Painting grille and mirrors black - what paint to use?

[cuda346pk]

I am refinishing my grille and mirrors. All to be flat to satin black. I do not have access to a real spray booth nor a real spray gun not that it would matter much as I am also not a real painter , I do have a Wagner NBC HVLP Conversion gun I bought for some house work but the specs list it as capable of automotive finishes with the smallest projector set available - costs around $60-$70 to buy. And I can easily construct a vented/filtered temp makeshift booth. As I am not really experienced painting with a gun - and not at all with automotive type paints - what would be my best bet for paint? Rattle can from http://www.totallyautoinc.com/ they have satin black? SEM trim paint? Dupli Color trim paint? Or go with the gun I have, or pick up a mid range lower priced automotive type gun for not much more than the replacement projector set I would need for the gun I have, and "real" paint so to speak? I have a small oil-less air compressor - 12 gallon 8.1cfm@40psi/6.4cfm@90psi. Obviously using a gun and quality paint is leagues above any rattle can but how much harder is it really than painting from a can? Since both mirrors and grille are very chip prone being directly in the wind I would just assume doing it right, so experienced painters please chime in with some opinions on what I need to do a good homegrown job.

[Travis72]

If you're just painting small parts like that you don't need a booth.  Just a clean space where you can wet down the floor and where you're not blowing dust all over.

If you're going to use a rattle can then I would highly recommend SEM trim black.  It flows out really nice and its hard to screw up.  If you put like 4 or 5 coats on it then you would have some build thickness like you would with automotive paint.  I think for a grill and mirrors it would be fine especially for a driver.  If you got chips you could always pull off the grille or mirrors and touch them up.

If you want to try automotive paint then you have to get a pint or quart of automotive paint plus reducer etc.  If you want to do it on the cheap then the purple Harbor Freight paint gun is an amazing deal for the money.  I've shot a lot of primer with it and never had a problem:

http://www.harborfreight.com/clearance/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

With automotive paint you'll need the proper temp reducer plus laquer thinner to clean the gun up afterwards.  Plus things like strainers and mixing cups.  There are youtube videos you can watch that will show you proper painting technique plus how to clean the gun, etc.

Travis
72 Cuda

[diyhemi.com]

If you're just painting small parts like that you don't need a booth.  Just a clean space where you can wet down the floor and where you're not blowing dust all over.

If you're going to use a rattle can then I would highly recommend SEM trim black.  It flows out really nice and its hard to screw up.  If you put like 4 or 5 coats on it then you would have some build thickness like you would with automotive paint.  I think for a grill and mirrors it would be fine especially for a driver.  If you got chips you could always pull off the grille or mirrors and touch them up.

If you want to try automotive paint then you have to get a pint or quart of automotive paint plus reducer etc.  If you want to do it on the cheap then the purple Harbor Freight paint gun is an amazing deal for the money.  I've shot a lot of primer with it and never had a problem:

http://www.harborfreight.com/clearance/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

With automotive paint you'll need the proper temp reducer plus laquer thinner to clean the gun up afterwards.  Plus things like strainers and mixing cups.  There are youtube videos you can watch that will show you proper painting technique plus how to clean the gun, etc.

Travis
72 Cuda

Plus one on the purple harbor freight gun. I have painted and primed many of things with them, including a custom built biodiesel fire truck. I'm getting a better gun for my Cuda build, but will still use the purple gun for primers.

I painted  my old truck with the gun. Base and primer at 45 psi and clear at 55-60 psi. Upgrade to the digital pressure regulator if possible.

[cuda346pk]

I don't have anywhere inside I can do the painting, garage way too full and dusty plus attached to the house and last time I did the grille outside on the final clear coat a breeze blew crap into it so I had to redo it. I was thinking of setting up a 10 x 10 canopy, make sides and floor with clear thick plastic, tape a furnace blower fan into a hole exhausting through filters and tape a filter over another hole or 2 for intake, or even run a 2nd blower blowing in through filters. I may do this either way I do it as it was very annoying to say the least when my last try got ruined on the final coat. What about clear coat, do I need one to add strength or is 4-5 layers of paint good enough since I do not want the gloss? If I go the route of the harbor freight gun or other, what paint and primer would you recommend? I have a Harbor Freight close so that part is easy plus I am  close enough to big city that most brands of paint should be accessible.

If you're just painting small parts like that you don't need a booth.  Just a clean space where you can wet down the floor and where you're not blowing dust all over.

If you're going to use a rattle can then I would highly recommend SEM trim black.  It flows out really nice and its hard to screw up.  If you put like 4 or 5 coats on it then you would have some build thickness like you would with automotive paint.  I think for a grill and mirrors it would be fine especially for a driver.  If you got chips you could always pull off the grille or mirrors and touch them up.

If you want to try automotive paint then you have to get a pint or quart of automotive paint plus reducer etc.  If you want to do it on the cheap then the purple Harbor Freight paint gun is an amazing deal for the money.  I've shot a lot of primer with it and never had a problem:

http://www.harborfreight.com/clearance/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

With automotive paint you'll need the proper temp reducer plus laquer thinner to clean the gun up afterwards.  Plus things like strainers and mixing cups.  There are youtube videos you can watch that will show you proper painting technique plus how to clean the gun, etc.

Travis
72 Cuda

[cuda346pk]

Was just looking over SEM website and they say for the satin trim paint "To promote adhesion on ABS, PVC and other similar
plastics, apply a medium wet coat of 38363 SAND FREE. Apply color while 38363 is still wet. As the 38363 evaporates, the color is drawn into the surface creating excellent adhesion. To promote adhesion on TPO, EPDM, PP and other similar thermoplastics, use 39863 PLASTIC ADHESION PROMOTER or 77723 XXX ADHESION PROMOTER." and not to use primer. I assume on metal - mirrors, bumper brackets, lower grille I made from aluminum should still get a primer, I reckon theirs? I can get it all quickly from year one if they have it in stock cause I am only 45 minutes away so truck shipping is still quick.

[diyhemi.com]

I have had great luck with plastic adhesion prom. Well worth it for flexible parts.
 As far as the mirrors, if they are original sport mirrors, I would use a primer/sealer then base  and a satin clear. You can find low or no gloss clear coats now and  they will protect against rock chips.

Chrome pieces you can use bulldog adhesion promoter and the paint will stick nicely, but beware of rock chips. The best practice is to media blast or strip the chrome plating off.

I use a white transtar primer sealer in one and shoot my base over it. The great thing about it is that it is a self leveling and sandable primer. Shoot it, block it, shoot it and block again. Finally wipe clean and shoot your base. From there you can clear coat or not, depends on your base coat and what you want to achieve.

[cuda346pk]

Wat about clear coat if I go the SEM route? They don't seem to offer or mention any for the trim paint. Is it not needed for strength? I have some of the Eastwood Satin Clear Diamond Coat from Year One but I am scared to mix and match as whenI painted the grille a few weeks ago I used Duplicolor trim paint, eastwood satin clear then the dirt happened and I was out of the eastwood so I wet sanded the dirt out and shot over with duplicolor wheel coat clear and it seemed to react badly with the eastwood clear so I had to strip it again so here I am. I am gonna email SEM to question them on clear also.

[cuda346pk]

So I ended up building a temporary booth with a 10 x 10 canopy, clear plastic, dust tape, some air filters and a blower for exhaust. Worked well. Used SEM exterior trim black and no clear. I ordered a piece of perforated aluminum from custom car grilles on ebay. Made a cardboard template and then a lower grille to protect radiator below the bumper. I covered all edges and hole openings with edge guard. Mounts to same holes lower valance insert mounts to with additional bolts on the sides through the bumper bracket. Also made grille inserts for hood since it already was modified and had 3 ugly holes in each opening. I opened up the vents completely and added the grilles to the back of the hood inserts. All came out pretty good for an amateur. I am still working on the mirrors, they are black too.