kit. What does the mixer look like and can I use something that works just as well that is easy to find?

Does the mix kind of "spatter" on and you just keep building until you have coverage?

 

Not to answer for Charlie but the kit I saw used a mixer like one used for mixing tile grout. I am sure it would work fine as it is very similar in its density and consistency. Should get one at any home improvement store tile supply store.

Here is the picture of the one on Lizard Skins website. I have the exact same one in my tool box I bought at Home Depot.

http://www.lizardskin.com/super-pro-spray-gun.html

 

Yup Dave nailed it...QEP 16 in. Universal Thinset and Grout Mixer Mixing Paddle-61210Q at The Home Depot this one will work just fine, doesn't look exactly like the LS kit item but it should work the same. Try not to overmix as it will break down the ceramic microspheres. The mix will splatter when sprayed, the spray tube length will help control the density of the splatter as will the air pressure used. As it dries the durface will smooth out...be careful not to get runs as you spray, this is a thick substance and does not "tack" like automotive paint. You will get the feel of it quickly as you go...

 

Great, I have one of them from a tile job two winters ago. I looked at home depot today. They have no mis matched colors that I care to use. Both Home Depot have quality latex paints that I think will work. HD has BEHR and Lowes has Valspar. Difference is you can get quart size in the premium at HD but only in gallon at Lowes.

Somewhere in the post I read when you get done mixing a gallon of paint, you should have two gallons of home brew LS. That sounds like 50/50? 1 quart paint to 1 quart microspheres? Or just until it resembles cake batter?

Im a little nervous. I will be spraying my trial run underside of 56 F-100 cab roof. Do I need a wet suit?

For you guys using a 3m schultz gun, have you found any one quart containers that will thread into the bottom of a schultz gun? I think large cans of plumbing cement or cleaner might work, but I dont have an empty one to try. I also ordered two from SPI that fit thier bed liner guns that they think will work. They were $2.50 each. I will let you know if they work with the Schultz gun. Its something I had laying arouund in the box from years ago, brand new never used. I had to fabricate a pick up tube since the original one was not in the box where it was supposed to be. Those guns are getting harder to find and sell anywhere from $90-$130 on ebay. The price tag on mine was $30.60.

 

I looked at mine in the garage and this the one I have (I guess it is a paint mixer but I used it for grout) and it matches the one on the LS site and is half the price. They even have the same thing in Wagner brand half the price of this one but it is online only.

Allway Tools Metal 5-Gal. Spiral Mixer-SM5HD at The Home Depot

I have been looking at a 3M schultz gun and your, right they are proud of them now.

 

Dave,

Thanks for the HD update. I will be checking those out. Im thinking the process with a schultz gun may be similar to spraying mud from a hopper when texturing a ceiling. My first time should be interesting being on an over head underside cab roof. Probably have more on me than the cab roof. I went to NAPA to see if I could find a pick up tube for my schultz. They are not a replaceable item but I had a piece of threaded tubing with the same diameter opening as the opening on the spray nozzle. It also had the correct threads to screw into the bottom of the gun. Only issue now is finding a canister that will work for the supply.

In my search for a replacement pickup tube, NAPA did a search and there were only four or five of these guns west of the Missisipi (in stock at NAPA stores). Ebay and, I think Amazon, had more but the price was pretty high. Personally, I am going towards all SPI products which will include an SPI gun for their bedliner. I am really impressed with what Im finding out about SPI in my research. Sounds like they have awesome product and prices are reasonable. If there is no distributer close to you, they ship to your front door free. www.southernpolyurethanes.com They dont mix base coats and only offer four colors (white, black, orange, and three shades of red). They have a nice line of epoxy primer, cleaners and prep, and clear coats, and bed liner (with a matched gun to spray it). I have not seen their gun, but it sounds like its plastic. They swear its the only gun that will spray their product.

I got into the home brew lizzard skin and ended up getting 5 lbs of microspheres to get the free shipping, so I want to use my own brew at least until that is gone, then switch over to SPI. I may just stick to the home brew for interior work and use the SPI for exterior work.

 

Thanks. That brings up an interesting idea, I don't have a schultz gun (yet) but I do have a texture gun w/ hopper. I wonder if that would work as the stuff has to be the same consistency for spraying mud.

I have viewed the SPI products in the past. Seem like they have some good stuff. I used some bedliner material called Grizzly Grip, that a neighbor had left over from doing his Ford 4x4. It is white and appears to holding up good so far (just sitting in the sun at 6000' in the driveway). I only did the bed floor and it is the base coat as I will go over it and the sides with black.

Keep us informed on how your project turns out and where are you doing this, your location.

 

Will do, Whitefish, MT. One thing about using a texture hopper, you could mix up the whole gallon. I dont see why it would not work. Using a latex paint with a filler should be no different than mud and should clean up good with water.

 

Has anyone tried the new 3M HG14 Accuspray? Its supposed to be a great gun for spraying heavy bodied primers and undercoatings. It has disposeable automizing heads.

 

I have both the 1.4 and the 1.8 versions of the Accuspray...wonderful tools but NOT appropriate for this application.

 

Thats good to know, I have a good selection of high end guns, I will try and make my schultz work for the home made lizzard brew. They do make a 3m insulator for the 1.4 guns but I would imagine its on the high end for pricing.

If I remember, you sprayed your home made lizzard skin with a schultz gun. I that is correct, can you tell me the diameter of the inside of the pickup tube? I have the gun but no tube. Hoping not to get into trouble using a fabricated pick up tube with too large inside diameter. Is it just a straight pipe with opening on one end and threaded opening on the other end?

 

I used this kit Lizard SuperPro Spray Gun Kit
Not sure who I actually bought it from but it is available thru many sources on the internet.

 

Oh I remember you saying that now. Hopefully anyone using the schultz gun and give me some information on the input tube.

 

Charlie, so are you saying the ration of microspheres to paint is 1 to 1? I also have a question about bedliner on the floor. If you take it to an upholster to install carpet, do they drill holes thru the cab floor and mess up the bedliner? How do they install carpet without breaking the seal on the bedliner under the cab floor?