wow Charlieled that is one cool unit/nice

 

One thing about the HobbyAir type fresh air pumps. I would suggest that you either buy their additional length of hose--because the single hose they supply--at least with my setup-is not as far away from the shop as needed. imo Myself I just bought a much less expensive clean/new garden hose and added that to the hose supplied by HobbyAir and all seemed fine.

My point is that if your fresh air pump is too near the shop and your fans/shop ventilation is primitive/like mine and just pumps all outside, which isn't all that great/But anyway at least don't have your fresh air pump outside--pumping that same stuff back at ya? See what I mean.

Get the fresh air pump as far away as possible.!!.

 

Thanks for all the input. I must admit I'm kind of on the fence. My truck was poorly painted with a cheap urethane which never cured properly which resulted in cracks which let in moisture, then rust. I'm almost done sanding out all the bad areas and was thinking of priming those areas not the whole truck. After priming, I was going to have someone else squirt the paint. So this is a limited amount of spraying. I understand it only takes on mistake to harm myself, but I can't decide since I doing small areas only.

 

By all means be safe when painting. I would just like to point out while a supplied air system would be great, a well fitted respirator with proper filters along with other items such a Tyvec type suit, gloves will protect you. The key is a well fitted mask. Facial hair, not strapped correctly and old filters are some of the biggest concerns. For the price of a air supplied system you can but a lot of 3M masks and filters! By the way I paint aircraft for a living for the Air Force.

 

Hey guys, what about that duplicolor paint shop lacquer paint? Is it more durable than say john deer paint or rustoeum? And is lacquer safer than urethane to spray at home?

 

I'm not up on that system, but I'm sure its worth looking at. And also the local PPG dealer in my area sells VOC Calif approved "enamel" auto paints. I haven't used them and they may? only be available in limited colors--I think i recall something about that--its called Hy-Lux by the Ellis Paint Company. I have a gallon in front of me right now. I bought some a few months back and just got side tracked etc. I've never used it. Maybe it might be an option. I don't know. If you google this subject or visit your local automotive paint supplier they might have some suggestions.

 

Sorry Tomget, I fail to realize your located in California. You guys have a whole differant set of rules to go buy. I know there are water based paints that are being used which complies with all of the "west coast" rules. We had some aircraft nose art air brushed with these. The colors were great however, we should have clear coated them as the colors have faded (4 year time frame). It is my understanding while the waterbourn paints may be VOC compliant the clear is not. But hey, some lights and 3 a.m. painting only the owl knows who who who

 

None of it "safe" to spray. It just kills you in different ways. Enamels and Urethanes use an isocyanate catalyst which attacks your central nervous system. Lacquer is a pure carcenogen. You picks your poison.

 

If you have a problem with your existing finish, it's not going to get any better if you cover it up. Your top coat is no better than your substrate. Your new paint will fail right along with your old paint if you don't remove it all before refinishing. My 2c.

 

I may be misunderstanding you bruce, but when I said Calif voc approved enamels I wasn't referring to water base. I meant "reducer" petroleum type enamel. The Ellis Hy Lux is approved in Calif for automotive and farm implements etc. One buys the applicable reducer/not a water based product. But for sure there are waterbased calif paints, and I mentioned in an earlier post that I tried them years ago--and they're different now--and I hear real good, but very technical with all the perfect conditions to apply etc. that I would suppose be very difficult for anyone other than a pro shop.

 

I went to a 2 day class on waterborne painting and sprayed about 3 hours worth. It is difficult to use and will be expensive to get into and start using for the hobby guy.
Here is a link discussing PPG water base.
PPG’s Waterborne Paint
A lot of you might enjoy reading abut it on this blog.
It is the coming thing. Perhaps not mine but in many of your lifetimes there will be no more painting as we know it. There are many different agency and people at work to ban all the paint we know and use. All body shops were scheduled to have to go to water paint in 09 but was put off.
If your in the business there is tremendous pressure from environment groups to close you down.
As far as safely painting there is no such thing.I don't care if it's in a rattle can it has ingredients that will kill you.

 

Larry i agree with you that this is the direction of automotive painting, but we disagree when it comes to how dangerous it is to use existing paints. I would agree that the "ingredients" are dangerous but that doesn't mean that the proper use of these paints is dangerous. I'm sure we're all aware of the highway deaths in the USA. Last I heard it was running around 50K deaths annually. That's just deaths. Not living the rest of your life as a quad. Not burying your wife and children. Hey driving is more dangerous than all the paints put together. Or do you really think 50K americans a year are dieing from spray paint? Cause I don't think you meant that.

There are many dangerous things we use/electricity is chief among them. But used properly its a very good thing. Think of our future energy souces, probably more nuclear in there. How dangerous is that ingredient? Ya right. So we're always using things that have risks and are dangerous, but we have to ask are we using it properly or not. That's the question.

Proper use of existing paints is safe. Reasonably safe. Safer than driving my truck for sure.

I suppose we're moving towards water based paints because its better all around. Especially better for the environment. And with modern chemistry and discoveries I suppose they've come up with a good water based paint. I don't know but I suppose there all already OEM's painting water based. Just a guess, but I would suppose they must be going that way too. I think the pro shops in my county are mostly water based now.

So in closing i think the existing paints "have dangerous ingredients" but if used correctly are perfectly safe. Not that there aren't always risks. Drive down the highway. That's the risk.

Goodluck

 

Larry I agree with you about the availibity of paint products to the average consumer/hobbist. I was told in a few years unless you have a "license" to operate you will not be able to purchase. The way around will be mail order but this will come with high shippingand enviromental fee's. Of course, this may be a few years out? As far as ingredients killing you I still feel that a proper respirator along with skin protection will make it safe for sure for someone who only occasionally sprays. Then again some folks get lung cancer after a very short period of smoking while others may smoke a lifetime with no problem. I would say each person must choose if their hobby is worth the risk.

 

Tomget

"There are many dangerous things we use/electricity is chief among them. But used properly its a very good thing. Think of our future energy souces, probably more nuclear in there. How dangerous is that ingredient? Ya right. "


Your correct in things are dangerous, however I hope the people installing your electric, and our nuclear plants are not occasional hobby people and have some training. I handle this stuff everyday and have hundreds of hours of training and your correct it is not dangerous to me anymore than a 3,000 volt electric line is to a trained electrician. The ingredients in paints will kill you ,period, read the list and google each one and see the results.
It's up to each of us the risk we take in life. You can feel free to put bullets in a gun and play Russian Roulette to to your hearts content, but I will pass. I would also recommend everyone else pass. The origional issue was how safe is painting for the first time user and it's not very safe for someone with no equipment. Not trying to get in a pi** contest, just trying to keep in mind there are several people reading this thread, learning from it and trying to figure out if they should jump in and paint their truck. No doubt they could and likely will suffer some after effects, how serious those effects are who can tell. Is it worth the risk? They will have to decide that. I think as people with information, it our responsibility to provide good sound correct information in response to questions. The answers should be based on facts as we know them, not guesses or conjecture. I am not a expert or a chemist, and gave the answers based on what I have been told and taught by people that are experts.Chemical exposure is a long term issue and the more your exposed the more likely you are to have issues. The unknown is I guess is how much exposure is too much.Will one time painting a truck cause you lung issues 10 years down the road?
I honestly have no idea. Is that risk worth it? Only you can decide.
I am off my soapbox.
Larry

 

There are isocianate free epoxy paints available. I use a primer that has two hardeners available: with one you get a thinner product that can be sprayed or roller applied (yes, they do recommend roller application for spot work) and when mixed with the second hardener it is thick enough to apply with a squeegie like surfacer putty. It does not require any undercoat when applied to bare metal like most epoxy primers.
Urethane paints cure by combining with moisture from the air or from the moisture in your lungs.