Paint & Body Part lll

Mark777

Member
Part lll - Time To Paint!

(Note, if you paint or want to, and never have another run in your work consider how useful a Test Panel really is. I use them often to avoid runs, control the flash times, check for moisture and contaminates and time this piece with everything else setup and ready to be painted in the shop.)

The first few pictures show a blank test panel which is no more than two 12“ pieces of making paper with a few lengths of ¾“ tape through the centers - ONE - (I‘ll explain the tape later). The other pictures show pieces final wiped with wax and grease remover, air dried and gently wiped down with a tack cloth. Some small parts are hung from a sturdy wire across the shop that will also be painted: TWO - THREE

The next pictures show an area (metal table) that I use as a mixing station. This area has been washed down with strong detergent, bleach and thoroughly dried -FOUR. I put masking paper down to prevent any contaminates on or near my paint, reducers and hardeners (and of course the gun)GUN/WORK AREA. I’ve also included the first test panel pictures where I adjust my gun and make the first pass across the paper. The gun I’m using is a Sharpe FINEX HVLP. It is an extremely well designed gun, durable and very economical ($140.) compared to industry guns that cost $300. - $500. - You do NOT have to spend $140. As there are even less expensive HVLP guns readily available. Remaining pictures show my fist tack coat pass on the hood: - Gun adjustment/Test panel -Application/A - Application/B - Application/C

If your interests become a serious hobby you may discover just how ambidextrous you become. Long session in a spray booth (or any designated paint area) prove to be very tiring and your ’good’ arm will suffer from fatigue. For a right handed painter like me, I use my left hand very often rather than running around to the other side of parts. These next few pictures just show progress and my own technique when approaching various pieces: - SEVEN - EIGHT - http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo171/09Mark777/Cowl2ndPass.jpg -NINE.

With the gun refilled I go right back to my primary target…The test panel - TEN - .
Many painters become impatient, don’t do this and shoot the parts with too much material as they try to hide or cover shadows. There is a risk when they do this as too much material in the beginning stages promote runs, orange peel and solvent entrapment (solvent POP). There is no rush, slow is smooth, smooth is efficient (fast) and that is always faster compared to a full wet coats that produce problems that often lead to wet-sand and do-over:-ELEVEN - TWELVE -

My last entry and one that probably seems repetitious. I’m trying to show a cycle (or circle pattern) in these pictures that always starts with the test panel. I have stated earlier that the ‘panel’ does certain and favorable things that keep the painter in control. Yeah, it does prevent runs but it also lets you know if and when problems like the dreaded Fish-eyes from silicone, wax or grease have somehow entered into your equation. These contaminates are most often from three sources that include aersol oils from your hose, the flow of ventilation and from your own body. Here's what they look like, and yep, the snuck in on me! FISHEYE

The last picture shows a full wet coat on the test panel. The ¾” tape I added is from habit. If you are doing graphics, scallops or another color for a two-tone you will be using fine line and other masking tape. Very often a painter needs to pull the tape and paper at the best and appropriate time. Too soon and the tape leaves a stringy mess that will fall back into your work AND too late and the fine line tape leaves a small, ragged saw tooth edge. If you partially pull the tape (allowing several minutes in between) on your test panel it will show the exact moment to pull all of your masking from your project - Third Pass (test panel)

And this is where I killed my camera…

I will try for more pictures (tomorrow?) if possible. The remainder of the Kubota tractor is completely assembled and I'm a little sorry for shoo'ing my wife (who took these photos) out of the shop for obvious health and hazard reasons. And oh yeah, this is what the sheet metal bolts on to - The frame painted a few weeks ago: FRONT -R?FRONT -LEFT

As always, please feel free to ask questions, post your projects and between all of us, we should have the correct answers!

I have added a “Paint Terminology” link that has an alphabetical list. It does a very decent job explaining what abbreviations you often find on product bulletins, painters instructions, product labels and paint specific language.

The SHARPE corporation link also includes a Support column (at the left) which includes several topics from “Ask Dr Gun to Air Piping Layout” - http://www.sharpe1.com/sharpe/sharpe...nt+Terminology.

Mark :tiphat:
 
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