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Spraying your own car
http://www.international2cvfriends.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3816
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Author:  Geert [ March 31st, 2012, 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Spraying your own car

I am in doubt ....
Should I spray my AZU myself, or should I have it done by a professional ?
Has anyone experience in car painting?
And how is the result, especially after some time , regarding upcoming rust ?
I've spent a lot of time to the restoration of my car, but i am hestitating to have it done because of the prices asked by car sprayers .
The alternative is do it myself, but I don't have any experience regarding to spraying.
Can anybody give me an advice?

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Author:  Russell [ March 31st, 2012, 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

You need a decent compressor, a reasonable spray gun and an area with plenty of space around it yet no moisture or dust/wind. It's not the dark art folk make to, make sure you have plenty of practice on old panels. Expect to need to flat your finish down with 1200 grit paper and polishing compound.

Author:  Neil [ March 31st, 2012, 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

Geert,

There's some advice/pointers in Lenny's thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1929&start=40

Also, a few threads that may be of use:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2607&hilit=spray+paint

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2274&hilit=spray+paint


viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1934&p=38322&hilit=spray+paint#p38322

Author:  Geert [ March 31st, 2012, 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

Thank you for your reply..
As I was reading I thought : "Ofcourse I should have asked Old Nail"... but as he is not longer among us 2CV-fans......
Thanks anyway !!

Author:  Devils Advocate [ March 31st, 2012, 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

Geert, looking at your posts, you and your son are clearly very practical hands-on guys! So I'd say definitely give spraying a go - it's an incredibly rewarding experience.

Ah, the nostalgia of the links above from Neil, even tho' they weren't from that long ago...

Old Nail recommended, on a different thread, using an epoxy primer or the bare metal and other surfaces before the topcoat is applied (I'm not sure if a primer is required between the two...?) This stuff - http://www.rust.co.uk/epoxy-mastic.cfm - sounds the business, and should hopefully prevent the dreaded rust marks appearing after all the hard work of prep and paint. I'll definitely be using it myself when I get to the painting stage.

As for the painting process, you'll pick up the essentials from the threads above. Just about the only thing I can add from my own personal experience from spraying a couple of cars many moons ago is, "watch closely what you are doing as you spray and respond to it".

For example, you'll likely spend a bit of time setting up the gun, pressure and spray-fan shape, etc. and then you'll fire off your first line of paint... Have good lighting so that the panel you are painting is illuminated from a couple of directions - it must be easy to see what's happening on that surface as the paint is applied. This way you should be able to tell in 'real time' that you are laying down the right amount of paint - not too much and not too little.

I recall staring very closely at the panel as the first horizontal line of spray was applied along the bottom edge of the panel - if the paint looked a bit 'dry' or 'dusty' or 'matt' I'd go over it again immediately with another layer - perhaps moving a bit faster this time so as not to overload it. You could then tell that it had a nice layer that 'flowed' together to make a smooth finish but with little risk of running. Then the next line was laid down right away above the first with around a quarter-to-half overlap (bare in mind that each line paint is thicker in the middle and thinner at the top and bottom). Again, you stare closely and watch - and respond to - what is happening (too much or too little paint). If you end up overdoing it with paint, then - shrug - it'll likely just 'run' a bit and need a bit of rubbing down. Too little paint will leave a 'rough' finish, tho', which will be hard to cover so may need more work afterwards, so try and avoid this.

This is really not hard! You will very soon pick up the correct 'rhythm' - the speed to move at and the amount of overlap to use. You'll be flinging the gun up and down door and window frames with abandon...

It has to be the ultimate buzz in a restoration - the transformation is unbelievable, and the satisfaction immense. If some bits need rubbing down afterwards, then so be it. With 'luck' it'll only need the most basic rub-down afterwards to remove some settled dust and the odd fly...

Other hints - vacuum your floor beforehand to remove as much dust as possible, and use a tack-rag on the actual surface immediately before spraying.

Author:  Lenny [ March 31st, 2012, 10:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

Quote:
Ah, the nostalgia of the links above from Neil, even tho' they weren't from that long ago...


Me too.
I hadn't realised just how long its been since I did any work to that car.

I've still got it.
It's still in the garage waiting for me to find the time and inclination to finish it.

I guess my new found family life has taken over somewhat.

Good luck with the spraying Geert. I didn't find it particularly easy I must say, but the results were surprisingly good after a lot of work.
You'll never know if you're a natural born painter unless you give it a try.
(I've given it a try and found that I'm more of a natural born flatter and polisher)

Author:  ChrisW [ April 1st, 2012, 8:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

I is the final and best part of the restoration. Seeing all the hard work finished. I have done 2 Dyanes in the smallest of garages and agree with other posts about dust etc. I sprayed a piece of sheet steel first time to get speed correct. I used 2 K and mixed it correctly. Unless you are very slow moving and too close you should not get runs and if too far away then paint appears mate and gaps (even drier areas) between passes. Make sure day is dry, after dew has dried up, you do not want moisture in the air. I left around 15 minutes between coats of under coat and around 30 minutes between top coat. Also used ACETONE to clean panels to remove any oil etc before.

Author:  dave 411 [ April 1st, 2012, 8:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

@ Dyane 6 1976,do you have a Dyane 6?If so,is it an early model?I am looking for anyone that has one with the old large charging light that works,with the original alternator (not an m28 engine).

Author:  Geert [ April 1st, 2012, 9:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Spraying your own car

Cheers for your replies !
I still have a little bit of welding to do , after that I want to preserve the bottom of the body of the van, and than it is time to prepare the body for spraying .
So it will be summer . Hopefully it will be a dry, hot summer, so i don't have to be wortried about damp .
Thanks for your advice , I will keep you updated about the progress!

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