Any auto painters in the house?

I'm going to epaint one of my trucks this spring/summer but I'm not quite sure how to handle the prep. The truck is a '92 Ford Ranger with un-clearcoatd maroon paint. The paint is intact on 98% of the truck, just dead and thin. Each time I wax it, it takes more color off to the point I'm afraid the next waxing will show primer. There is only a few spots of body work needed. Two are dents I can easily fix, the other two are thr typical rusting of the cab corners around the windshield, common to this model. <br /><br />Here are the questions:<br /><br />How do I prep the truck? Just sand it and paint, or should I sand and lay a coat of primer?<br /><br />I have planned on sanding down the rust and using some filler on the cab corners. Will this work ok?<br /><br />Any suggestions of inexpensive paint that sprays well? I am looking at the kits sold by smartshoppersinc.com. My choices are urethane or acrylic enamel. I know this isn't to-shelf paint, but that's not what I want to do here. <br /><br />I have painted one boat and two trailers, so I'm confident I can do a reasonable job at this. I'm not shooting for a showroom finish. just make the truck look better, stop the rust, and generally keep her in 1 piece for a few more years.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Sand it. Prep work is over 75% of the job. Use a good epoxy primer and repaint with a decent paint like PPG or the lessor brand MTK. I have done this with my two trucks with good results.<br /><br />Bob

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Ok, This it not what most people will recommend but is the cheapest way to paint your truck that I have seen done by a good friend of mine many times with very respectable results. TRACTOR paint.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

OMC...... more info please <br /><br />I've got an old van I want to do very soon, and at the prices of paint, I'm contemplating a Krylon job at this point....

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

TRACTOR paint.

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Or,...... As Most people know it,....... Rustolium...........<br /><br />You won't win any awards with it,.......<br />But,..<br />At 50 Feet. It'll Look Beautiful..............

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

If your going to all the work use a rust inhibuter before you fill and prime and sanding I agree is how you get the best results the primer will always show you the bad spots in need of final glazing putty or bad scratches ,start sanding at about 200 grit [primer stage] up to before final coat 600 grit or higher wet sanding closer to final in incrameates higher between thin coats otherwise use a brush fast fix or spray can Done right spray can will come out real good to

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Be sure you use a loooooooong block for sanding, especially for any irregularities in the surface. Make sure you have the little tube of red putty for filling nicks. And if you've ever used the HVLP sprayer you'll never go back to a standard siphon gun.<br /><br />You might go ask a paint shop but I think that you'll want to use a non-sanding sealer primer or that dead paint will just suck the life out of your new paint.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Tractor paint can be bought at tractor supply places like central tractor, or farm supply stores. It has to be thinned with reducer just like auto paint. I'm thinking it may be straight enamel.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Tractor supply Click the link and search for tractor paint and then add zip to get price. $22 a gal here.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

On the tractor paint..<br />Spray it with a hvlp sprayer?...<br /><br />Do you need to cover with a clear coat of any kind?<br /><br />That's right in my budget...<br />A-Team paint scheme going on the ole '71 Van

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

I'm sure you could spray it with a hvlp or a high pressure gun. no clear coat required just apply it in med wet coats. any runs or orange peel can be block/wet sanded and/or buffed out because it is solid color (non matalic) paint.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Originally posted by nd3mge:<br /> On the tractor paint..<br />Spray it with a hvlp sprayer?...

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You probably want to spray it with a 1.5 or 1.8 HVLP nozzle, even after thinning.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

....how much you thin? what with? <br /><br />Edjumicate me

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Originally posted by nd3mge:<br /> ....how much you thin? what with? <br /><br />Edjumicate me

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The paint can will have thinning instructions on it but it's probably between 10- 20% max. I would thin with a medium reducer thinner. You can get that at any auto paint store. But again I would read the instructions with the paint first.<br /><br />Do you have an HVLP gun? The reduction in overspray is incredible compared to a high pressure siphon gun.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Jason, you still there? Sounds like the paint on your truck will work for an undercoat for the new paint. Scuffing with a ScotchBrite pad (3M #7447)is all the "roughing up" you'll need on "98%" of the truck. As dolluper indicated use some glazing putty (red oxide) on any scratches and chips and sand the putty even with the surface of the original paint with some 600 grit paper. The two dents - sand the dents with 600 paper and try not to expose bare metal, apply Bondo to the dents and smooth out with a plastic spreader and then sand the bondo down to the original contour of the body panel and feather the edges. If you have it, spray some spot primer to cover the bondo and a couple inches of the surrounding paint and lightly sand it and feather it again - try and leave some primer covering the bondo. The rust spots will need to be sanded down to bare metal and metal prepped prior to topcoating and use some spot primer to inhibit further rusting. The "metal prep" is an acidic etching liquid that neutralized the metal to prevent later corrosion and rusting. Once you've scuffed, puttied, sanded and spot primed, you'll need to wipe the entire surface with Dupont Prep Sol or BASF PreKleano to rid the surface of dust, wax, grease, oil, etc... A coat of primer/sealer is the next step then you're ready for the paint(topcoat), I'd use an acrylic enamel, Dupont Centari with hardener added,if it's still available. As Bob_VT mentioned prep work is very important! An HVLP gun will use less paint with less overspray, but an conventional siphon type gun will work just fine. Get your supplies at an automotive paint and body supply store, the sales people will be able to answer any questions you may have. Good luck!

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

I'm still here 87, just soaking up the advice. Definetly going to pick up a HVLP. I've done my other painting with a regular siphon.<br /><br />The overriding goal here is an inexpensive paint job that looks reasonable, and protects the truck for the next 3-5 years.

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Originally posted by nd3mge:<br /> ....how much you thin? what with? <br /><br />Edjumicate me

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Tractor paint is Alkyd Enamel.........<br />Thinning,+ Clean up are done with Paint Thinner.....<br />Adding Majic Catalyst Hardener will Increase the Gloss,+ Hardness.........<br /><br />The Can will tell you Not to thin it,.. But I always do..... Just enough so the gun will spray.........<br /><br />I've shot countless dumptrucks, trailers,+ equipment........<br />The Majic Hardener is Well Worth the effort.... The Gloss lasts Much Much longer, before it starts to dull............<br />'Course,... We don't wax the trucks,+ equipment...................... <br /><br />I've had Great Luck with stuff labeled "Quality" Farm & Country"...............<br />I tried some stuff labeled "Professionals Choice",.. The Fine Print revealed it to be made by "Valspar"......<br />Anyway,.... It Sucked..... Wouldn't cover,.. even with multiple coats.....<br /><br />Rustolium will do the same job,.... Just different thinners,+ hardeners.....I like it Best,+ will $pend the Extra $$s for it.......

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

Rustoleum! Three coats minimum, wet sand with 1200, buff it out... Slicker than snot on a door-knob...<br /><br /> I won't paint with nothing else..

Re: Any auto painters in the house?

I have used the implement paint before with decent results.<br />The filler on the cab corners will work for a short time. Is it is rusted through I would suggest replacing the corners. You can buy pre-formed cab corners from JC Whitney pretty cheap. Less than $50 if I remember right. <br />For a decent coat of paint sand the existing paint down mostly to smooth out rough spots and get rid of the top layer that is contaminated with wax and other natural stuff. Spray on a coat of primer over the old paint. Use the finest sandpaper you can find and wet sand it. Use plenty of water running directly under and around your sandpaper. When you get a smooth finish rinse the primer with a rag soaked in paint thinner. Then prime it again, wet sand again, clean well and paint. Use two to three coats of paint for a good finish wet sanding after the first coat. <br />NAPA sells a decent quality of automotive paint It runs approximately 100 to 120 a galon around here. If you don't like the finish then wet sand it down and shoot it again.<br />If you want to do a lot more work, sand down to bare metal and shoot it with a good self etching primer. <br />The primer coat is just as important as the final paint coat. I like the self etching or acid etch primer for the base coats. It bonds well with the metal or old paint. It also goes on very smooth and easy. <br />The last paint job I helped with, we used 8 coats of primer, wet sanded between each coat, then went with (if my memory is correct) 5 coats of paint and then several coats of clear. But that was a show car. <br />All advice here is good though. Implement paint is the way to go for a cheaper job. That is all my race cars ever had and they looked great from the stands.