Looking good. Were you sup-prized about the cost of materials? One of the things I learned was that some of the materials deteriorate after being opened. Some of my paint process spanned months.

 

Budget was blown a long time ago. (Since day 1 it seems.) So no, not to surprised by the cost. Paint was not too terribly expensive (about $31 quart for primer and $60 a quart or color, plus, reducer, hardener, lacquer thinner for cleanup). The amount of prep time is astounding. That’s why the professionals get what they get. It’s all the little things you don’t think of (sanding blocks, sanders, sand paper, metal prep, tack clothes, extra spray guns, regulators, desiccant dryer, air filters, new positive pressure face mask, box fans, tarps, spray booth, rolls of plastic, etc). It will be worth it in the end. And now that I have all the stuff, who knows, maybe there is another project out there

It’s also time well spent with my son. Getting him off the video games in his spare time from basketball, football, and baseball, and out in the garage. Plus knowing the truck will be in good hands someday (hoping he doesn't sell).

 

That last part is the most important thing. Can't wait for the pics of the finished job.

 

HVFD Good job with you son. Sounds like you are on you way to being a body man

 

Not sure if anyone else has had problems getting paint ready to spray. The directions I had said to mix primer 1:1. This was way to thin. It ran all over. I sanded that coat off and mixed 2:1, sprayed it on and had no runs at all. The first color coat I sprayed on last night, directions said to mix 8:2:1, I used 8:1:1 and had no runs (that I know of). I do not measure the viscosity. I just stir with a stick and kinda look at how the paint runs off the stick (too fast, too slow) and how fast it runs through the filter. I'm using a 1.4 nozzle. Harbor Freight special. I've had good luck with this gun. SO I went and got two more. 1 for primer, 1 for color, 1 for top coat.

How many coats of color do "normal" people put on? Directions say 2 - 2.5 mil.

I don't see it listed on the specs or directions, but I seem to remember the guy at NAPA saying the color and clear coat were all together. Or do I still need to clear coat? That might be a questions for the retailer.

 

What kind of pressure and gun are you using. What size tip. I use that brand, bur base coat/ clear coat and I did not have any runs. How fast are you moving your arm? How close are you to the piece you are painting. I saw you are using an acrylic enamel which is different from what I used, but the basics are the same.

 

I had used a spare piece of sheet metal to test the pattern each time I began to spray. this helped me out alot

 

I know this may sound like a simple question, and it is in no way to offend. Are you using mixing scale containers?

 

Using the cheap, $13.00 Harbor Freight gun with 1.4 tip. It came with the 1.4 and the 1.8 tip. I have had real good luck using them on the tractors. I am by no way a professional so I can't see spending a ton of money on spray guns. I am using 20 psi at the regulator just before entering the gun. It reads something like 35-40 closed, then I pull the spray gun lever and it drops to a constant 20 at the reg. Not sure what psi is coming out at the tip. Using mixing cups to mix. They are marked with different ratios. I hung a piece of brown paper on the wall of the booth to set air flow, fluid flow, and fan width(about 6-8"). I also play with how close (7" seems to be the best, using the spread distance from little finger to thumb) and how fast to move. Maybe I should hang a piece of sheet metal. The paper absorbs a lot of the liquid that the metal does not.

 

Put the second coat on last night. Turned out real good. Should I put a clear coat on? or leave as is?

What does clear coat do? protect from fading? prevent chips in the color? My color paint might have clear in it. I have to call and check.

 

The paint that you showed in a previous post reads "acrylic enamel" on the label. Acrylic enamel is commonly referred to as "single stage" paint. All acrylic paint that I have sprayed over the past 5 decades I have reduced at a 2:1 ratio...2 parts paint to one part reducer. Some acrylic paints offer an "activator" option...since there is none shown in your photo I am guessing that you did not opt for that additive. Application: mix the reducer and paint in a larger container, I use plastic milk jugs (or juice bottles) as they are cheap and they hold a gallon of ready-to-spray paint and they are really easy to pour out of. Pour the paint into the spray gun cup through a paint filter, reassemble the gun and you are ready to spray. Assuming the you have already prepped the surface of the panel you are painting, start by laying on a light coat of paint...when I say "light" I mean that you should cover the entire surface of the panel but the paint should not be opaque. This first coat will provide good adhesion to the panel without the risk of paint runs. Once this first coat has tacked up (sticky to the touch but not yet dry) apply your second coat. The second coat should be a full-coverage coat, lay it on so that the panel is all one color with no primer areas showing through and no shadows. Let the second coat tack up just like the first did and then follow with a third and final coat. The final coat should be applied as heavy as you can make it without making the paint run off the panel...this technique is more art than science but the better you are at mastering this technique, the better the paint will flow and the more gloss you will have in the end. As the paint dries it will flow out, if the paint is too heavy this may cause the paint to flow on the floor so what you want it to get the paint to flow enough to flatten the orange peel and still have stay on the panel.
2 stage paint: commonly referred to as basecoat.clearcoat or just BC/CC. In the late sixties, Ford and other OEMs started using metallic/flake paints in their production vehicles. I know that people may say, wait a minute I know that there were other year model cars painted with metallic long before the sixties...well they are correct, the difference in the pre-60s metallics and the late-sixties era metallics was the size of the metal particles in the paint. The reason that the size of the particles in this metallic paint is relevant is because when this paint is sprayed in a heavy enough coat to make it glossy, the particles sink as the paint flows out. The result of this sinking are clouds in the paint, especially on the vertical panels. Needless to say, this was not a good thing for car sales.
So here is where we come to BC/CC. The OEMs decided that they could remove the component of the paint that provided the top finish/gloss and the color component and apply them separately. The basecoat is now the color coat, it can be sprayed in lighter coats since the gloss is no longer a concern. The last coat of the base can be dusted on which allows the metallic to be distributed evenly and the paint will set without flowing out causing the "clouds" to form. This base/color coat has great coverage and thus can be applied in lighter coats which dry quickly and have no orange peel. Once the basecoat is set (usually about 15 minutes) the clear coat can be sprayed over it. Since there is no pigment or no metallic in the clear coat, it can be sprayed on in heavy coats which result in a very high-gloss finish...assuming you don't let it flow out onto the floor.
Hope this helps...