Thanks Blackack for the name..

Just decided to put together a little guide/ how to of useful tips and tricks. note that by using this guide for any purpose, I am not liable for you fucking anything up on your own car and know that these are all things that I have found useful from my experience.

key points are highlighted in bold.

1. the number one and most important rule when painting is TAKE YOUR TIME. whether its masking, waiting for coats, prepping anything.. just slow down and be concious of detail.

2. Masking can make or break any project. in all scenarios, it is better to remove pieces from your car, but if you can not do so.. mask off all surrounding areas WELL. i recommend using 3M painters tape and 1 mil plastic sheeting. The tape can be picked up anywhere and the 1 mil plastic sheeting can be picked up at any hardware or paint store. it generally comes in 9x12 sheets at 2.49$ a sheet. you want atleast 24" of coverage on all sides from the object you are refinishing to prevent from the larger overspray.

2a. With further regards to masking.. Wax on your car can be your friend AND enemy. If your car is freshly washed and waxed, it helps give you some added protection from microscopic overspray which can noticeably affect your clear coat. the downside to your car having a layer of wax on it is that tape doesnt really adhere well to wax and you can have some issues with masking (huge pain in the ass)

2b. Removing masking (without effing up your paint) let the paint set a little bit on your final coat, but remove the masking before the paint completley dries. this seems to be a bigger issue with latex based paints as they essentially make a plastic coating and if not completley set in the primer, will peel off like wax. its experimenting based on the conditions in which you are painting. see the picture below for what it should look like when its ready to come off.

3. the IDEAL angle for holding a rattlecan is around 45 degrees. this allows for maximum mixture of aerosol and paint. along the same lines.. shake the can vigourously as much as possible. every 10 seconds of continuous spray is highly recommended. holding a can upside down will give you a gatorskin type effect, all finish no color.

3a. that being said the best distance to use a can at is 6-8 inches away from the surface. this will help cut down the amount of excess spray away from the object your aiming for and allow for a very even spray pattern with maximum control.

4. Putting a clear coat on things always makes them look more professional and well done. Unless you are going for a specific look, like flat or satin. clear coat it. it will not only protect the paint better it will seal it and give it a more smooth even surface to work with.

5. Prepping an area for paint (aside from just masking) is huge. make sure that you sand things as desired (using multiple grits will always give the best results, start low work high with regards to numbers and always use a light but firm hand with even strokes in the same direction)

use the correct primer. paint mixed with the wrong primer will yield terrible results down the road and more headaches that you want to deal with.

I try and use an alcohol type cleaner on all plastic pieces After i sand; be careful to not use it on rubber. alcohol can and will dry out rubber and make it hard or crack it.

6. Wear a mask. indoors or out, it doesnt matter. it will mess you up more then you realize if you do not.

7. Whether or not to paint indoors or out. if the option prevails to paint indoors in a well ventilated area.. take it. painting indoors means you dont have to worry about leaves falling from trees, wind blowing your mask around or dirt sticking onto whatever your painting. youll also get a more stable climate and the time of day wont effect the paint adhering.

the one benefit to painting outside in the sun is that drying times are cut down significantly and you get to see things in direct daylight. daylight is your friend, it exposes all the flaws in whatever your working on. indoors the same effect can be replicated with a strong light.

8. Humidity. if your planning on painting outdoors, check the humidity level. if its above 60% I strongly recommend NOT DOING IT. humidity and moisture in the air can really eff up the spray pattern and the adhesion qualities of the paint.

9. Oil based paint versus Latex/acrylic based. oil based paint tends to adhere to surfaces better, but fades over time when exposed to direct sunlight. latex is easier to clean up and offers a more uniform spray pattern, but generally requires more coats and is more suceptable to air quality due to the fact that is water based.

10. Chose the right paint for the project. there are specific paints that are designed for specific things. please dont use a regular old rustoleum paint on your calipers. it will smell terrible and wear off quickly. use high heat paint on high heat parts and plastic paint on plastic parts.


now some picture examples of certain things...

the plastic on the left is that which i was talking about before. coupled with 3m painters tape, the knife i use to cut the plastic (exacto knifes are better) and my preferable choice of paint for plastic and metal applications.



masking, cover as much of the surface as possible. cutting back the plastic and taping the edges with the 3m tape..


Lots of light coats (this is number 4, still wet.) and the perfect time to remove the masking without risking anything.




voila.

As for brands/types of paint etc..
-Rustoleum makes the most amazing spray primers out there. weather it is theyre clean metal or rusty metal primer, i give them an A+.

-Krylon paint is amazing for plastics and metals, the Fusion is a tad bit more expensive, but works wonders and is self priming. it is also available in lots of different colors.

-Duplicolor paint has the widest selection of oem color matched paints ive yet to find. theyre generally spot on with very few exceptions. Theyre wheel enamels are also good products, one thing.. i recommend using a clear coat over any wheel paint you may use. it makes the wheels look more legitamate then just being rattlecanned.. plus it helps protect them from brake dust accumulation.

-VHT makes by far the best product for engine enamels, brake calipers, and other high heat applications. VHT Nightshade is also the best (and possibly only) lens tinting spray on the market now.


hope this helps everyone; feedback or additions are appreciated.

 

wow, this grammatically sucks.. not to mention my spelling is quite off as well. thats what i get for trying to multi task.

 

rofl @ "Captain Rattlecan" reference!

Nice write up! Good start for people who want to paint some stuff such as wiper arms, trim, grill, etc.

One thing to add after sanding and before painting or priming ANY plastic part is a good plastic adhesive polymer. This helps the paint stick to the plastic surface which totaly prevents flaking, chipping, and cracking. (if you are using special plastic paint I.E. Krylon Fusion, you don't need a plastic polymer) I had to use this stuff on my color matched grill and projector shrouds because the Cyprus Green Pearl wasn't meant for plastics.

Might also want to go a little more indepth on clear coating. How many coats? Thick or light? Those were my first questions when I was getting into painting.

 

Great stuff man i'll def. have to come back to this page when i start painting.

 

good call ghetto, alot of these things are second nature and in my minds eye so working them out without being asked a question doesnt always happen.

the adhering for plastic is a good start, but its also the reason i just use fusion, much easier and self priming.

As for clear coat.. 3 coats is enough to get any job done, although i normally stick to two. this way you dont risk having a cloudy clear coat or a "swirl" pattern due to different spray patterns. the most important part of doing a clear coat is covering evenly with a good sized coat. you dont want to build up the paint at all, more just give it a different finish. basically you want to go lighter with the clear coat then you do with normal paint, but enough to fully cover every inch evenly. inbetween coats it dries enough to show you what it will look like in comparison to the rest of the car/body. that's also a good way to judge the amount of sheen you need because everyone sprays differently.

 

If only it was easy to find VHT NightShade in my area...most stores don't have them in stock due to the fact, "Its illegal to be driving around with Tint Tail Lights." Forgot the reason why. Lol.

- RemieGino14 -

 

pepboys stocks it. as does napa and you can always just order it offline.

 

Did you spray on some clear coat or wetsand after you smoked with VHT Nightshade?

 

no, it has a semi-gloss finish as is and it blended real well with my car so i let it be, you could if you really wanted too, but i wouldnt go with more then a coat of clear on your tails.. remember every layer of paint you add on cuts down on light output exponentially

 

Hey mate quick question, i just got my 1st gen spoiler 52$ total with shipping, i need to paint it though... do i buy black paint... or go to a paint place with my paint code and get them to mix me up a thing of paint.... how will i spray it though i dont have a gun :p unless they're cheap....?

 

You're better off paying someone to paint it and install it since drilling of the trunk is required, but you can also get our paint in premixed spray cans and paint it yourself, it's all up to you.

 

Im handy with tools i've done a lot of wood work and maintenance so i dont mind the drilling of the trunk so much as painting it :p Thanks bro ill go checkout some of the stores to find a premixed spray can.