Spray painting advice please

[mivvi]

Hi all, I just wanted some advice on painting parts. I enjoy restoring items but I would like a better finish than I'm achieving with rattle cans. Would anyone know more about this? I didn't really want to go down the route of a big compressor, regulators etc but thought there might be something in between? I also don't know what type of paint to use, 2 pack, acrylic, cellulose? I have looked at the 'Air brush' kits with everything you need in them but would this just be for very small items? I'm looking for doing stems, hubs, cranks etc, not big areas.

I admire the work that SBD does and I do have a frame that I want him to do but I think sending every little part to him that I need doing would get pricey. I have a Hutch frame he done a while back, and its stunning, fair play!

Thanks for any advice     

[deeman]

You can achieve a ' factory' finish with rattle cans.....just need to follow a few simple rules!
Like most paint jobs, half the quality of the job is in the preparation. Assuming you have prepared the item i.e sanded etc then you need to

1.use a panel wipe or degreaser on the bare item
2. use an etch primer on bare metal (available in cans) Upol works well...
3. SHAKE THE CAN WELL!
4. Apply a dust coat first...let dry for a couple of minutes before hitting with a heavier coat. Leave for 5 mins then hit it with a gloss coat. always work in good light so you can see the paint building up. always use side to side motion. It is better to put too little on than too much resulting in drips/ runs. best to practice on an old bit of metal first
5. HEAT is important...in the middle of summer you won't really have a problem but a heat gun or hair dryer is a very handy tool to heat the item and the air around it, then to help the paint dry between coats
6. When the base coat is dry, flat it with P3000 wet n dry and water to remove any orange peel effect or small imperfections you may have had from spraying.
7. Spray with laqeur, much the same as the base coat, building it up gradually I swear by HICOTE laqeur, the double concentrated stuff in the small stubby cans...it is leagues above everything else and can be flatted with the P3000 when dry and T -cutted to a factory shine.

Hope all this helps, if you are unsure of anything you are welcome to pm me...
Damo 

[BMX1973]

Great advice 

Just looking up them Hicote cans on ebay, should we use the Matt or Clear Lacquer?

[mivvi]

Hi Damo,
Thanks so much for your post. I really didn't want to go down the route of the full spraying setup as it really wouldn't get enough use. I have achieved good results in the past with rattle cans but it all seems to go wrong when I start with the lacquer. I either get a reaction with the base paint in a few mins, or as two parts I done last year, they turned out great but a year down the line are covered with hairline cracks in the lacquer? Am I supposed to be waiting a set time to fix the clear coat? An hour/24 hours?

I usually only spray items in the warmer weather but need to remember as you have pointed out that the temperature is important. I have been using Plasti-cote recently, only as it seems to everywhere now but will source the makes you mentioned.

Well thank's again, I really appreciate your time giving me those pointers. Top lad   

[deeman]

Great advice 

Just looking up them Hicote cans on ebay, should we use the Matt or Clear Lacquer?

the clear laquer...it is fantastic stuff, goes on any base coat and is actually thick and can be flatted and polished unlike any other aerosol laquer...and I have tried pretty much everything over the years. I only use this stuff on all my projects! I have even painted a car wing with it. The key is in the flatting and polishing...it doesn't matter if you get a couple of coats on and it is a bit dry / orange peely, just get enough on without runs...use the P3000 with water and GENTLY flat til smooth then T cut. best to leave an hour or so between coats ...can usually be flatted after a couple of hours

[deeman]

Hi Damo,
Thanks so much for your post. I really didn't want to go down the route of the full spraying setup as it really wouldn't get enough use. I have achieved good results in the past with rattle cans but it all seems to go wrong when I start with the lacquer. I either get a reaction goes with pretty much any car aerosol base coat and lots of other stuff too.
I would always use the HYCOTE base coat with the laquer where possible but it is not essential. I would leave a few hours at least between base coat and laquer. 24 hrs is preferable but not essential.
the heatt gun or hair dryer will help the paint cure much more quickly as it raises it's temperature and it cures when it cools. just don't get too close and burn the paint! it is also good to pre heat the item to minimise runs, then to dry it gently afterwards.
I usually make hangers from coat hangers for parts like stem caps to ensure I can get all around it and cover all surfaces...
with a small part I would usually...
1. etch primer
2. within 15 mins ...a dust coat, slightly heavier cover coat, then a gloss coat within 5 mins of each other drying in between of base, then after half hour or so hit it with the laquer. if you get a good enough base coat on you rarely need to flat it before the laquer however you can do so to remove any small knibs / dust / orangepeel in the base. leave the laquer to dry for 3/ 4 hours before flatting / polishing...hope this helps...I am probably making it sound more complicated than it is....obviously you have messed around with rattle cans before! I don't think I have sent ANYTHING for powder or paint bar framesets ever...I always rattle an my parts and they turn out great...it's all in the flatting and polishing! 
with the base paint in a few mins, or as two parts I done last year, they turned out great but a year down the line are covered with hairline cracks in the lacquer? Am I supposed to be waiting a set time to fix the clear coat? An hour/24 hours?

I usually only spray items in the warmer weather but need to remember as you have pointed out that the temperature is important. I have been using Plasti-cote recently, only as it seems to everywhere now but will source the makes you mentioned.

Well thank's again, I really appreciate your time giving me those pointers. Top lad 

it sounds like you have compatability issues between the laquer and base coat, are they different brands? the laquer I have mentioned

I pressed something wrong and fooked the above post apoplogies! I am too much of a tehnospaz to correct it!

[deeman]

This is the shit....not the other stuff in blue cans...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HYCOTE-CLEAR-LACQUER-Double-Acrylic-Spray-Paint-150ml-DPB908/253045497973?epid=2238589381&hash=item3aeaafe075:g:0fcAAOSw95FZaN~P

[mivvi]

Hi Damo,
Yes I think in the past I have just used any brand and didn't give it a thought, this is obviously where im going wrong 

Thanks for the link, I was looking at the blue can stuff. I will order some of the right stuff now and some panel wipes as I never used them either. Im usually good at the prep side of things but think im rushing the painting and that's where its all going wrong.

Is U-pol good for the base coat as well as the primer? The primer I found was standard primer and 'Etch8'.

Thanks again,

Marcus

[deeman]

Hi Damo,
Yes I think in the past I have just used any brand and didn't give it a thought, this is obviously where im going wrong 

Thanks for the link, I was looking at the blue can stuff. I will order some of the right stuff now and some panel wipes as I never used them either. Im usually good at the prep side of things but think im rushing the painting and that's where its all going wrong.

Is U-pol good for the base coat as well as the primer? The primer I found was standard primer and 'Etch8'.

Thanks again,

Marcus

Upol acid 8 primer is good stuff! Upol should be ok for base coat...I couldn't guarantee as never used it before but the laquer goes on most things