1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser

[Old Iron]

I've always been a participant but, painting is where I turn into a spectator [P

 

[forbigpicture]

Once upon a time .....I had to paint tractors and trailers
used one of those 10 ft walk up push around ladders
(sorry couldn't think what it's called)
Lot's of trips up and down....................
Nice work on the wagon[cl[cl[cl

 

[Bamamav]

Were you able to walk the roof? The stuff I see and read about painting pearls is that it's important to spray the entire length in one trigger pull. So you have to somehow walk at a consistent, relatively fast speed, while holding the gun exactly the same distance above the work and angle the gun so that it is perpendicular to the surface. (That's what the painters call walking the car.) Somehow you have to do that without dragging the air hose or your arm through the part you just painted.

I was using a single stage enamel, so it wasn't as critical, but yes, I could walk the entire length of the roof. I put the hose over my shoulder, sometimes I will actually tie the hose around my neck with a string or something so it doesn't slip off and drag through the paint.
I used 55 gallon plastic barrels, they were pretty stable, but when I do it again I will fill them about half full of water to help with the stability. My boards were just laying loose, probably would have been better if I had of fastened them to the barrels, they did wiggle a time or two, causing a little excitement for a second or two!

 

[Torchie]

Before I became a Chef I used to paint cars for a living. Had some advantage as I am 6'2" tall and have a long reach.
I still pull the tires and get the car down as low as I can and if you use a scaffold make sure that it is wide enough and sturdy.
When painting the roof I always have the hose go up the arm of my gun hand and over my shoulder and down behind me where I grab it with my other hand. Kind of wrapped around my back.
Never had a problem with it touching or being able to control it.
And yes your arm will get tired if you aren't used to doing this sort of work.
I also start from the center and work out towards the edges. As well as going from side to side if it can be managed. That's just the way that I was taught 40 years ago.
"Walking" the roof as you call it is important in shooting pearls and metallics but so is air pressure. Spray pattern, ect.
The biggest trick is to not get a striping effect. You may want to really reduce your final coat and kind of Mist it.
I hope that makes sense.
Good luck with it. You will feel a real sense of achievement in painting your own car.
Torchie.

 

[DJ3100]

Thanks Torchie and Bama

6'2" with a long reach would help a bunch right now. Starting in the center and working towards the edge would be a lot easier. I have read about doing a mist or drop coat, but this is my first adventure with anything other than solid colors.

I got the paint this morning. After I shoot some test panels, I will be shooting the firewall and inner fenders. That should give me an idea of how much of an issue banding will be.

It will probably be at least a month before I need to worry about the roof.

 

[8literbeater]

The fork lift might figure in this somehow, 8 liter. I was thinking about all the people I knew with long arms and without a beer gut - you got any experience with a spray gun?

Uhh, not really. I mean, I guess so. That's a dangerous proposition.
I don't have any experience with pearl paint.

 

[animal]

You might want to try a test panel to get a hang of the mist coat....it really can be a life saver with heavy metallics and pearls. I've painted lots of cars, and learned that technique many moons ago.

 

[DJ3100]

You might want to try a test panel to get a hang of the mist coat....it really can be a life saver with heavy metallics and pearls. I've painted lots of cars, and learned that technique many moons ago.

I'll be doing test panels, the firewall and inner fenders and a few other things before I paint anything that shows. I have been practicing with the primer - using a tape measure to gauge an exact distance, and 50% overlap.

I'm having second thoughts about not sticking with a solid color.

 

[DJ3100]

update

I shot some test panels. The sealer went down just fine (except for the run), but when I got to the base coat I got some banding. The pattern on my gun was about 6". I did manage to get some of it looking pretty good, but couldn't see being able to get the whole car to work. When I got to the clear it was very dry, couldn't get it to run even by holding the gun in one spot.

So, I ordered a new gun (Tekna Pro) with 3 tip sizes and 2 air cups. Just got it yesterday and haven't tried it yet. The bank account just keeps hemorrhaging with this paint.

The small rectangular plate has been color sanded and there is definitely not enough clear. The other panel is in several stages.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

I do like the color.

 

[Old Iron]

That'll be a great color on the ole Ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DJ3100]

More body work

The passenger side fender has a lot of issues. One has this brace behind it. I really didn't want to try to remove the brace. By the way, I have 6 hours in stripping this fender and another 3 in body work before attacking this issue.

[/URL][/IMG]

I should have gotten a pic of the outside. There is a crease that is high with dents next to it. I made this bridge when I was doing the quarters. It goes on the hills and a stud goes in the valleys. Using the slightly modified pop riveter the stud pulls up the valley. A spoon between the brace and the panel and a little hammering on the crease (hill) got it all good enough.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Torchie]

Very tricky on the dents and the crease.[cl [cl
Sorry to hear about the paint. This stuff now a days is pretty pricey to be learning with.
Back in the day a couple of the guys that I painted with had guns that had a paint agitater in the cup to help keep the metallics and pearls suspended and flowing better.. I don't even know if they still have these.
Good luck and all the best to you on your paint.
Torchie
p.s. Color does look great.

 

[Bamamav]

Siphon gun or gravity flow? On the old style siphon gun I put a couple of glass marbles in the cup when spraying metallics. Just by movement of the gun it helps keep the particles suspended in the liquid. Won't work on a gravity feed gun though, it'd stop up the feed hole.

 

[Old Iron]

I made this bridge when I was doing the quarters. It goes on the hills and a stud goes in the valleys. Using the slightly modified pop riveter the stud pulls up the valley. A spoon between the brace and the panel and a little hammering on the crease (hill) got it all good enough.

[/URL][/IMG]

Nice trick !!!!!! Thanks for sharing [cl [P

 

[forbigpicture]

DJ....nice work..
on hvlp gun I used to use 1.2 /1.3 tips with the base coats
usually bust up pearls and metalics pretty good
playing with air pressure and patterns.....

 

[DJ3100]

I probably described the problem incorrectly. It wasn't an issue with the paint, I was getting banding from base not going down consistently. Painter issue.

The gun I used shot the base OK, but the pattern was smaller than I could deal with. It wouldn't shoot the clear at all.

I didn't get the sense that the pearl was separating, it was more like I wasn't getting a wet coat. I got extra paint so I would have enough to solve these problems and practice. It doesn't mean I'm not in over my head, just that I think I can work it all out.

The gun I got is a gravity feed.

 

[DJ3100]

I put another 4 hours in that driver's side fender today - can't see any difference, but it is better.

I also shot a coat of primer on the inside of both fenders and one inner fender (the other inner fender was already done). I'm going to shoot Bed Armor over the primer in a couple days.

 

[Country Misfit]

Looking good. Painting just takes alot of practice and a whole lot of luck.

 

[I-R-POPS]

Looking good on the body work!
Stay after it on the paint. I'm sure it will turn out great.

 

[DJ3100]

Firewall paint

Yesterday I started setting up my makeshift firewall paint booth. It got very windy and the wind didn't let up all day. I have always had issues with the paint drying on the plastic sheet. The least bit of wind dumps the paint into the air and into the fresh paint. This plastic sheet has one side that holds the paint without releasing it. Cool stuff.

[/URL][/IMG]

That the box of plastic sheet in the pic isn't what I used.

[/URL][/IMG]

Today I started early and got the firewall sealed, based and cleared - no wind until long after I was done. Looks better in person than in the photo.

[/URL][/IMG]

Got a lot of orange peel, but it seems to be leveling out some - does it do that?

[/URL][/IMG]

The run from before got sanded out and it was re-coated. The color is actually more even than it looks in the photo.

[/URL][/IMG]

I won't be accused of being a painter any time soon, but I'm happy with the result, the color, and that now I get to put the body back on the frame.