Painting on the cheap (with rattle cans)

[Station]

I've done a bit of painting in my time, with cellulose and two pack using a spray gun but also rattle cans. I find the ones from Halfords to be really good, although the colour match is a bit hit and miss. The ones that come in those little black cans with the colour on the top on a label are rubbish and runny. No wonder they're a quid now. I found a paint shop in Liverpool imaginatively called 'Car Paints' which are spot on with colour matching.

 

I've done a wee how to with little tricks I've learnt.

 

Use an old scotch pad to flat back the panel, do it all over finishing in a soft swirling motion. This will help the paint stick to the surface. If you leave it without keying the surface, it will flake off.

If it's a new panel, primer is easy to spray, just do a few thin coats. Poundland primer doesn't spray evenly and spits paint making blobs, Halfords doesn't do this because the nozzle is probably designed better. Make sure it's dry before spraying the colour as it usually reacts. It's a good idea to get a primer that matches the body colour paint - I used a lot of black obscuring the underlying red. Overly eager flatting will go back to whatever's underneath.

 

 

Use proper degreaser to clean the surface. I have always had problems using soapy water - I think it may have silicon or other chemicals that ruin any paint going on. I always do it twice with degreaser and blue roll, and then last to dry off the degreaser with more clean blue roll. You won't get any crazing or that pitting with degreaser.

 

 

I leave the paint cans on the radiator for about 15 minutes and shake them vigorously before using. This helps it dry better I think, and probably helps with adhesion to the surface.

 

 

You can heat the panel with a heat gun. I got this from Maplin for 20 pounds and it is so handy.

 

 

I set the panel flat on a work mate - this prevents any paint running if the surface you are spraying is horizontal. This is my first coat - I 'cloud' the surface so it's nice and rough for the second thick coat to go on. I also put a load more paint on edges. In case you get a load of orange peel, you won't go back to the undercoat as easily on edges if there's more paint there. (The bubbly hammered bit on the bottom is stone chip applied in the factory)

 

 

For the shiter in a hurry, or just plain impatient, the heat gun can dry the paint in a minute. Be careful not to get too close though, and keep the gun moving, as it'll bubble it up and ruin everything (you fool!)

 

 

Once the surface is just going off, or is tacky, go kerazy on the second coat. I've found brisk one second coats about six inches from the panel is good. I found the play as soon as the paint goes from speckly to solid is when you move onto the next bit. Keep the can moving, once you do one bit, go onto the next bit and don't go back to it!! This is because once it has started drying, the air pressure from the spray can actually dulls the drying paint (possibly putting tiny air bubbles into the paint maybe?)

 

 

Get the heat gun on it, don't touch it for about half an hour.

 

 

In the mean time, do you have any little attachments that need doing? Mask off bits you don't want paint on (like the plastic gauze at the back) with Vaseline.

 

 

Once the panel is dry to the touch (touch an 'inconspicuous' area to avoid a big fingerprint on it), give it a final coat of paint in the same method as before.

 

 

Again let it dry for a couple of hours, then fit it to the car, as I did here. I always give a quick tidy up over bolts and any edges I missed with it off the car for that 'factory robot painted' look.

 

 

Ive always had a1 results and barely any or no orange peel at all from doing this lay flat and heating method, only needing about half an hour depending on size with G3 cutting compound and then car polish. Never have to use wet and dry EVAR.

 

[vulgalour]

That's very informative and looks to give a very nice finish. Top post.

[hauserplenty]

No runs,

No drips,

No errors!

 

 

http://1969stang.com/forum/index.php?/topic/50657-budget-paint-job-paint-your-mustang-with-rustoleum/

 

Thank you for that--Great post!

[fred]

Cant add to any of that , bang on, great job sire

[Angrydicky]

Great post! At some point we're probably going to paint the new rear quarter on the Sierra with rattle cans, so this guide will be followed thoroughly, I can assure you  

[HMC]

I've got to do some paint jobs on one of my cars later this year, will deffo get one of those heat guns, you've got great results, very impressive!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Good write-up, and proof that there's no excuse for not giving aerosol painting a go. However, I still believe that it's one of those skills that you've either got, or you haven't. I started by spraying bike frames when I was in my early teens, and just seemed to click with it. A mate at the time painted his bike as well, and to be fair, the finish was bloody horrendous. I can see why people brush paint things if they cba with masking or if they're nervous of using an aerosol or spraygun, but it's never the same quality.

One thing I would add to your notes is to avoid crappy weather. Damp air is a complete pita and even with a heat gun, can ruin a decent finish.

Having said that, I used cold winter air to my advantage recently. I wanted a non- glossy black finish on a set of wheels, but didn't want to go the whole hog with choosing matt black. I used satin black, but did a quick test. Drying the paint with a heat gun produced a slight sheen - typical satin black really. Drying without a heat gun allowed the sheen to fade within the first few minutes as the paint dried, which was closer to what I wanted. I ended up painting the whole set of wheels without heat and the colouring of the finish was spot-on.

[cobblers]

It can't be just me who saw this and thought "I didn't realise MGF rear quarter panels were bolted on"

 

[Skizzer]

Brilliant post, thanks!

[xtriple]

Only thing I'd add is; when spraying metallics the panel needs to be in the orientation that it will be on the car or the metallic bits don't 'sit' right and the colour looks off.

[Station]

It can't be just me who saw this and thought "I didn't realise MGF rear quarter panels were bolted on"

 

Yeah, someone already said they look quite similar!

[beko1987]

Ace post! I want to paint my wing this year possibly

[sierraman]

Painting a Focus rear arch this week. Will take pictures - bad or otherwise!

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The other thing is: do NOT mix and match rattle cans. For example, the small cans sold by VAG, Merc and BMW main dealers is not compatible with Halfords cans. The lacquer sold by these firms (German manufacture) has a different chemical make up and it's not very good - it needs heating before it will go on properly -it's not nice. Use the vastly better Halfords Lacquer and it will all craze and react. I'm told lacquer from motor factors in big cans does do on, but you'll need to check. Halfords 'off the shelf' lacquer goes on top of they custom made Halfords paint okay.

 

Forget also trying to paint light metallics like silver with a can. It never works and looks a mess.

[Pillock]

I've had some really good results spraying metallics from a spray can, the latest a bike frame. To me they seem more forgiving, you can layer them up with really light coats and just keep going, doing that with solids always gives me patchy results.

[garbaldy]

Black is supposed to be the worst of all colours to paint so to get decent results from tins must be applauded.

[sierraman]

The Focus is a dark metallic blue. Used knifing putty on the surface imperfections but it's a year old so it doesn't seem to set properly. Must buy some fresh stuff! I'm not after a showroom finish just something that looks a bit tidier than what's there at the moment - a Matt effect!

[Junkman]

Only thing I'd add is; when spraying metallics the panel needs to be in the orientation that it will be on the car or the metallic bits don't 'sit' right and the colour looks off.

 

So if I have to paint a door off the car and the adjacent rear wing, I have to roll the car on its side?

[sierraman]

Before shot! I could have shown you me grinding the rust back but that's not very interesting. Hi build primer over red oxide primer is the current finish. Dont ask why photo upside down. It keeps doing it!

[sierraman]

Thin skim of filler. Wait whilst this goes off then a coat of primer, dust a coat of cheap pound land primer, flat back then hopefully see if there's any raised areas!

[New POD]

This "Car Paints" shop in Liverpool. Is it at the end of the dock road on the edge of bootle ?

[00833827]

great thread - any differences/considerations for painting plastic bumpers as opposed to body parts?

 

have some scuffed bumpers to do as well as the bonnet on the carina e 

[3VOM]

great thread - any differences/considerations for painting plastic bumpers as opposed to body parts?

 

have some scuffed bumpers to do as well as the bonnet on the carina e 

There are specific primers for plastic bits IIRC.

[oldcars]

Yes you can get plastic primer. Asked mate at the bodyshop and this is only needed if you are painting directly onto the plastic, not over primer/topcoat etc.

[sierraman]

Dark primer as its dark topcoat going on...

[sierraman]

Top coat on, give it a week before flatting back with 1200 grade then cutting compound, then lacquer....

[sierraman]

Finished article just wants polish!

[Bobthebeard]

Had good results painting the 'police car' with rattle cans. The front wing and some of the bonnet..

[DeeJay]

I've posted this before but this also shows the finish that can be achieved with rattle cans.

http://www.oldclassi...f42c4194d360832