Assemble before final coat?

[rmaynard 15,715]

I'm putting this question out there primarily for the guys who work in the body and paint field for a living. Others feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and experiences.

What are your thoughts on prepping and priming all components, then assembling all frame and sub-assemblies before applying the final finish, leaving cosmetic things like the hood and fender pan to be painted separately and attached later.

In other words, would you assemble most of the tractor before painting the top coat?

This appears to be the way Wheel Horse did it in the manufacturing of the tractors. When taking them apart, you can see where most components were assembled before the paint was applied.

My thought is that to paint each component, then assemble, would require a lot of touch-up on bolts and nuts. When using a paint such as an acrylic urethane, you would want to paint as much as possible at one time due to the short pot life of the paint, and not having rattle cans for touch-up.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Bob

[Duff 206]

Bob, not sure if this helps, but it's just my experience. I do put the finish coat on everything before reassembly. I figure the extra coat of paint seals things up better so moisture working its way between the assemblies is less apt to rust or corrode. However, my tractors are reassembled with all SS hardware, so admittedly I'm not doing a proper restoration, just a [hopefully] quality rebuild. When I'm wrenching things down I try to be careful not to scuff the paint but I do slip more often than I'd like.

I agree - it does appear WH assembled a lot of things before applying the finish coat, but I would counter that I've taken some assemblies apart only to find that the uncoated surfaces had rusted from lack of protection.

I'll hush up now and sit back to see what the real body/paint men have to offer. I love this forum for what it has taught and teaches me every day!

Cheers!

Duff :D

[rmaynard 15,715]

You are correct about the rust on original WH metal. Probably the most severely rusted areas are where the assembled parts were left unprotected.

However, if all parts and assemblies are coated with a good epoxy primer prior to assembly, that problem will be eliminated.

I like the idea of SS hardware, but I think I will stick to the original due to cost. I am in over my head as it is and I still need to buy tires and an engine.

Bob

[Ken B 3,164]

I paint everything before assembly on a total tear down restoration. You can go back later with an artist's brush and some paint in a little cup and touch up the bolt and screw heads and no one will know the difference. Even if you chip or scratch something while putting things back together you can fill the chip or scratch with some paint, wet sand and buff.

[Little_Red 0]

My wife works at body shop and on classics the area that are not seen they paint first let dry , assemble the car and then they do the final paint . it assures that all is covered and in the end theres a lot less touch up . Bad parts is it adds a few more days to the project

[Ken B 3,164]

That is the way to go when painting a car with large panels but on a tractor you might have lots of over spray to wet sand in hard to get to places. Just my opinion.

[C-Series14 15]

Strip it down ALL THE WAY to the BARE frame, sand or sandblast EACH part, repair or replace as needed, prime, paint, put back together with all new hardware, admire it for awhile and take pics...then use it!

You get to know your horse better and what makes it run... :omg:

[rmaynard 15,715]

Strip it down ALL THE WAY to the BARE frame, sand or sandblast EACH part, repair or replace as needed, prime, paint, put back together with all new hardware, admire it for awhile and take pics...then use it!

I have stripped, blasted, repaired, replaced, and primed everything as individual components. I am just thinking about how I am going to best utilized the limited time available to paint once I have activated my acrylic urethane.

Bob

[C-Series14 15]

Oh....I am a rattle can guy so can't be much help...

[rmaynard 15,715]

Oh....I am a rattle can guy so can't be much help...

Just out of curiosity, what is your preferred "rattle can", brand & color?

Bob

[bo dawg 516]

Oh....I am a rattle can guy so can't be much help...

Just out of curiosity, what is your preferred "rattle can", brand & color?

Bob

Just my 2 cents here, I would say probably most prefered is the valspar.

But just to say I painted a set of wheels several years ago with the cheap Walmart paint they carrie (under a dollar spay can) almond color (I think) and they took an abuse and still could wipe clean and look good. The paint wore great and looked great, If they had a red color that would even come close I would consider trying. :omg:

[C-Series14 15]

Oh....I am a rattle can guy so can't be much help...

Just out of curiosity, what is your preferred "rattle can", brand & color?

Bob

Well, I have tried several. Currently I use krylon Banner Red. The C-195 in my photo gallery was done in that. I know that it is not the most professional way to do it but it looks good to me. Will have a 1979 C-141 8-Speed at the show this year that I am doing now...

[Iggy68 28]

I like to clean as many parts as I can and prime them, set them aside and do the next batch until they are all primed. Depending on how much room you have to hang parts depends on how many you can paint at a time. You would be suprised of how little touch up you will have assembling if you take your time.

I also agree with make it look good, take pictures and use it.

[rickv1957 72]

Bob,Im with Iggy,if you have the hanging room,you can paint lots of parts with a gun full of paint,Rick

[rmaynard 15,715]

Thanks for the input. All answers are greatly appreciated.

Bob

[chesbaycruiser 83]

I have been wondering the exact same question about painting before assembly.

I am stripping, priming and painting parts as I go (prior to assembly). My thought was once I had assembled parts, I'd hit it with a final topcoat of color, however as I have NO experience painting this sort of thing, please feel free to chime in if that in not a practicle idea.

BTW, I am using rattle cans (Valspar Resto), but am considering using a gun on the tins. I have an older spray gun which, I have never used. In fact I don't think the gun has ever been used.

Thanks!

[rmaynard 15,715]

I have been wondering the exact same question about painting before assembly.

I am stripping, priming and painting parts as I go (prior to assembly). My thought was once I had assembled parts, I'd hit it with a final topcoat of color, however as I have NO experience painting this sort of thing, please feel free to chime in if that in not a practicle idea.

BTW, I am using rattle cans (Valspar Resto), but am considering using a gun on the tins. I have an older spray gun which, I have never used. In fact I don't think the gun has ever been used.

Thanks!

This is the stage that I am at now. I have the frame, transmission, front axle, and lower steering assembly all painted with Krylon. It is assembled and has been so for a week now. My problem is that it is not hardening. I can take my fingernail and scratch the paint.

Unless I am told otherwise, I am going to give it one more week to dry, then I am going to spray the entire assembled frame with an epoxy primer and repaint with an acrylic urethane. All other "cosmetic" parts such as hood, fender, belt cover, etc. will be painted separately, and assembled when dry.

Now I know why cars are not painted with rattle cans. I should have listened to the little voice in my head that was telling me I was making a big mistake.

Bob

[chesbaycruiser 83]

This is the stage that I am at now. I have the frame, transmission, front axle, and lower steering assembly all painted with Krylon. It is assembled and has been so for a week now. My problem is that it is not hardening. I can take my fingernail and scratch the paint.

I am at the exact same spot with the exact same parts, except I have not assembled the parts yet. (This weekend.) However, my Vaspar Resto series primer/paint dried enough to be (gently) handled within a few hours and is now, after a week, is dry and hard.

[rickv1957 72]

repaint with an acrylic urethane.

The cost is higher but the quality cant be beat,I use Nason color 400-20,Rick

[rmaynard 15,715]

repaint with an acrylic urethane.

The cost is higher but the quality cant be beat,I use Nason color 400-20,Rick

Rick,

How much paint does it take to do a complete tractor, and what is the cost for the Nason?

Bob

[PPGman 5]

repaint with an acrylic urethane.

The cost is higher but the quality cant be beat,I use Nason color 400-20,Rick

Rick,

How much paint does it take to do a complete tractor, and what is the cost for the Nason?

Bob

I would think that you could do a complete WH paint job in single stage urathane with 1qt of paint. It depends alot on how well the paint covers, but a good urathane will completely cover in 2 coats. If you plan on doing some heavy wet sanding and buffing, a 3rd coat is a nice insurance policy!

As for the assembling before final paint, i guess its all a matter of preference. There are some items i will shoot seperatly like hoods, fenders, ect. I guess i choose do this with items that i can easly install without doing damage to my fresh paint job. Other items, such as a chevy truck front end, with tight body gaps to fenders and hood, i usually choose to cut in the panels off the truck, and than hang them, final fit, tape off and spray my final finish. Its alot more work, but fixing a gouge in fresh paint is alot more work in my opinion.

With my tractor, i had alot of the tractor tins and pieces dissassebled and i would blast, or strip them, coat them with epoxy primer, and then assemble them back on the tractor for final paint. Mainly because i didn't want the added cost in buying alot of new bolts and hardware, i choose to just reuse everything i could, and get some fresh paint on the exposed hardware. Some odds and ends pieces like the hood, fender pan, ect, i painted seperate and then installed it. I think at the end of the day, its all in what you prefer, and makes sense.

I have never tried some of the paints discussed here such as the international resto paint, or alot of the rattle can colors. I will tell you if your using a paint that stays wet, or gooie for a week or two before it starts to harden up, you would be further ahead to assemble what you can before you do your final paint job. I think that would save you a ton of buffing, and clean up at the end of your job.

[massey 118]

I just bought some PPG Omni (acrylic enamel) for the red it was $35.33 qt. hardener was $19.00 pt. (good for 1gal of paint) and the reducer I had, but that isn't expensive.