First try with HVLP gun.

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

Painted the underside of some 416-8 tins to get a feel for mixing Rustoleum/acetone/hardener. For my first time I’m happy. The weather really wasn’t ideal for painting but I will definitely wait for better conditions to do the top sides. This was also the cheap harbor freight purple gun.

[953 nut 55,321]

3 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said:

Rustoleum/acetone/hardener.

            I have always used enamel reducer as a  paint thinner.  How did the acetone do?

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

Well I prefaced this with the fact that I’ve never used a spray gun or mixed paint for spraying before. You have to consider that when I give my opinion. I watched a few YouTube videos and googled a bit. Seems you can use enamel thinner, mineral spirits or acetone. I had acetone on hand. Thinned it very well. Better? No idea. I used 8oz. Paint, 4oz. Acetone and 2 cap fulls of Majic hardener. Might be all wrong and would love the input of those more experienced. I’ll say this though, I think I’m done with rattle cans!

[Achto 27,609]

Here are a few mixing pointers

 

Using mineral spirits in Rustoleum would be great on a warm or hot day as it will slow the drying time. Enamel reducer would be a good all around reducer and probably what I would use.

Acetone will greatly decrease drying time and would be good in cooler temps.

 

Reduction instructions should be printed on the paint can. I usually follow the recommended reduction ratio. If it is not printed on the can, check their web site for recommendations.

 

Enamel hardener is usually added at a ratio of 16 parts paint to 1 part hardener.

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said:

Rustoleum

 

Is that the famous "Regal Red" Bob?

 

11 minutes ago, Achto said:

Using mineral spirits in Rustoleum would be great on a warm or hot day as it will slow the drying time. Enamel reducer would be a good all around reducer and probably what I would use.

Acetone will greatly decrease drying time and would be good in cooler temps.

 

I had to thin some Rustoleum "Door Paint" and as I recall the instructions said to use Xylene?  I was brushing it though but I wonder if Xylene would be a good thinner for gunning, and how it fits into that drying time scenario?

I'm planning on picking up the cheapo HF HVLP gun myself while it's still $12.99 and looking for pint cans of the Regal Red.  Not having so much luck with that so far.

 

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

2 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Is that the famous "Regal Red" Bob?

 

 

I had to thin some Rustoleum "Door Paint" and as I recall the instructions said to use Xylene?  I was brushing it though but I wonder if Xylene would be a good thinner for gunning, and how it fits into that drying time scenario?

I'm planning on picking up the cheapo HF HVLP gun myself while it's still $12.99 and looking for pint cans of the Regal Red.  Not having so much luck with that so far.

 

I used IH red and really like the color. Very close to the color of my 93 520.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

16 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said:

IH red

 

I think I have a rattle can of that and found it to be a bit more 'orangey' than the original color on my machine.  Shouldn't matter if you're doing the whole thing of course but at the time I was only doing the two side panels.  The Regal Red is VERY close.

 

I've got a much newer steel pan fender and the color of that appears closer to the IH Red.

 

The 'shine' looks good from here... I've been reading around and some are saying that Acetone can dull the shine somewhat because it flashes too fast before the paint can 'flow'.  In the cooler weather, maybe not so much?

 

I noticed that the Majic hardener says 'increases gloss' so maybe the alleged shine issue with acetone is offset by the Majic.  just guessing, not a paint expert but doing the same as you preparing to repaint when the weather warms a little more.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[Achto 27,609]

21 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I wonder if Xylene would be a good thinner for gunning, and how it fits into that drying time scenario?

 

 

I have not used xylene as a reducer, so I can not answer that question. The low dollar HVLP gun from Harbor Freight is a very capable gun. I used one for quite a while and would still be using it if it hadn't suffered some physical damage. Only thing that felt weird was paying $12 for a gallon of lacquer thinner to clean a gun that I payed $10 for.

 

Since the demise of that gun I stepped up a couple of grades on the Harbor Freight scale and am quite happy with my new gun as well.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

xylene as a reducer

 

From what I've found on the web, it falls between spirits and acetone.

 

I emailed tech support at Rustoleum some time ago asking if I could thin with spirits rather than xylene and they said yes I could but they could not condone it officially due to some EPA regulations regarding VOS/VOC emissions or some such BS.

[JoeM 7,874]

8 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said:

Painted the underside of some 416-8 tins

I pretty much done what you are doing a while back. I will say the results are pretty nice. I use 10oz paint to 1 1/2 oz acetone. with 1/2 oz of hardner. I mix the thinner and hardner then add to the paint. 

Good results but the paint if left in the sun fades. I found that after it drys. I spray clear enamel over as a top coat. The beauty is the clear after it is dry can be cut and buffed to a real nice finish. The pic was from the testing thread and the area where the can is was sanded and buffed one time. You can kind of see the difference from the wheel well area.

 

[ebinmaine 67,628]

I s'pose I might hafta talk my Paint Department into trying a sprayer...

[squonk 41,155]

I use an HVLP and Turbine from TP Tools. Paint anywhere there is a 110 outlet.

 

[David414 289]

Interesting topic. I have no experience with a HVLP and ask if you use a rustoleum primer under the top coat?

For pitted metal and slightly rusted metal, I always used the heavy metal primer before the top coat, (spray cans)  with very good results. 

Do you thin the primer and what mixtures do you use?

Thanks

[pacer 3,173]

Another Acetone/HF gun user here..... and I also add hardener to it.  For a lot of the small pieces I use a rattle can --- Rustoleums Sunrise red.

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

24 minutes ago, David414 said:

Interesting topic. I have no experience with a HVLP and ask if you use a rustoleum primer under the top coat?

For pitted metal and slightly rusted metal, I always used the heavy metal primer before the top coat, (spray cans)  with very good results. 

Do you thin the primer and what mixtures do you use?

Thanks

These pieces were very rusty so I had them sand blasted. I used rustoleum self etching primer from a rattle can and it works well.

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

Being a rattle can painter, here are a few things that I’ve noticed. One using quarts of Rustoleum with thinner and hardener will be cheaper than rattle cans. I have maybe 25 bucks in the purple harbor freight spray gun with water separator and regulator. Second, rattle cans just cannot put down a thick layer of paint because the paint is so thin. I suppose it has to be to work in a can. With the HVLP gun and a two to one mix of paint to acetone I can lay down some nice heavy finishing coats. 
Third, no runs, not one! So much easier to do a good job! Fourth, the hardener should make it more durable but time will tell. 

if you have a compressor and plan on painting a tractor or whatever I would suggest trying out one of these purple guns! If I found it easy And I bet you will too!

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

All you need to get started! I have a cheap Craftsman 20gal. Oil free compressor and it worked well. On another note I painted the fender pan, floor boards and side panels on both sides with roughly 16oz. Of paint. 

[squonk 41,155]

My only complaint with my HVLP is it is not a gravity feed so I end up wasting a little paint. You don't want to run low in the gun in the middle of a coat so I mix a little extra. If it ever dies I'll make the switch.

[David414 289]

 

If you don't have any other use for a compressor to operate the HVLP, has anyone used an electric HVLP sprayer, such as Wagner?  Any thoughts using an electric HVLP versus spray cans?

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

39 minutes ago, David414 said:

 

If you don't have any other use for a compressor to operate the HVLP, has anyone used an electric HVLP sprayer, such as Wagner?  Any thoughts using an electric HVLP versus spray cans?

Interesting. I never thought of that. The only other thing I’ve really used my compressor for is pumping up tires. Especially since going to lithium ion ratchets and impacts. I got lots of tires🤗 though!

[squonk 41,155]

1 hour ago, David414 said:

 

If you don't have any other use for a compressor to operate the HVLP, has anyone used an electric HVLP sprayer, such as Wagner?  Any thoughts using an electric HVLP versus spray cans?

David see my post above. Electric Turbine. Post # 12

[David414 289]

@squonk Yes I did checked your post and that unit is $700. The Wagner is around $200. I don't know if a $200 unit would work? Has anyone tried a Wagner or similar priced unit?

[squonk 41,155]

I don't think the Wagner would work unless it's a steady flow of air. I think the Wagner is a piston operated unit. Ok for a house or fence. But I don't think the finish would be acceptable for a car or tractor. 

Edited March 28, 2021 by squonk

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

Well the 416 is almost done. Very happy with the HVLP gun! Unfortunately got a bug in it before I got it inside 😡

[rmaynard 15,514]

I know this topic is a little old, but I discovered something while reading the safety data sheet on a couple of enamel reducers. Here is a snippet pulled from Krylon and Rustoleum enamel reducers.

 

KRYLON

 

 

 

RUSTOLEUM

 

 

Looks like Acetone is the ingredient in Krylon, and the major ingredient of Rustoleum.

 

Considering how expensive reducer is in a name brand, why not just use acetone?