Scott,
I'm sure you'll get better advice on painting your car from other
people, but I do have a couple of comments for you (having come from
a hardware background.) Depending on the paint gun you use, the compressor
you're using may or may not be enough. (size of tank and horsepower
say very little about a compressor's ability to make a spray-gun perform
up to snuff.) Most tank compressors work great for air-tools other than
spray guns and air sanders.
What you need to look at is the scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) of
air pressure needed at a specific air pressure (usually 40 psi). A good
spray gun uses 9.0 scfm at 40psi.
Now, when I was selling compressors, the only ones that worked satisfactorily
to perform this job were two-stage compressors (compressors that would
compress the air twice before placement into the tank.) A craftsman 5hp/20gal.
single stage compressor operates at 8.8scfm at 40psi. Which means, not only
would your 9.0 scfm/40psi paint gun be getting less cfpm of air but, the
compressor will run continually (not good for the compressor.)
On the other hand, I've had people come in and say that their small compressors
work fine for spray guns. (one guy even told me he had a compressor with no
tank that he used to spray paint...yeah, right!) But I don't know what kind of
spray gun their using, either.
Another thing to consider is that a GOOD paint shop will place the car into
a room with hot lamps, to ensure quicker & less humid drying conditions for the
drying of the paint (notice, I didn't say curing. Paint cures over weeks of
time)
This supposedly makes the paint more durable and bond better to the body panels.
So, unless you plan on buying a couple hundred sun-lamps and decorating the
walls of your garage with them, it might be worth considering taking it to a
professional.
I might be way off base on my info. But the people I heard all of this from sure
sounded like they knew what they were talking about.
(Crap-tsman sells a single stage "industrial compressor" for $600 that should
handle the gun, but then you have to buy the paint ($70+), spray gun ($100+),
sandblast kit ($50), respirators, tons of masking tape and papers. Not to
mention
the hastle of stripping, doing the job, paint fumes, dust, angry neighbors,
etc.)
IMHO, taking it to a "reputable" body shop IS expensive, but well worth what
you save in hassle. But wow, wouldn't it sure be great to have all of those
nifty
little toys...er....tools to play with?
-Terry Thompson
'76 Spitfire (rolling restoration)
(& soon to be '50 Ford F5 rolling restoration)
At 04:16 PM 10/2/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Scions,
>
>While we were on the subject of painting, I thought I'd ask my own
>questions. I'm going to paint my car, and when I say "I", I mean I'd
>like to do it all by myself. The car needs some bodywork and rust
>removal. How about a rundown from someone who's done this before on
>what I need and how I need to do it. I have a 5 hp/25 gallon
>compressor. Is that big enough? What's a good paint gun, etc.?
>Bodywork/dent removal tips? I've read lots about this in magazines, any
>essential books I should read? Real world experience the books don't
>mention? The car isn't a daily driver, and I have lots of time, so
>mistakes won't be a big deal. I'm looking at this more like a learning
>experience, and this car is the test bed to practice on.
>
>Awaiting enlightenment,
>
>Scott
>
>
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