Paint question?

[jasoncracer 0]

Buying a c120 this week and its getting a full restore, but I dont however have a spray gun whats best spray can /rattle can that holds up the best really without chipping so easily? Maybe ih restoration series?

[Kelly 1,029]

Spray cans will never hold up like mixed paint, but I like Rust oleum.

[rmaynard 15,605]

I personally have not found a rattle can paint that dries as hard as, and is as durable as a spray gun finish with hardeners.

I tried Krylon, Rustoleum, and Valspar Restoration Series on my first restoration, and they chipped and remained soft even after 30 days of drying. I sanded it down and repainted with acrylic urethane.

Having said that, I guess I'm not much help :thumbs:

[Save Old Iron 1,566]

jason,

a few quick hints. All rattle cans are thinned excessively to be able to achieve a passable spray pattern out of the rattle can. Thinned paint requires many more coats to be able to build the same thickness as "mixed paint" from a gun. You can get a good durable finish from rattle cans by spraying on thin coats to prevent sagging and allowing the coats to oxidize and harden. It is exposure to air that hardens enamel paint, not evaporation of solvent. If you rattle spray on too thick a layer, it will most likely run and fail to harden properly.

Spraying on several thinner layers to build a final thickness will require you to allow the paint to harden (48hours) between coats. Then abrade the paint to allow a "bite" of the 2nd coat onto the first coat. It is this "bite" which is created thru mechanical coupling of the layers that prevents chipping or delamination of layers. Remember to abrade the primer layers also, else the top coat will detach from the primer layer.

Do not try to spray, then wait 1 hour and spray again. You will build up layers of un-catalyzed paint and the whole project will remain soft for months. Remember, the layers have to dry by exposure to air. If you trap the first undried top coat layer under 3 or 4 more layers of topcoat, layers 1 and 2 may never fully dry - they are no longer exposed to air and cannot harden. Heating the painted piece to acclerate the drying process only helps a little. It is a chemical process that dries the paint - not solvent evaporation.

If you attempt to do any bondo filler bodywork on the hood area, remember to apply the body putty directly to bare metal and try to keep as much filler as possible away from sitting directly over the hot engine area. Hot hood and mufflers will weaken and possibly delaminate the filler from the metal hood.

[rmaynard 15,605]

That is very good information Chuck, but the problem is the paint manufacturers. They put the following info on their cans. In the case of Krylon, "Due to Krylon's special formula, additional coats may be applied at any time", and Rustoleum says "recoat within 1 hour or after 48 hours", and Valspar says "2 thin coats are recommended, recoat within 2 hours, or after 36". So what is a person to believe?

My own experience has convinced me that there is no spray can finish, no matter how applied, that will compare to the toughness and durability of a finish that is properly mixed and sprayed by a gun.

Having said that, I know that some people do not have spray guns or compressors to properly supply a gun. But think about this. Using spray cans to apply 3 or 4 coats of paint, puts more toxic fumes into the air than one medium coat of paint from a properly adjusted HVLP sprayer. Ultimately, the cost to paint with spray cans is more than the cost of mixed paint, and produces much more pollutants.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[dgjks6 6]

I touched up my 312 with a lot of rustoleum 2 years ago. It now looks good and doesn't chip. but it took 2 years.

[can whlvr 993]

it must be that the paint will bond as one if recoated in the recommended time,meaning that it becomes one coat and then it doesnt trap the inside coat,if you dont hit it at the right time then they want it to cure longer so no entrapment happens ?i bought a cheap spray gun from a company called lee vally,i recouped the cost for it from being able to purchase paint in quarts compared to spray cans,i used 15-20 cans years ago when i did my 308,at 5 bucks a can,i can easily do a tractor with a quart,and have enough to do implements too,15 bucks and when i bought my sprayer it was only 50 bucks,(if you have a small compressor though)