Rust / Primer / Paint

[sry_not4sale]

So.... I am sanding down my spare front guards, want to paint them. Never done this shit before.

Panels were originally red, have been resprayed black, so I have been taking them down to the red layer, or the primer below it.

Have hit metal a few times and also will be needing to repair some rust, so I read that I should be using epoxy primer instead of etch primer cos it will be going over old primer/paint? Is that true?

I also read I should try keep the primer and paint the same brand so they don't react with each other....

So my question is, what is a good (but not hell expensive) brand of primer and paint. And should I be using epoxy primer?

Also, should I use high filler or bog for the low spots?'

Thanks in advance for helping the painting newb,

Aaron

[sry_not4sale]

^ The guard just after starting to sand it.

[Gaz]

So.... I am sanding down my spare front guards, want to paint them. Never done this shit before.

Have a look in the paint thread, it covers most of this.

Panels were originally red, have been resprayed black, so I have been taking them down to the red layer, or the primer below it.

Its not about what colour to take them down to but more to get them all even. Sometimes you have to go down further in certain areas and this will make a very slight step in the paint as you go through the layers. Unless bogged or feathered right out this will be seen through your top coat. Filler primmer can fix it to some extent.

Have hit metal a few times and also will be needing to repair some rust, so I read that I should be using epoxy primer instead of etch primer cos it will be going over old primer/paint? Is that true?

You need to use etch primmer over any bare metal areas say larger than a 50c peice. It is made to bond to bare steel and the paint wont flake off 3months later. I etch prime ALL bare metal spots. This was covered in another thread yesterday or the day before. I just buy etch primer in a can and use as I need it. (dont use the repco K&H stuff, its shit).

I also read I should try keep the primer and paint the same brand so they don't react with each other....

Doesnt matter as much, as long as its compatiable. Buy everything from the one paint shop and they will advise.

So my question is, what is a good (but not hell expensive) brand of primer and paint. And should I be using epoxy primer?

Dulon 1k is what I would use if you want to do a decent Metellic job for cheap. If you wanted a slightly cheaper job or a non metalic then a brand called Autothane is alot cheaper. Im currently painting a car in this and it cost round $55 for 4l of primmer filler. I will use a 1k Dulon base ontop of this however with a 1k dulon AAA clear aswell. 1k Dulon base/main colour costs round $180 for 4l, regaurdless of if it is metalic or not. 4l of 1k clear will cost ya bout $200. For 1 gaurd you will only need about 250ml of primer, 500m of paint, 250m of clear, member it is all thinned down with 2-way thinners so you get more than what you just get in cans) The non metalics dont have to have a clearcoat but it protects it so good idea. If you want a harder finish you need to use 2k, which is a bit more poisonous and prob not so great for at home. You could just use a 2k clear if you wanted, this is what I have done on my Cortina.

Also, should I use high filler or bog for the low spots?'

Id go with the Autohane filler/primmer as it is cheapish and not a bad product. If you havnt done it before you may find yourself spraying a bit more than usual. IEvery gun/comp is differant but I would mix this 50/50 with thinners and run around 30psi. I have had trouble using this as a filler and suspect a slightly larger nozel is needed to use as filler. It says you can mix 2 part primmer to 1 part thinners to use as a normal primer but I couldnt even spray that wet enough! I It also says you can mix 4 primer to 1 thinner to use as filler. There is no way I could spray that with my gun! At 2:1 at 90psi t was still too dry!!

Gaz

[Gaz]

Aprox prices for 4l:

1k primer = $90

1k base = $180

1k clear AAA = $200

Autothane primer = $55

Autothane base = $90 (limited colour range)

Dont think Autothane do a clearcoat, if they do I prob wouldnt use, its the most important part of the job and the hardest to spray.

Other option perhaps (have never tried but pretty keen too as its sooo cheap and he has heaps to choose from!)

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 479600.htm

[sry_not4sale]

Panels were originally red, have been resprayed black, so I have been taking them down to the red layer, or the primer below it.

Its not about what colour to take them down to but more to get them all even. Sometimes you have to go down further in certain areas and this will make a very slight step in the paint as you go through the layers. Unless bogged or feathered right out this will be seen through your top coat. Filler primmer can fix it to some extent.

Gaz

Firstly, thanks heaps for your reply!

The reason I am going back down to at least the red layer is I am presuming the factory paint and primer are going to be a shitload better base than some shitty respray...? Does that make sense?

Also, I am spraying it in the factory sperm white color

[Gaz]

No probs. If you dont know what the last paint was and it is done shit then def take it off. If it is enamal type paint it will react with your 1k.

This the Cosmo right? Are you doing the whole car? If you wanted a super white then you could go with Autothane 1k Hi opacity white. Did my escort in it and its super super white! I used cheap paint, cheap primer and expensive clear.

[sry_not4sale]

Yeah it's the Cosmo. I wanna keep the factory color, but I have been told you can order factory colors relatively easy? Is that true?

I am just doing the front for now (guards, bonnet, bumpers, popups) and the engine bay. Using spare panels as i have never done this before and at least this way I won't fuck the original parts. The originals were resprayed by a friend of a friend and are starting to deteriorate.

Starting with this guard first as it is the one I am least worried about turfing if I fuck it up.

So I can use etch primer on the bare metal spots, and then go over it and the factory primer with that Autothane filler/primer?

[Gaz]

So I can use etch primer on the bare metal spots, and then go over it and the factory primer with that Autothane filler/primer?

Correct.

Use prepsol on a clean rag just before spraying as it gets all dust etc off.

Only factory colours Ive ever tried to get ended up being PPG pearls and flips which were mega $$$. Never tried getting normal older car paints before. Often they are faded etc anways and they may be better at just matching. In saying that the paint code of your car should be somewhere on the tags or if not on the net somewhere.

Gaz