by Guest Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:25 pm
I have been reading allot about it as well, and it sounds like a great idea.
While its obviously cheap, less mess, and feasible for a rookie like me, it also offers the practical advantage of easy maintenance. You have a one coat paint job, (no clear coat over top), that you can do touch ups and repairs on any time and just buff blend it in invisibly. So if and when you ever want to sell this car, your investment return of the minimal effort for retouch has a massive value increasing return on it. Considering the amount of work this is, there's a narrow range of appropriate vehicle I would do this on. If it were my crap daily driver, then its not worth this effort. If it were something with a potentially high return for restoration, for get it. But for a vehicle like our van's, it makes sense. If you paint it like this now, it will take at least the lifetime of that paint job before our van's reach a half century old status which will hopefully finally make them worth a bit of money, at which point maybe they would be worth the powder coat in the vented booth. Its a simple $$ return formula. For some reason, while cool looking, and real old, our van's still aren't demanding the big bucks. There are no "van speculators" out there.
As for the method itself, from what I have gathered, the "roll and tip" technique is the way to go. I guess its all about how to minimize the air bubbles and roller marks to minimize the potentially huge amount of water sanding. Well that and the obvious key of getting the right ratio of mineral spirits and paint. I would have a few initial projects like extra car body parts, beer fridge, or even properly primed plastic items to practice on first to develope the skill, because the 'Stupid Tax' for screwing up on a big canvas like a car is wet sanding carpel tunnel. No fun.
From what I have read and seen in images, it seems that if you were to go with a gloss black or white for any car that does not need to be show room ready, this is the way to do it. If I wanted a specific colour, I would want some depth from the sparkle of metal flakes in the paint, and I believe you can't use this method with that kind of paint. And I think you also have to clear coat that kind of paint, because you have to protect the metal flecks from oxidizing and turning into black specs, (I think that's what I read somewhere). I think the finish of any other colour, while shiny, would lack the impact of depth from a two part paint and clear coat. Somehow you can get away with out that when your doing just a gloss white or gloss black.
So as my 66 G10 is currently white, and I have some body changes to do, (roll pans patch, and triangular window, chevy emblem removal + million golf ball dents), I think this is my plan for way down the road after I make it go faster, (priority one).
Heavy
If you ever plan on spraying get some paint strainers and mix real good. It lays down pretty easy. WEAR A RESPERATOR AND GLOVES! Safety first!
