Howdy Listers,
I've got my next barrage of questions ready! Since I am new
to all of this, hopefully my questions will not be *too* stupid.
I will add too, that I realize that all of this work can (and
maybe should) be done professionally, but I really have a strong
desire to do everything possible myself. If it can be done at
home, then I plan to at least try it there first before going
with professional work. My objectives are: 1) learning everything
I can, 2) Be able to say I did everything myself, and 3) have a
great car when I'm done. In that order.
Here goes:
I. Sanding/Sandblasting
I've been experimenting with both sandblasting and sanding to
remove the paint and rust from some large panels. The sanding
seems much more labor intensive, but the mess from sandblasting
is tremendous. I recommend NOT doing this in your garage! (The
panels I've been working on would never fit in a blasting cabinet).
Anyway, the sandblasting strips everything off pretty slick, but
the finish on the metal is rough (so far I've tried 100 grit
Aluminum oxide).
a) Will I need to smooth this out with some fine orbital sanding
before I can prime and paint? Or will I be able to prime and
paint over it as it is?
b) If I switch to glass beads or walnut shells or ?, will I be
able to avoid this problem? (if it is a problem).
c) What are some good suppliers for buying in small quantities?
(~100 lbs.)
II. Body Work
Some of my panels have dents that will have to be hammered out, or
holes that will have to be patched, probably by welding in fabricated
pieces. I am not sure I will be able to get these problem areas
EXACTLY right.
a) When, if ever, is using body filler appropriate? Whenever I've
heard the term "body filler" used in connection with car restorations,
it has always been in a very negative context. But is there ever a
time to use it? BTW, I'm not talking about filling in MAJOR holes
or whatever with the stuff, just maybe a thin layer in a localized
area to smooth out a rough spot.
b) Or, if you don't use body filler, how do you get your metal surfaces
perfect if you are starting with bent or twisted metal? Can you
really get a perfect surface by hammering, filing, and sanding?
c) If I do use some filler, what kind of filler should I buy?
III. Priming and Painting -- I am REALLY clueless here!
a) Any recommendations on the type of primer to use? Suppliers?
b) Will I need to spray the primer on, or can it be brushed?
c) If spraying on, should I use an air compressor and sprayer, or is
aerosol an option?
d) If air compressor and sprayer, what kind of sprayer should I get?
Make? Model? Type? Size?
e) What types of paint are recommended?
f) How hard would it be to get the paint finish right if I tried this at
home?
g) How many coats will I generally need to do?
h) If I paint in my garage, am I going to get paint spray on everything?
How do I prevent that?
i) Any tips for applying it evenly? How-To websites? Book?
j) Anyone know of any laws I need to be aware of when paint spraying
in Colorado?
Well, that's it for now! I'm sure I'll have more later. I am eagerly
awaiting all of your responses. The collective wisdom of the list is
amazing.
Someday soon I hope to be able to start putting all of this information
on the web. I plan to do a COMPLETE how-to on TR3A restoration, from
start to finish, with detailed descriptions and pictures. It will be
my way of saying thanks to everyone for all the help!
Cheers,
Todd Richmond
1959 TR3A TS54425L
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