# General advise - 2k paint



## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

sorry I am not a painter but have made a few attempts... Any info advice on the below fill in the gaps - sorry it is vague

I assumed 2k paint was illegal? but then I found it they use it as clear coat?
I know of someone who paints 2k gloss with no clear coat...
It's very hard wearing and they don't flat it, just cut and polish it with a machine.. it's almost like gel coat when they finish.

It is perfect for my application - race body work. Peel stickers on/ off - quick wipe with cleaner and it's mint, fuel spills, quick wipe mint... handle it, does not chip or scratch too easy. 

The guys who paint with this charge too much, several colour designs etc so I am looking at trying to do this in 2k now. The people who I used for painting have all got so busy they are putting prices up and no favors and can't even do it for some time... 

So - I am going to set up to do this, this may sound bad but anything I do will be an improvement on methods used in the past.
Might even be a new little business if it develops with contact I have - people who seem to damage body work. 

I am going to fit extraction, heater with room stat... get a proper mask. If I did it for other people I would do the full on commercial thing but will see how this goes - before I look at courses and investment. This is just for me - may only be the 1 job this year. I understand compressed air filtration well. I can get breathing air quality to paint with... 

I have a mop and polish already... 
I have paint guns but I need to get one for colour, not one that is too expensive at this stage -
I think as we always used the same gun for primer (cellulose) when painting plant type machines where I used to work.

I can see 2k available in some places - it says iso free? are there different types - I want to paint with it this time if I can. 
I do not want to buy the wrong stuff - it needs to be hard core bullet proof paint 
- I will be trying to stick with u-pol as I know that is the brand they use where they paint this body work..

I have used rattle cans, flat and mop - can get a finish that will trick some people but it is still rubbish as you will all know (so hopefully will get a more durable finish) 

Please be nice - it's the next step up. 

*I will not risk my health - I have carried out air quality test on air fed masks before - it's the paint I need to get to grips with - type of filler etc..


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

One of the paint lads will be able to help you more but bassically 2k has hardener , the hardener has the ISO in . Non iso hardner is apparently crap 

As you know you need airfed mask , with a clean breathable supply . 

2k is ace , clear is 2k anyway . From what i understand 2k colour is only for machinery etc but you can still get it and once you have it you may just accidentally use it on a car !


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## Aaran (Sep 18, 2007)

officially all basecoat laid down must be waterbased for commercial use ie: in a bodyshop. older cars im sure you can still use celly on SUBJECT to you keeping all the details of that car (think its pre 1950's stuff mind)

ALL 2k clear and primer products MUST meet VOC requirements ie: the can or TDS will state if they are low voc products.

2k direct gloss and 2k clear are just as hard as each other subject to you using a good brand. there is no reason that 2k clear will be any less durable than 2k gloss. 2k direct gloss in metallics etc is a nightmare to work with (and not officially legal)

a better question is WHERE you are planning on doing this. you officially need planning permission to spray cars. you also have to adhere to the coshh regs and numerous others, one complaint from anyone against a paint shop with no planning will land you in trouble fast incl environmental health coming round (this includes using your own property). If you DiY booth build it needs to meet all current regs regards to air flow, fire resistance, and the extraction ducting, and also have been certified by someone that knows how to test for it all (booths you prebuy will have this done already, anything you make will need a specialist out to cert it)

it would be far cheaper to find a unit thats got a booth in it already. trust me i have just done the above and its been hell.

cheers


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## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

I wonder how they get 2k gloss in so many different colours if it is intended just for machinery. I am sure they do not clear coat, it's not for road use and I think the aim
is to keep it quick turn around i.e. some one has a smash up they, go back and do the paint job for the next day if required. I know it is mixed with hardener and a little bit of thinners... I recall he said 2:1 but I think some paints say 4:1


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## Aaran (Sep 18, 2007)

its because the paint is mixed on a paint mixing system.

every color has a recipe (normally a break down of what colors and metallic etc and their %) so its just a case of deciding what quantity you want to to get the other ratios.

you can make 2k gloss by mixing basecoat in with the clear coat.


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## Benn (Aug 22, 2007)

As long as you're working with older cars (ie doing rebuilds and restos you can still have a full 2k paint scheme. That how my old work do it/where told to.


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## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

I see... makes sense.


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

2k gloss is also used on vans and cars used to not too long ago. Whenever u see a faded red car it is 2k gloss. It used to be that solid colours were straight 2k gloss and metallics were clear over base but most are clear over base now even for solid colours. I painted these wheels with some vauxhall 20c which is a gloss black 2k. I had it left over from my 2002 corsa c


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## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

been looking at paint, need to get my ass in gear real quick. 
I sent something to be powder coated and it is rubbish - so it's going to the blasters to be stripped again. Waste of time, effort and money

Anyway - who make decent paints? I want to try and stick to u-pol.
I have been looking, colours. They are all on Ebay but in white unbranded tins 
- I hate not knowing, guess this a very bad idea? these companies claim to be paint shops and have good feedback.

I wish paint shops weren't so expensive, I'd gladly pay to have the work done but what they charge to paint my stuff. I could not make that money in a week (running a business) so it's cheaper for me to buy paint and take time off work (that's how businesses work, no sense working all week to be broke when I can work 2 days make some money and paint the car in the remaining time - it's probably 3 days work. 

I guess if I had a Porsche I'd gladly pay those prices and to them there's no difference - painting is painting. 

I know this will get chipped and damaged so I guess I better get set up and crack on :-(


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

I've just bought a max meyer 7 and a half litre 2k clear kit off ebay and its pretty good. About 66 quid delivered. Just painted this bumper in my shed lol








And a wing for my z4


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## Aaran (Sep 18, 2007)

most places sell you paint in universal white tins.

half the time they dont even have the logo on of what brand it is. it varys where you go for the paint, the two factors i use i get either PPG or lechler and the other nexa (i think)

ppg stuff and the lechler is alot more pricey but it covers alot better again vary s on the binder and the color in it.

pretty much any thing in bodywork boils down to a rule. you pay for quality with products. high end clear is £100-200 a 5lt kit because its good stuff and more than likely lays down better, drys harder keeps its gloss longer and has better uv filtering.
decent brand basecoat is pricey because it covers better than cheap basecoat.
even down to primers (cheaper builds just as well but cheap stuff like kapci is harder to sand compared to lechler green Ti primer)

same again with sand paper, 3m stuff is a fair bit more but when 1 sheet lasts 3x longer than cheap no name niknak it pays to use it.

and as said bodyshops are pricey because of all the other things people that paint "in their sheds" get to avoid. its no different from going to a garage to get your car serviced or repaired. you can do it yourself or pay someone to do it, but part of the price you pay is going towards the running costs of the business.


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

Aaran said:


> most places sell you paint in universal white tins.
> 
> half the time they dont even have the logo on of what brand it is. it varys where you go for the paint, the two factors i use i get either PPG or lechler and the other nexa (i think)
> 
> ...


I've not splashed out on really expensive clear as you've stated but the basecoat I use is about 40 quid for a litre depending on what it is obvious but theirs just has the shops label on it. Does that sound about right for a good quality basecoat? Everything else in the shop is well priced so I don't think they overcharge.


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## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

I need lots of stuff would be happy to buy on line via a recommendation but I have just wasted some money so I need to try to not to make another mistake like that.

Jamie s where do you get your paint from do they have a website?


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

New1 said:


> I need lots of stuff would be happy to buy on line via a recommendation but I have just wasted some money so I need to try to not to make another mistake like that.
> 
> Jamie s where do you get your paint from do they have a website?


This is the clear I bought
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/291047959110?nav=SEARCH&sbk=1
I get everything else from spray centre in sheffield but I don't believe they have a website. Obviously they do sell clear but I wanted to try the max meyer stuff as I'd heard good things about it and I do quite like it.


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

Actually yell.com lists this as it's website http://www.sprayequipment.co.uk/


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## New1 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks - check out both links.


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## XRDAN (Feb 28, 2012)

jamie_s said:


> I've just bought a max meyer 7 and a half litre 2k clear kit off ebay and its pretty good. About 66 quid delivered. Just painted this bumper in my shed lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


looks like your getting some pretty good results there mate:thumb: just shows what can be achieved if you do the simple things right!

if you dont mind, what sort of kit and set up have you got in your shed? extraction, heat etc etc?

cheers:thumb:


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## jamie_s (Jul 10, 2009)

XRDAN said:


> looks like your getting some pretty good results there mate:thumb: just shows what can be achieved if you do the simple things right!
> 
> if you dont mind, what sort of kit and set up have you got in your shed? extraction, heat etc etc?
> 
> cheers:thumb:


It's not finished yet and extraction is next on my list! So if anyone has any ideas on what I could use to provide adequate extraction for a 10x10 metal shed. I intend to seal it all up and insulate it too. The only problem is I really don't have any spare cash atm that's the only thing holding me up. So I want a very cheap extraction system!
Atm my set up includes a 100 litre 2.5hp compressor, 2 cheap gravity fed spray guns 1.4 tip and 0.8 for the mini one. (Need a separate primer gun) I use a 3m 2k mask and for heat I have a 3kw electric space heater which just about manages at really low temperatures. Atm I have 2 double fluorescent tube lights installed but I bought 14 of these for 25 quid off ebay! So more will be going in soon.


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