Hey all you paint sniffers! I am just getting started in this field and would like to try an easy project first. To not risk totally throwing away $800-1000 on the really good stuff in case i screw up my first attempt, i'd like to try a less expensive route. I'm not looking for show quality, just a decent protection. Has anyone used the Duplicolor Paint Shop Laquer? I seen it demonstrated on a truck show and they were really impressed with the results. At $20 a quart each for the primer, paint and clearcoat, it seems affordable to me? Anyone here try it?

 

The duplicolor is a water based paint, so durability over time is very questionable. I Use the Dupont Acrylic Enamel 1 coat system. It is good and easy to spray with most any kind spray gun.

 

I have some of the paint shop paint on my bed. I did the drivers side in primer. I am also new at this and learning as I go. It seemed like I used a lot of paint for just one side, I did 2 coats and used about 3/4 of a can. It did go on nice and easy. I found another site I am going to buy my paint from, it is cheaper. www.paintforcars.com I am getting an enamel kit and primer for only $110.

 

blue68f100, whats that 1coat cost a qt and how many qts to do an average car/truck? mudder460, i've seen the paintforcars site before, thanks.

 

Just passing through guys, and noticed you were talking about paintforcars. I am a custom painter(airbrush artist), and mostly do bikes. I did have a gentleman buy something from me on ebay, who actually works for paintforcars. He talked me into buying some clearcoat that he said was really good stuff. So, I had a fairly small project to do , and shot his clear over my paint. At first ,I noticed that the clear was very thin compared to my PPG ,which is what I have used for years. It took 5 coats of his clear to equal one coat of PPG. I guess what I am getting at, is the product may seem like a very good deal for the quantity. But , if it takes you 4 times as much to cover the same area with it, that one coat of a two part base coat takes, I would go with one coat. But, I'm not familiar with anhy other of their products but the clear. And , as always , that is just my $.02

 

The last I checked the 1 qt by PPG was around $90/qt, $275/gal, but this varies greatly depending on color. Normally 1 gal is enough if your using a HVLP gun.

 

Yes, I guess it depends on what you are using . PPG makes alot of types of auto paint. I use a two part base coat paint, that costs me about $64 a qt. including the reducer. But, most of what I use is jet deep black, and no metallic in it. So, you are pretty close .

 

i've got devilbiss hvlp guns. proper regulaters, dryers, 60 gal 2cyl compressor etc. so a gal. of good paint and how much primer will cover a car or standard size truck?

 

Normally you spray 2 coats, sand most of it off and spray 2 more coats, sand some more. Spray some more and sand... So start with a gal.

 

xlman, to address your original question... dont be scared of the duplicolor line, a couple bigtime builders use there products in there builds. not nessecarily top coats but in many other aspects. the duplicolor IS NOT water based, it is lacquer, keep that in mind you must rub it out for great results, it also is not as resilient as new modern paints. so what!!! are you building a show/trailer queen, something that will spend every day of its life outside and never be washed and waxed? probably some where in between eh? The results in the end are at least 75 % dependent on all the stages prior to paint. go ahead and use it , learn, love it and then grow into the expensive stuff. The duplicolor was made for that purpose, hell you can roll it on with a roller with tons of wetsanding and buffing and many coats and you would fool 95% of the public. The duplicolor paint shop is ready to spray no other products nessecary, it is low budget, and with proper prep and after care no one will no the difference. It is perfect for your learning, you can move up the financial spectrum as your skills move up to match. If you give the effort, work hard, and hold yourself to the highest standards, do the proper steps properly you will fool most of us. giver hell and enjoy the ride. Dan

 

I would definitely go with what your budjet will afford you. There are some really good two part enamels out there that are very easy to shoot. You could spend a little more money and get a really good paint job. As stated before, the prep is going to affect your final look. But, I guess I'm of the thought that if I'm going to all the trouble to prep it right, I don't want to use a cheap paint. The hot rod shows are probably getting some sort of compisation for using the Duplicolor paint on their project. I don't know that for sure, but it would be about the only reason I could think of for using a premixed paint.

 

another thing to keep in mind is that if your going to use some of the more modernpaints (urethanes etc.) you'll need to use a fresh air sytem in your respirator and full mask (toxins will enter your pores especially around eyes) if you don't want the isocyanates to kill you

 

Hey , very good point. I got ot tell ya. I made my own fresh air system . I bought a small oil less compressor ,and rigged it up with a full faced chemical resistant mask . I have a hose running from that compressor to my mask. It supplies me with good clean air . I am looking into getting a fresh air system that will work in conjuction with my shop comp. It is just a series of filters air air purifiers. You don't want to run a breathing apperatus off of an oil type compressor. Anything that has oil in it will pump oil vapors into your mask.

 

I used to be a PPG guy back until they did away with the 2001 series clear and reformulated some of their tints, it didn't cover as well as it used to and switched over to Dupont and have been using it pretty much ever since. I don't know much about the Duplicolor system but I do have to question about it being a true laquer system since the EPA came down so hard on laquer years ago (oddly enough compared to the current paint systems, laquer is the safest for the painter, strange turn of events but oh well ). The big thing with me doing show cars and such is that I want a product that will not only give me the shine and overall durability I need but also won't need a million coats to finish the job. Time is money and when someone else is footing the bill I won't use something that is going to drag it out.

 

Thanks, that was pretty much the answer i was seeking. I know the duplicolor paint shop series is lacquer and didn't think it was water based, just a new formula because wasn't lacquer discontinued in sales due to enviromental issues a while ago? No show vehicle here as stated earlier, just want some nice looking protection! I am new at this and being retired due to disability my fixed income means i can't afford costly mistakes. Please, if anyone in here has actually used it on a whole vehicle, i'd appreciate some quantity #'s as to how many qts of primer, how many base color and how many clear. Gotta try it myself as most body shops are way out of my price range. Thanks all!