Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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Hey Don, what is the humidity like down there? Last week I was setting tile on a patio, the air was incredibly dry, and the thinset (setting morter) was going off in the bucket. Usually you have 30-40 minutes of working time, and we were getting about 5. Could be since you were spraying outside that might be the problem.


Ron

That's a h*** of a way to get a flame job on the Merc


Yeah i was going for the true flame look.

With the fires you guys are having down there in Fla, you better be careful or you will have a real flame job to clear coat.
Brad

Looking good Don. I can hardly wait to see the frame with all the running gear in place.

I have had nothing but headaches with catalyzed primers. I have tried several different brands. They usually worked for a while and then went berzerk. I had some that caused fisheyes in the paint; I had some that discolored the paint; I had some that peeled and wrinkled when the paint was applied over it; I had some that caused the paint not to dry. Finally, I went back to good old lacquer primer. As long as I allow plenty of dry time before topcoating (24-48 hrs), I don't have any problems.

Ron: It has been a little drier than normal, I think. Maybe that is part of the problem.

James: Thanks bud, by next weekend I should have most of the suspension pieces painted and under there. I can't wait either. Dan almost had me talked into slipping the engine and tranny into the frame the other night, but then I remembered I have to paint the engine mounts. I was almost going to do it though.

So you have had trouble with catalyzed primers too? You described my problem perfectly. I have never had an issue, and all of a sudden I can't do anything right. I have had primer and additive laying around for a year, used it and had no trouble. Now it seems to go bad really fast. But that doesn't explain the brand new setup that I just popped the lids on last night. That spider webbing was really odd. Tomorrow AM I am going to be at their door, and if they give me no satisfaction I am going to the Nason rep.

I've considered going back to regular primer too, but I'm using urethane enamel over it, will it adhere ok?

Don

Don,
I do most of my painting with DuPont Chromabase and Five Star X-treme clear (all acrylic urethanes) and I haven't had any adhesion problems. If you are using lacquer primer, you just have to let it get completely dry before applying the urethane topcoat so that you don't trap any of the lacquer solvents under the paint. That's why I said it has to dry 24-48 hours before topcoating. If you trap solvent under the paint, it will cause blistering and / or peeling.


Another annoying problem I have had is with body filler causing urethane paints to discolor. This doesn't show up right away, but comes on gradually over a few months after applying the paint. It is worst on light colors (white, yellow, light blue) and any colors containing red pigment. I have tried different fillers, from cheap stuff to premium, and still had the problem. I almost religiously use some kind of sealer before painting to combat this problem.

Just got in from the paint store, and know less now than I knew before about the problem with the primer shooting spiderwebs. They say they have never seen that, and the one guy ventured the opinion that it was because I am not using a primer gun. I told him I have shot the same paint with these two guns, and never had a problem before.

Coincidently, my buddy who owns the body shop was shopping at the same time, and he couldn't come up with anything either. Reluctantly, the store gave me a refund for the primer, and I dropped another $ 300 on more Fusion Orange, primer ( I switched to a different one this time) wash thiiner, etc. I really can now appreciate why a good paint job, or any paint job for that matter, costs so much. Not only is the work very labor intensive, but the materials are very expensive. When you add up sandpaper, thinner, primer, paint, catalysts, plastic buckets, filler, etc, etc., it adds up real quick. I think I am at about $1000 so far, and haven't gotten to the body yet.

Tonight I am having dinner with my old boss, and after that am going to the shop and get the rear axle and more front suspension parts primed. Then tomorrow night I should be able to shoot some orange on those parts. I have some more stuff coming from Speedway, so the timing should be good to maybe get it sitting on wheels by the end of this coming weekend.

Don

Maybe you should of named this tread, PROJECT PAINT YOUR CAR FOR $3,000
It's awful what this stuff costs!

Yeah Ken, great idea. Then I wouldn't have egg all over my face. How do you go back and edit a title?

When I used to see that someone paid $ 10 or $20.000 for a propaint job, it was hard to imagine, but I can now understand completely. That stuff is out of my league, plus, if I ever got a mark on it..................

Jack, (Henry Rifle) said something in his post that really hit home with me. He basically said that he had gotten the body to the point where he just didn't care to go on anymore.......it is good enough. I understand that completely, and I am able to say those same words. I know there are flaws in the finish, but I accept them and just don't care. Otherwise, I will be spending the rest of my life trying to make every little bracket perfect, instead of getting to actually put gas in the tank and use the darned thing.

This car is going to Daytona in November.........this time I mean it.

Don

Oh, it looks like Dan is moving ahead on his again. He has spent a few nights (late nights) working at the shop, and got his electronic speedometer setup ready to install, and he built the underdash support to hold his steering column. A few weeks ago he built the latch setup and doorgo's to pop the louvered rear cover. I think he is ready to finish that car finally too........he has had enough.

I sure hope you don't feel like you have egg on your face. You have done such a great service on this site. I wonder how many have started projects because of your thread or motivated them to go back to work on there projects?

Don---Now its time for me to jump back into the fray, kick you while you're down, and jump around saying "I told you so" (see post #19, away back when). It's just horrible what everything to do with paint costs. I have over $3000 in the paint on the roadster pickup, and that was with me doing the spraying!!!---When I see all the kids over on the HAMB talking about spraying their cars with Rustoleum, I kinda quiver all over, but I can certainly see their reasoning!!!

D*** Brian, you WOULD remember post # 19. I thought I erased that.


Numerous times in recent weeks I have said to myself " you know, there IS something to be said for the rat rods..........sure a lot less work" (and $) Guess what the NEXT project is going to be? Rustoleum is on sale at Ace Hardware........$ 12.99 a gallon.

Don

Originally Posted by brianrupnow

Don---Now its time for me to jump back into the fray, kick you while you're down, and jump around saying "I told you so" (see post #19, away back when). It's just horrible what everything to do with paint costs. I have over $3000 in the paint on the roadster pickup, and that was with me doing the spraying!!!---When I see all the kids over on the HAMB talking about spraying their cars with Rustoleum, I kinda quiver all over, but I can certainly see their reasoning!!!

Who you callin' "KID"? Just kidding, but it has crossed my mind.

Ron

Watch out Brian, he has a monkey with a gun.

Don

I am all for the rustoleum paint!! I got off lucky with 2,500 but I also got what I paid for. Still, The days of the ol' black primer wern't that bad.