I started out playing around with this stuff back in high school. I went to a Tech school for body and paint after high school. I have never done this for an actual job more for a hobby. One thing i will say is don't mix product lines, for example don't paint with PPG paint and then clear it with a different brand. I learned the hard way and have had some wierd stuff happen when I tried it....never again... I don't paint all the time but, you don't need a super expensive paint gun to get good results. I have shot for years with some pretty cheap paint guns. The last car was with the $15.00 H/F purple gun and, I think it worked great. You can use a cheap gun as long as your technique is good. Your paint job is only as good as your prep work.
I have had a few people recommend finding a mentor or taking a class. Personally I prefer a mentor to a class for a less formal setting. Trouble is finding them. In CO, I knew loads of people who were doing this stuff. In S. TX, I know know one who'd do this. So, the fall back is to find a "night class" or intro course somewhere. So the question is, do any of you know of anything around San Antonio? West side preferred. -C
You can take all the clases you want but, it is really only going to teach you technique more than anything. I say this because once your actually doing it you will find things that work for you. You may run air pressure higher or lower than suggested or, you may reduce your clear when the product sheet doesn't tell you to do it but, uou find it lays down better. The tech sheets of the paint gives you the general way to apply the product but, its really in the technique in how you apply it. Lighting and your eyes are going to very important.
Haha, just saw your "disagrees" and I was thinking the same exact thing, "What did I do?". Just wondering what it was and if you had some suggestions Thanks!
No problem whatsoever! That's why I am here as well. Was hoping if you were disagreeing, you'd tell me something new. No harm no fowl.
There is a great Mopar club at SA and I forget their name, just google SA Mopar. I am sure someone there can send you in the right direction! I am self taught and gave done more than a few of my cars over the years, BUT I still need some real technique taught to my old ass! Another of one of my stories: Back around 1990 I had picked up a TA Challenger, rust free just surface rust, some door dings, and faded paint. Well I had a couple of country shops that did my project cars I would find but I was "doing" this one myself. I had spent all morning trying to get a booger on the door crease right but NO I can't!!! Then up pulls a pickup at my country shop and out pops my body guy and 2 buddies, all drunk on their asses. A nice fall day for tooling around, looking for spots to road hunt, and beer drinking. I show "Critter" ( that tells you alot about him right!?) my work. He fixes it perfect in like 5 minutes!!!!! Course I watch him and still did not know exactly how he did it!!!!!! He just told me it had to do with technique and drinking lots of beer!!! ha
Cuda416 If you are going to find a mentor find one who has the experience/credentials you need to learn the trade properly. There are too many back yard types who are just learning themselves. Check out the prominent paint/body shops in your area, ask people that work in the trade, talk to your local auto paint store, they can point you to a pro. Don't give up.!!! I'm rooting for you. Most community colleges offer night school paint and body courses. Ask aroud, make phone calls, Google is your friend too. My 2 cents for whatever it's worth. sscuda
One of those guys that did my body/paint was a young guy that was the mechanic at a state highway barn, self taught, he did perfect work and his learning curve was short, but he I guess was a natural. A little instruction can go a long way an speed up your abilities.
Excellent advice and I applaud your willingness to help others. I did the same with technical schools starting at 18 and retired now. I am my happiest when Im in my shop working. I always get a rush of adrenaline in the paint booth. Your advice on safety is the most important thing anyone can learn. Thats why I am 66 and in good health.
If you want a good start and are in Houston, San Jacinto Jr College has all the classes and equipment. I started there in 1984 because you get to work on your project and store it with professional teachers from the industry. At the same time you earn credits if thats your thing. I went to learn and to have a shop with all the equipment. They have the latest frame machines, paint booths and tools including paint guns. They had Sat classes that lasted all day. I took those for years. If you dont know how to do it the teacher does and they will help you. Made a lot of friends during those days some of whom now have their own shops. This is my own personal ride a 69 Dart Swinger I've had since 1974 that I am just finishing up.
Unfortunately I'm further south, just outside of San Antonio. I've been trying to find something local but I think in end it's just going to be me breaking things and fixing them. Typically how I learn
Sorry for the long rant . I had a 72 Demon 340/4spd just out of High school. I dented the r rear quarter right where 4 lines come to a point next to the tailights. I was trying to knock it out when a friend of my dad's came by. He told me to wait ten minutes and left. When he came back he had an apple bushel basket with an electric grinder. body hammers and dollys, metal files, a devillbis spray gun and more ! He showed me how to work the dent out and then said I could have the tools ! He just sold his bodyshop and was retiring to florida. Well there was a lot of rusty cars do to bad metal back then so I was fabricating door bottoms and quarter bottoms , pop riveting them on then bondo primer and paint. They came out god aweful but my customers were friends and just wanted an inspection sticker. I got better and better. I restored a 1956 Ford F-100 pickup and painted it myself. I was a lumber salesman at the time and a customer who owned a bodyshop kept asking me who painted it. I couldn't believe I did it myself in a garage and did not even buff it after. He offered me a job and I did autobody for 20 years . Nasty trade health wise but I enjoyed the work. Now I've been a Building Engineer for about 20 years now . Restored and painted both my Darts.
Your actually west 3 hours. Send me an IM and Ill give you my phone #. Wont hurt to talk about what you want to do.
Hah, yeah been here three years and I still don't know where I am. I always have it in my head Houston is up around Dallas latitude. lol.
Our daughter/husband and grandchildren live there but hey really if you need someone to runs things past on your Mopar I M me.
I bought a new paint gun and it finally came in this week. This gun will shoot any paint by anybody, it is a Cadillac, it just looks at the paint in the can, and it jumps on the metal smooth. Awest Iwata LPH-400 with a 1.4 tip, it shoots smooth, way better than all the other guns I have, not cheap at $450 but worth the money. I really wanted the $750 SuperNova gun they sell, but a little close to Christmas for that expense. Painted a gas tank, just to see what it would do, it came out nice.
A gun most people have not heard of is Sagola, made in Spain. Very high precision, no gaskets. Love the way it sprays and comes with two air caps you get to pick from four. I definitely would consider this in the same league as SATA and Iwata. I bought the Extreme 4600 with a clear and HVLP caps for base without the built in air pressure regulator. $450.00. Upgraded from an older Devilbis. I think most of todays guns do a good job especially when you get used to using it. Do not buy knockoffs, sure you might get lucky and get one that works but the Chinese quality control is so lousy I would not risk any paint job I am doing with one. The Dart pics are before cut and buff. Used Sherwin Williams CC200 glamour clear. View attachment 1715637286
My rule of thumb. Anything I do for one of my old projects with darn near 60year old pant is such an improvement for a car that WILL be a driver, I could wipe paint on with a paper towel and it would be an improvement!!!!
30 second house painting story: Borrowed my neighbors $3000 paint sprayer and he hands it to me "ready to go" I buy 5 gallons of paint, prime it and start shooting. The thing has a 150 foot hose on it so I can walk around my entire house and get everything without moving the pump. Im shooting and the spray pattern is a 5" circle, "man, this aint right...WTH?" I look at the tip and its a hole? I turn the knob and it only goes half way and stops. I dont want to break this thing so I continue to shoot from a little farther back but its still like painting a house with a sharpie! It did under the eves great from 10 feet away, but 6 hours into the job he pulls up and walks over, takes the gun and turns the knob a full 180 (with force) and the fan pattern appears! I'm in shock that I painted 75% of my house (and 10 gallons) in the clean out mode! The gun was so caked with old dried paint that I didnt realize the plastic knob (that I didnt want to break) turned 180 from clean out hole to fan pattern slit! I did the last 25% in about 30 minutes with the 18" fan spray...and ended up going over the entire house again with the fan tip and another 5 gallons. So moral is to know your equipment! I gotta laugh at it as I was so convinced that that gun didnt have a fan pattern, DOH! And that 150' hose bit me in the ass as it held about a gallon of paint and when it started sucking air, I still had 300 square feet left. I added water and just ran it until I was shooting clear. That part was the back corner next to the trash cans so don't look back there! I ended up power washing that sprayer and gun and giving it back to him looking like new. He was happy, I kinda wasn't......I got a quote for $6-8K for the paint job so I decided it was up to me.
