# About to Paint.



## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

Hi. First of all, I am a complete novice at painting and I do not own compressor
But.
My engine is coming out this weekend and I want to paint the Bay. 
How do i go about this, from start to finish please, and where shall i go to buy everything. Best, quickest, cheapest place.
plus i would like to do this as cheap as possible but more importantly want to finish it to a good standard.

I will be painting the bay Imp Blue, the plastics containers etc and the engine a ruff black ( not sure what the paint is called) and the rocker cover imp blue.

i will also be painting the plastic bump strips around the front and back of the car Imp blue which atm have no paint on, and i may be doing a few scratch and rust jobs on the cars body work .

Any help much appreciated 

Thanks.

Kyle.


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## mr paint (Jul 11, 2009)

Hi , 

you need to learn a bit more before you paint 

for all your repairs need to be finished in 320g then primer ... leave over night 

sand primer and all other parts to be painted with 600 then 800 wet 

wash down with water then dry 

wipe down with de greaser and tack with a tac cloth 

Imp blue is a pearl so has to be done as follows 

apply black paint (base coat) until full area is all one colour usually 2-3 coats 15 -20 mins between coats 

then apply 3 coats of imp blue 15-20 mins between coats then on last coat leave for 30 min +

wipe with tack cloth 

apply 3-4 coats of clear coat 15 mins between coats 


this should be done with a compressor and 2k products (ground/base/clear) 
as if done with rattle cans your wasting your money !


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## moosh (May 8, 2011)

I love these threads! :thumb:


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

Thank -you. that has really helped. what do i need to buy if i can get a compresser ?


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

ylee_mk5 said:


> i would like to do this as cheap as possible but more importantly want to finish it to a good standard.


The logic behind this statement is your first mistake!

Cheap products and good standards are not good bedfellows (more especially when taken on by a first time DIYer)
IE. Hammerite would be cheap but the finish wouldn't be good. Taking it to someone who knows what they're doing wouldn't be cheap but the standard would be good.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

moosh said:


> I love these threads! :thumb:


 :thumb:


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

squiggs said:


> The logic behind this statement is your first mistake!
> 
> Cheap products and good standards are not good bedfellows (more especially when taken on by a first time DIYer)
> IE. Hammerite would be cheap but the finish wouldn't be good. Taking it to someone who knows what they're doing wouldn't be cheap but the standard would be good.


Yes the statement was implying that I need some information on good quality products and basically the cheapest place to buy them. I want to do this as cheap as possible but I do not want to compromise the quality and therefor would like some info on good places to buy from and products to choose.

Thanks


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

also as the engine bay is what it is i would like to complete this my self. For self satisfaction and money. The outside of the car I am only considering until I can afford a respray. at least to stop the rust for now.


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ranger-24

Can anybody identify whether this compressor would do the job as there is a second hand compressor for sale near were i live .

Cheers


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## Fiesta-125 (Mar 18, 2012)

What gun are you using? 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

I am trying to decide that also. Do you have to use a different gun for each different process. Primer. Paint ect


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

the guy selling the compressor has 2 HVLP guns for sale. one gravity fed and one suction.


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## Princy (Dec 14, 2011)

You'll need to match your compressor to the output of your guns

I use a 1.8mm gun for primer and a 1.4mm for base, top and clear but you'll struggle to find anything other than a mini touch in gun that'll run off that compressor or similar. You'll need something around 12-15cfm output depending on which guns you go for


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

he said he will show me it working with water. Is he trying to have me over ?


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

He has described them as FINISH LINE and off shoot of devillbis with number 3 nozzel on both. Any ideas ??


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## moosh (May 8, 2011)

ylee_mk5 said:


> He has described them as FINISH LINE and off shoot of devillbis with number 3 nozzel on both. Any ideas ??


these gun will be fine for what you want to do with them.

Reason I say I love posts like these when the guy says he can show you the gun using water he means waterbased paint, your thinking he's taking you for a walk.

I went to college for 4 years doing my apprenticeship and your wanting to know how to paint in a thread on a forum.

We will be here until Christmas trying to explain this to you, you would honestly be better of and cheaper getting a painter to do it.

What kind of personal protection do you plan to use?


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

ylee_mk5 said:


> he said he will show me it working with water. Is he trying to have me over ?


No never use water through the guns unless they are guns for water based paint. The water can attack the internal parts and also the water can come out in the paint when spraying. If you do put water through them before spraying strip it down and clean


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

Far enough mate. I have been studying Engineering since i left school and that was about 4 years ago. I wouldn't expect to explain to somebody everything I have learnt in a thread on the internet. But I am just after a little direction and a bit of clarification to make sure i do not start off on the wrong foot because my knowledge is ATM limited. I am not going to give up my career so i can undertake an apprenticeship in bodywork and paint to paint my engine bay. Nor I am going to take it to a body shop. this is because it is something i would like to do and hopefully become confident at. I thank-you all you guys for your help.


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

kempe said:


> No never use water through the guns unless they are guns for water based paint. The water can attack the internal parts and also the water can come out in the paint when spraying. If you do put water through them before spraying strip it down and clean


Thanks. Ill know if he is telling fibs about his previous work with the equipment if he does put water in it lol


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

ylee_mk5 said:


> Thanks. Ill know if he is telling fibs about his previous work with the equipment if he does put water in it lol


Photos is the best way forward to know if some ones fibbing I sprayed a mini with a little 24 litre compressor and a cheap gravity spray gun cam out looking great


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## Princy (Dec 14, 2011)

Is the compressor he's trying to sell the same one you gave the link for?


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

nice. and yes but older


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## Princy (Dec 14, 2011)

As kempe has shown, it can be done but a 3 stage pearl job with that set-up for your first spray job will take some doing to get right as you have to get your base and pearl coat level and even first hit


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## Aaran (Sep 18, 2007)

i learned myself over the web. my only advice to you is to read. read read read!
i spent a year just reading up on bodywork forums before even committing to buying my first bit of painting kit. its such a huge topic and there are hundreds of things you need to take into account! all the info is out there in the web, just google how to paint a car for a start.

also read this.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=14051


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

Cheers


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## moosh (May 8, 2011)

Hi appreciate your situation and the future go so lets start off with a few questions first.

Type of car?
Colour? (metalic or solid)
What equipment do you have already? PPE and materials?
Where are you planning on painting it? Driveway/Garage/Barn etc

If you give me that info we can go from there :thumb:


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

ford fiesta 
Imperial Blue
No equiptment atall
PPE everything apart form the correct mask
and i have a garage for parts that i take off the car but atm everthing else will be done outside, with nobody around in a 300m radius.

I am changing my plan of painting the engine bay IMP Blue as I have been warned about 2k paint products. I will paint the whole car when i get time as this seems the fastest way that i can get the car resprayed even if it will take me a while to learn enough to be able to complete such a big job, It will take me longer to have enough money to get a full respray. But only when I am going to undertake the job will i spend £200 for a face mask, and £70-£100 minimum on a compressor for the air fed mask.

so for now i will use less dangerous products and are thinking to paint the whole bay black and just detail a few parts in blue maybe, will have to work out what colours i can get that will be safe to use with face mask that i can afford to use.


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## moosh (May 8, 2011)

ylee_mk5 said:


> ford fiesta
> Imperial Blue - Because this is a metalic it will require to be done in waterbased paints unless you can source it in 2K but i dont think they still supply it
> No equiptment atall - I can make up a list of stuff i think you may need
> PPE everything apart form the correct mask - a 3M or devilbiss cartridge mask will be sufficient for your needs at the moment, taking into account your doing it outside and its not a large amount your painting
> ...


I would stick with your original plan because you will be using waterbase and a clearcoat which is safer than a solid colour which will be 2K full job. Clear coat is 2K but thats un avoidable because there are no such clears without being a 2K.

Good plan on planning to get an airfed mask, i used the devilbiss pro mask, its superb.

When you have the engine bay stripped and free of all wires and mechanical soak the whole bay in a strong APC and let that soak in and pressure wash the how area out. This will ensure its as clean as can be prior to any prep work. Identify areas of rust and any small dents etc, remove the rust and then using 180 to 400 grit paper feather then repair edge until smooth. Etch prime the bare metal area and them prime with a high build primer.

Important part here being you dont have to prime the whole bay, if there is existing paint there and it has no bare metal this is fine to paint over. If you prime the whole bay all you are doing is wasting primer on areas that dont need it, you will also create a shed load of prep work that is not required.
The more you prime the more paint you need to buy so key is keep repairs and primer to as small an area as possible.

Once primer is dry get a bucket with warm water in and 400-800 grit paper, fold the large sand paper sheets into 4 sections and tear these so the one sheet of paper has become 4 and then fold each in half. this will now give you 8 fresh paper faces to sand with. Lightly sand the paper areas until the surface area no longer has any shine to it and keep the paper clean through out so as not to pick up any grit that make cause un wanted scratches. Also have a cellulose sponge in the bucket to clean up the sanding water as you go.

This will be you now ready to paint, using 1 inch and 2 inch 3m masking tape mask all areas that you do not want to paint. At this stage you basically want to create a masked out line of the area with he final job being pulling a polythene masking sheet over the whole car and cutting out the area that you want to paint. No you have a masked outline and a whole in the masking cover simple just tape the sheet to the outline of masking that you have just created.

Next step is a little more tricky so when you come up with the type of paint you want to use we can go into that.

HTH's


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## ylee_mk5 (Oct 7, 2012)

Really, thank-you for all your help.  
The engine bay was fully stripped down yesterday. 
I have soaked the area in APC and car shampoo over and over and over an over and over again toady. lol.
Atm I am un-sure how much of the bay I am going to paint as some parts of it have have came up really nice, but there are a few scratches from getting the engine out. 
I will be going over the engine bay again tomorrow and deciding how much I should paint.
I will definitely be painting my new engine in Satin Black High Temp. An the rocker cover in Wrinkle Black or Blue.
All the engine containers will be painted in Wrinkle Black.

I will come back after tomorrow, 

Thanks alot


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

ylee_mk5 said:


> Really, thank-you for all your help.
> The engine bay was fully stripped down yesterday.
> I have soaked the area in APC and car shampoo over and over and over an over and over again toady. lol.
> Atm I am un-sure how much of the bay I am going to paint as some parts of it have have came up really nice, but there are a few scratches from getting the engine out.
> ...


Hopefully your car shampoo doesn't contain any kind of wax or ,worse, silicone!!!!


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