Suggestions for paint for hood project

[shadango]

Try Eastwood for epoxy primer or polyurethane primer in pint kits. They are 2 part chemistry, use a primer HVLP gun and go for it. Spray can primer is generally cheap lacquer base primer that will develop rust areas under your top coat soon after application. It is CRAP.

I wasn't going to use hardware store primer between completing sections during prep.......SEM, the folks that make the HR Black, recommnended their brand of high build filler/primer....its freaking $20 a can around here......

Again, the only reason is that we will be working on sanding the hood a little at a time......figured  I would need to keep any bare metal covered when we are not working on it.....mixing paint and putting it into a gun and then the cleanup afterwards takes time and when you are working on something for an hour at a time, well, you can see my concern.

I have never mixed primer or paint before and figured the rattle can primer was the most convenient way to go given our situation.

How do I know if I have a "primer" gun?  I picked up a 20oz HVLP gun at harbor freight a while back and was gonna use that for the main coat....cant I use it for the primer as well?

[shadango]

did you look into what Eastwoods may have?  Perhaps they have something that will cover your needs and still be reasonable for your budget   

Took a look at Eastwoods....they have a similar product to SEM's hot rod black....both claim the same attributes.   Price is just a little cheaper when you consider you need to buy the reducer for Eastwood's "kit" (theirs comes with a quart of topcoat and the activator,  SEMs kit comes with the quart of topcoat, the activator and the reducer).....$80-90 for each.  That is not a huge issue.  I guess either would work.

Its the primering between sanding areas that is gonna hurt at $20 a spray bomb for the hi fill primer that is compatible with SEM's...unless I plan on knocking out the whole side of the hood at a time as far as prepping it, but I dont know if that can happen. probably overthinking.....but dont want to prep an area and leave for the evening and then come back and have rust....

[shadango]

SO, in the realm of overthinking ---      As I was searching for reviews on the Eastwood dead rat flat black product (urethane I think) I came across this link

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/bad-urethane-experience-need-info.308529/

I very much want to try spraying this myself......but this thread scared the crap outta me....

Anyone else have these issues?  I realize the link is from 2008.....am I asking for trouble?

[js29no]

The etch primer you cover the bare metal with can be left alone. keep prepping until you are done, then scuff the etch primer and shoot the serfacer primer with A gun all at ones. guide coat and block sand until you are satisfied. the go for your finish.    

[734406pk]

SO, in the realm of overthinking ---      As I was searching for reviews on the Eastwood dead rat flat black product (urethane I think) I came across this link

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/bad-urethane-experience-need-info.308529/

I very much want to try spraying this myself......but this thread scared the crap outta me....

Anyone else have these issues?  I realize the link is from 2008.....am I asking for trouble?

That article is an extreme example i suspect. Something is wrong there. I have sprayed poly and epoxy etc  for years without any issues. Just use a premium chemical respirator like 3M etc with vapor canisters and dust filters that are fresh and made for this purpose and cover open skin. Autobody supply shops sell the correct ones. They have a shelf life once the package is openned. The rule is if you smell paint while wearing your respirator, it's not working so stop and correct. Turn off all heat sources as well. Spray outside if possible and keep in mind that there is a cure time for these paints and low level VOC's are still being released after paint application for a day or two.

[shadango]

I just deleted a couple of my last messages as I think I have a plan now....been trading emails with a guy from eastwood.....very helpful....suggested a product called Aferblast to wipe raw sanded metal down...it will prevent flash rust in between sessions....that way I dont have to spray any sort of primer on it until I am DONE sanding and prepping...and he suggests this plan of attack.....

Gonna sand in sections as I need to, and use Eastwood "afterblast" between sessions.....do my body work as needed etc....using afterblast after each session.

Then spray gun their epoxy primer.....

Let that flash and then spray Urethane filler primer surfacer....

Block sand etc as needed, more coats as needed, sanding and using PRE between coats as needed....and apply final urethane filler primer coat.

Then final sand or scuff and do dead rat black....

Sound like a good plan guys?

Materials are about $240 for the eastwood paints, afterblast, PRE, etc.

[70chall440]

sounds like a plan, just remember to 1) read all of the instructions carefully 2) follow said instructions exactly 3) if something doesn't work out or react as you expect, STOP and figure it out before proceeding.

Good luck

[shadango]

sounds like a plan, just remember to 1) read all of the instructions carefully 2) follow said instructions exactly 3) if something doesn't work out or react as you expect, STOP and figure it out before proceeding.

Good luck

Thanks!  A little nerve wracking considering that this aint just a couple cans of rattle paint...LOL.....

[70chall440]

Yeah I know the feeling but remember it can always be fixed, sure it will cost money and time but it isn't catastrophic.

[shadango]

Yeah I know the feeling but remember it can always be fixed, sure it will cost money and time but it isn't catastrophic.

I was about to pull the trigger on my cart and realized the urethane primer I had picked is GREY.

Changed it to black...but then realized that they dont have a grey guidecoat spray......

I wanted to use black primer so I owuldnt have to worry about coverage with the dead rat black over grey.... 

[70chall440]

While I understand your point, you do not want to leave uncoated primer or you will have the same problems you do now. The grey will contrast well which will show where you need to paint. I used a white epoxy reduced 20% as a sealer and it was perfect when spraying the sublime, very easy to see where to paint.

[shadango]

While I understand your point, you do not want to leave uncoated primer or you will have the same problems you do now. The grey will contrast well which will show where you need to paint. I used a white epoxy reduced 20% as a sealer and it was perfect when spraying the sublime, very easy to see where to paint.

WHen I say coverage I mean more along the lines of how much top coat I will need to cover the light versus dark primer.

[shadango]

So I got all my paint stuff in the Fedex yesterday....

Got a two quart kit of epoxy primer, a gallon of urethane surfacer/primer and a quart kit of the dead rat black.

As I was unpacking the paint cups I ordered it hit me.....how much should I mix up at once when I do each stage?

Don't want to make too much and waste any but also obviously dont want to run out mid spray in any of the stages.

Gonna spray each side of the hood separate and the hood scoop separate as well....underside first of each then the other after that dries.....3 stages - epoxy, filler and final coat....

Any way to know how much paint to mix?

[734406pk]

Mix small batches and see how it covers. Say 16 oz total mixed product and shoot it. The first coat uses the most paint, from there it's the build up. The goal is to not catalyze too much paint, because once mixed it will cure. Mix up short batches until you get used to the product.

[js29no]